Totnes Grows Flax

Totnes Grows Flax is our local version of a Swedish project to keep knowledge about growing and processing flax alive - and to build a community around this at the same time. As part of the project we provide you with enough seed to grow one square metre of fibre flax, plus instructions on how to grow, harvest and later rett the plants. All participants are then invited to meet up and process their harvest together.

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At the start of the growing season we also hold an event, hearing from our expert speakers about how flax is grown and processed into linen cloth and other items, its history and what local textile production means for our bioregional resilience. 

What is Flax?

The flax plant is called Linum usitatissimum, which means ‘most useful’ and flax plants can make food, textiles (linen), building materials and many other practical items that can help replace plastic in our region.

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What happens during Totnes Grows Flax?

Flax is grown in small patches throughout our community, it is then harvested and processed together in autumn. The aim is to spin the flax into yarn to enable the weaving or knitting of cloth.

During 2025 we had one main kick-off event in April, where we learned more about the history and importance of flax from expert speakers and growers. Anyone who signed up to the project was then invited to pick up their seeds and growing instructions from the Totnes Climate Hub and was also invited to our community Signal group. This vibrant community of growers has blossomed and the project is currently exploring next stages of processing flax into yarn.

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Our Totnes Grows Flax Celebration is coming up on 22nd November at School Farm and all are welcome! Whether you were involved in the project this year til now or not, this event offers short talks, processing demonstrations and a chance to get hands-on with the processing equipment to the whole community.

Find out more and book your place here.

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Interested in joining the project in 2026?

Register your interest here.

You can also catch up on the learning shared at the 2025 kick-off event through our video presentation and flax growing resource guide.

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Who can take part?

Anyone who lives in Totnes and District with access to 1m2 of growing space to plant flax seeds (your own or a friend’s front garden, backyard, allotment, established garden or other patch of dirt!). No prior growing experience needed! You’ll receive detailed growing information with your seeds and have the option to join a WhatsApp/Signal group for support. The growing space will ideally contain good quality, free draining soil as fibre flax roots like to go down deep, it also likes full sun and can grow up to 1.2m tall.

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Who is involved in the project?

Viktoria Erlacher-Downing from Transition Town Totnes, in collaboration with Zoe Gilbertson of Liflad CIC and Vicky Putler of The Flax Project CIC. Zoe is co-ordinating a south-west wide, flax growing and processing project, bringing back small-scale bioregional production of useful materials such as clothing, textiles and paper. Vicky has been growing flax and working for many years on her dream of linen production in Plymouth.

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Further reading:
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‍You can read Zoe’s recent Churchill report on ‘Bioregional Resilience Through Bast Fibres ‘ here: https://www.liflad.co.uk/bioregional-resillience-through-bast-fibres-report/

‍Brigitte Kaltenbacher runs a similar project in Surrey, there are great resources on their website and you can also sign up for more detailed zoom guidance classes. https://letsgrowflax.org.uk/flax-resources/

‍The original Swedish project: https://hemslojden.org/gora-och-besoka/1-kvm-lin-2/

‍The Netherlands project: https://thelinenproject.online/previous/1m2-vlas/

‍The Austrian project: https://1qmlein.at/en/

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