Let's talk about sourcing for a second.
As we've shifted away from commercial cotton fabrics, we've also shifted towards a more eco-conscious sourcing model.
There are some harms we can't avoid, of course. Our waxed canvas comes from Scotland. Our brass hardware is made in China. Getting these materials requires a hefty bit of carbon and human labor, of which we are intensely aware. That is the trade-off for using waxed canvas that is created by a Certified blueSign System Partner and solid metal that can be melted down for re-use. We would love our sourcing to come without that cost, but at this time, we very simply can't.
Which brings me to our linen.
Linen is grown from flax and, until the mid-1800s, was the most popular textile in the United States. Farm families grew and processed their own, and yards upon yard were imported from the Ireland and the United Kingdom.
So, what happened in the mid-1800s?
Cotton.
Linen is 30% stronger than cotton. It's naturally moisture-wicking. Flax grows in poor soil and requires 60% less water than cotton. Linen fabric produced in the EU is currently a zero waste product, with all parts of the flax used in the manufacture of some kind of valuable good.
But cotton is cheaper. It's easier to process. It's less labor intensive --- and, at the time, most of the labor behind cotton was enslaved Africans and exploited mill workers.
The rise of cotton marked the beginning of the end for American grown and processed linen. The rise of synthetics in the post-WWII period did nothing to help. The last scutching mill (a process by which impurities such as straw and stem are removed from the plant) closed in Oregon in the 1960s.
The loss of an industry isn't just the loss of jobs and physical resources; it's the loss of institutional knowledge, of the tools of the trade. Thankfully, much of this was preserved in Europe.
While the Pennsylvania Flax Project, Rust Belt Linen Project, and Green Mountain Linen are among those working to revive linen production in the United States, it will take time and specialized equipment, access to which may soon be jeopardized by tariffs. In the meantime, we've been fortunate enough to source our linen (and now our webbing!) from Tuscarora Mills, who use wet-spun European linen thread in the creation of their textiles.
Tuscarora itself is a perfect example of the value of preserving institutional knowledge. Powered entirely by antique and vintage equipment, the mill relies on a small team with the skill set and dedication to run and repair delicate machinery as well as a knack for sourcing replacement parts.
As linen continues its journey towards a full American revival, we'll be anxiously awaiting the chance to say “Grown, Processed, and Woven in PA.”