Support PA Flax Project

Bring flax back to Pennsylvania - Revitalize an industry, reinvigorate a region

Why Support the PA Flax Project

Textile manufacturing was once one of the largest industries in Pennsylvania. From the late 1800s through the 1920s, Philadelphia and the surrounding area supported a wide array of textile mills, manufacturing plants, and family farms growing flax and raising fiber animals. At its height, the textile industry supported roughly 700 individual businesses and family farms involved in manufacturing textiles - from raw materials to finished products - which employed approximately 60,000 individuals.

Today, textile manufacturing remains only an interesting fact of the region. Old manufacturing plants remain empty and neglected, while individuals who could work these meaningful jobs remain underemployed in the workforce due to a lack of opportunities. In addition, the fields of purple, blue and white flax flowers that once supported family farms no longer exist in Pennsylvania. Instead, many Pennsylvania farms continue to struggle, depending on crop subsidies to stay afloat.

The global fashion and textile industry is one of the largest pollution producers on earth. 10 million tons of textiles clog our landfills and synthetic fabrics, like polyester, shed microplastics when washed - poisoning our oceans and streams.

By supporting the PA Flax Project, we can address these important economic and environmental issues facing our region. Here is how:

The PA Flax Project was founded by Heidi Barr, founder of Kitchen Garden Textiles, and Emma de Long, owner/operator of Kneehigh Farm. Through their expertise in textiles and farming, they seek to bring linen production back to Pennsylvania by creating a network of flax growers producing at a commercial scale that can support the production of high quality flax fiber to be spun for fine linen.

Flax is an incredible plant. It grows in low-quality soil and does not require irrigation or synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to flourish. The small purple/blue flowers that bloom from the plant support a wide variety of native pollinators. By replacing corn and soybean fields with flax, we can begin to heal our cropland by decreasing synthetic inputs and pesticide usage and increasing pollinator habitat, without having to remove farmland from production.

In 2020, The PA Flax Project began flax seed trials at Kneehigh Farm to determine the best variety of flax seed for our region. In 2021, the seed trials expanded to 5 different locations throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In 2022, seed trials through the Square Yard Project will expand this research to over 60 locations. By 2023, the PA Flax Project seeks to begin large-scale seed trials throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey to push flax production to a commercial scale.

In order for flax to become a viable crop for producers in our region, we need to revitalize the missing link of the textile manufacturing industry in Pennsylvania that takes the plant from field to fiber ready to spin into yarn. For this reason, the PA Flax project is looking to create a local mill to process the flax grown in the region. By creating a local mill, we not only support farmers in our region, but also individuals seeking meaningful employment that provides a living wage and local textile artists and designers looking to purchase sustainable fabric.

How your support will be used

Heidi and Emma are seeking $50,000 in seed money to get the PA Flax Project off the ground. The money collected will be used to support their efforts to establish a network of sustainable flax growers and expand our research into creating a viable textile mill for our region. Your contribution will directly fund the following:

Support the seed trials through our Square Yard Project, as well as larger-scale farm trials