Processing of linseed straw: State-of-the-art and further perspectives

• Published in: Industrial crops and products 2024-12, Vol.222, p.119518, Article 119518
• Main Authors: Selge, Benjamin, Gusovius, Hans-Jörg, Ouagne, Pierre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fibre extraction; Harvesting; Linseed straw; Natural fibre; Production
• ISSN: 0926-6690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.119518

Linseed is a breeding form of Linum usitatissimum L. and has been of great importance to humankind for thousands of years. It is cultivated to produce oil from its seeds. In most cases, the straw is a waste product and is simply burned to clean the fields quickly. Besides environmental pollution, this destroys a potential raw material for the fibre industry. The short linseed fibres could be used to produce geotextiles, insulation material or as reinforcement for polymer composites, to name just some examples. The procedure of separating the fibres from the plant stems is similar to that used in fibre flax processing. After harvesting, the stems are preferably retted to favour decortication and separation of the fibres and shives (woody core of the stems). However, due to the different harvesting procedures some process or operational parameter modifications could be performed in processing lines commonly used for fibre flax or hemp. Linseed is cultivated in many regions of the world (Asia, Europe and America). Therefore, different methods for the processing of linseed straw have emerged over the years. The different methods and techniques are presented and compared in this work. •Fiber containing straw from linseed harvest is a huge, untapped resource.•There is a large regional availability with potentially diverse applications in products.•A variety of technologies to extract the fibers from the stalk material are available and have been continuously developed.•This applies in particular to the processes that enable the provision of higher quality fibers for special applications.