French linen spinner Safilin is currently experiencing strong demand for its range of linen yarns for knitwear and knitted fabrics. Speaking to Knitting Industry at the 1^st CELC (European Confederation of Linen and Hemp) International Congress in Brussels a few weeks ago, CEO Christian Mekerke said that yarns for knits now constituted 20% of turnover whereas five years ago all of the company’s yarns went into woven textiles.

According to Mr Mekerke, growth in yarns for knits at Safilin is attributable to a number of factors including a strategic decision by the company to broaden its reach into knits, research into improving the ‘knit ability’ of linen yarns and a current competitive position in the European market place versus imports.

Competitive pricing

Safilin says it is now much more competitive against imported yarns than it has been for some years. “The price difference between our yarns and Chinese imported yarns four or five years ago was a full 3 Euros. It is now approximately Euros 0.5. So imported yarn is no longer attractive to knitters or weavers in Europe,” Christian Mekerke said.

Safilin’s specially developed yarns for coarse and fine gauge knitting are available in single and two-fold formats and suitable for both circular and flat knitting from 2 ½ gauge to 28 gauge.  According to the company, both circular and flat knitted fabrics yield high-end jerseys with a distinctive handle and sheen which are comfortable, elegant, anti - bacterial, hard wearing and easy care.

The company showcased a range of new yarn developments at the recent PV which had been knitted up into garments by its customers for prestigious brands.

“Today, linen has won over many brands like Petit Bateau, Lacoste, Eminence or even Labonal socks. Linen is valued for its comfortable suppleness, soft hand, visual appearance – all sensual  tactile qualities on the skin that consumers appreciate,” Olivier Guillaume, Sales Director at Safilin said.

Production facilities

Safilin which has its headquarters at Sailly Sur La Lys near Lille at the heart of the traditional French linen industry, claims to be the largest Europe based linen spinner employing around 400 people at its spinning mills in Poland.

Before the global economic crisis the company employed 800 people in Poland. The company does have larger Europe (Italy) headquartered competitors, but points out that the majority of their produce is spun in North African countries and not in Europe.

Safilin set up its first dry linen spinning mill in Milakowo, Poland in 1995 where it produces 1500 tons of yarn per year. The company also set up a wet linen spinning mill in Szczytno, Poland in 1997 where it produces 2500 tons of yarn per year. The Miłakowo site also produces 600 tons of open-end spun yarn per year.

Safilin’s dry spun yarns are coarse flax yarns spun from air-dry rovings, whereas finer wet spun flax yarns are spun from fibre in rovings form that has been thoroughly wetted out in hot water immediately prior to the drafting operation.

Eco-friendly

The company says that the eco-friendly message has been widely spread at its plants and offices for quite a long time now and it plays an important part in its culture and life. In addition, it says that all of the company’s fibres are GMO free and come from European ( no imported fibre) sustainable agriculture, which means - no irrigation and very small quantities of fertilizers or pesticides (7 times less than cotton).

European Flax

Safilin is a member of the European Confederation of Linen and Hemp (CELC), which just a few weeks ago launched European Flax, a new initiative aimed at boosting the image of European linen in Japan, supporting it in India and creating it in China, a country which is expected to rank second in the world’s luxury market by 2017.

European Flax is a label which aims to guarantee the quality of European linen fibre in all market sectors that preserves the uniqueness of European agriculture. It simultaneously aims 'to promote and safeguard a regional origin and know-how that can be sure to flourish far beyond the borders of the region of production'. 

“This is an ambitious signature designed to be identified by the final consumer who is open to the commitments of European Flax and its Charter that is signed by all European producers: Zero Irrigation, Zero GMO, Zero waste. The first examples will be seen in Spring 2013 in a number of pilot companies,” CELC described the initiative at the Congress.

‘SMART CREATION: Another Look at Linen Knits’ - see what Safilin and other spinners are doing for knits..

The bulk of European flax is grown in a wide coastal band of Western Europe stretching from the South of Normandy in Northern France through Belgium and the Netherlands - from Caen to Amsterdam and is the only plant based textile fibre originating on the continent. Its excellent quality is said to be achieved through a unique combination of a natural, damp ocean climate, flax’s low thermal density, a rich soil and the experience of the flax growers themselves.

Thousands of companies in 14 European Union countries are involved in the flax or linen industry, from plant to finished fabrics and garments and 85% of the world’s production of scutched (preparation for spinning) flax fibres are said to be originated from 90,000 hectares in Europe. Flax represents less than 1% of all textile fibres consumed worldwide.

Watch the Be Linen Movie to find out more about European flax..

www.safilin.com