The Linen Project | The Linen Stewards

The Linen Project is a long term learning by doing project on the cultivation and processing of flax with the aim of uniting social, cultural and economic values. Based in Arnhem, the Linen Project is establishing a network of makers involved in the process. This is a contemporary approach to creating an active community that rediscovers, unfolds, updates, and imparts knowledge on the cultivation of local textiles. Crafts Council Nederland, together with ArtEZ MA Practice Held in Common initiated and play a pivotal role in the Linen Project.

A group of thirty Stewards has been participating in the process of flax cultivation to finished product since 2020. They unite to ensure the cultivation and harvesting of the flax. They experiment with the processing of flax by rippling, threshing, scutching, hackling, spinning, dyeing and weaving by hand. For many of the Stewards the essence of this process is the adventure, the shared responsibility and the solidarity they feel for the cultivation, the earth and the material. Almost none of them had ever experienced weeding and harvesting in a field before, let alone processing.

A few of the Stewards’ motives: ‘Great to be doing physical work’, ‘It gives me such satisfaction’, ‘It teaches me new things’, ‘We learn through practicing together’, ‘I want to be personally involved’, ‘I want to develop a love of craft and textiles’, ‘One of the most aesthetic experiences ever’, ‘This makes me feel useful’, ‘… I have worked in the fashion industry for years but knew absolutely nothing about this process’.