North American Linen Association

Green Mountain Linen at Brattleboro Farmers Market
2025-02-22 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Green Mountain Linen Company will be at the Brattleboro Farmers Market on Saturday 22 February.
“We will be representing the North America Linen Association with our good friend in all things flax, Andrea Myklebust. We’ll be demonstrating spinning flax as well providing information on all aspects of growing and processing flax for fiber.”
The Brattleboro Farmers Market is indoors during these winter months: 60 Austine Drive, Winston Prouty Campus, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
Hours are 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

NALA Member Social: Meet the New BOD *MEMBERS ONLY EVENT*
2025-02-04 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Hello NALA Community!
We’re excited to kick off our first member social & networking event of 2025 by introducing this year’s Board of Directors. We’re excited for you to meet and get to know our new directors.
We’ll also introduce our first NALA Annual Report, with a look back on 2024 and a sneak peek at the coming year.

NALA Member Social: Guest Depoortere from Belgium *MEMBERS ONLY EVENT*
2024-12-19 07:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Hello NALA Members!
We’re excited that Claude Lesage from Depoortere will join us for our December NALA Member Social & Networking event! Depoortere, located in Belgium, manufactures machines for harvesting and scutching natural fibers: flax, hemp, kenaf, and other natural fibers.
We appreciate the flexibility of the membership as we looked for a reasonable time across many time zones and Europe! Recordings will be available after the event for all NALA members.

Sagra del Radicchio
2024-12-08 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Redd East Event Space, 831 Southeast Salmon Street, Portland, Oregon, 97214, United States
During this fun and lively event in Portland, OR, NALA will showcase flax fiber, seed, and more at the fiber table.
Discover why “Bitter is Better” at the fourth SAGRA del RADICCHIO! This event is not just about celebrating Italian chicories; it’s a journey into the world of underdog crops. From winter radishes to pomodori d’inverno, from dry-farmed winter squash, beans, and corn to buckwheat and beyond, join us in a culinary and cultural exploration like no other.
Taste, learn, and experience the diversity of locally grown winter vegetables and grains that often need to be more appreciated. Farmers and chefs from the PNW and afar will share dishes, drinks, and stories at over 40 tables. Take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate the unsung heroes of the culinary world!
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT

NALA Member Social: Community Connection *MEMBERS ONLY EVENT*
2024-11-21 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Hello NALA members!
We’ve had many new members join over the past few months, so as a nod to Thanksgiving/Giving Thanks, we’d like to dedicate our November meeting to Community Connection! This will be an opportunity to meet like-minded linen enthusiasts, share your interests and talents, and learn about NALA and each other.
We hope you can join us!
*All NALA members receive a link for this online event.*

Panel Discussion/Moderated Conversation at the 2024 Textile Society of America Symposium
2024-11-14 11:15 - 2024-11-19 12:45 (America/New_York)
Join us for a Panel Discussion/Moderated Conversation at the 2024 Textile Society of America Symposium titled “Shifts and Strands: Rethinking the Possibilities and Potentials of Textiles”.
Panel Discussion will take place on November 14, 2024, 11:15 am to 12:45 pm EST.
The Symposium will be held virtually on Zoom from November 12-17, 2024.

NALA will host a Panel Discussion: The re-emergence of the North American fiber flax industry: An opportunity to re-think.
Fiona Barrett, Kristina Foley, Leslie Schroeder, and Angela Wartes-Kahl “The re-emergence of the North American fiber flax industry: An opportunity to re-think”
North American Linen Association (NALA) has assembled a diverse group from different backgrounds so that they can give their perspective from their experience and focus. There are farmers, academics, and artisans, all with a different focus in a united goal of creating a North American Linen industry.
The two main themes would be ruptures and repair.
The first questions will revolve around the notion of rupturing with the existing European industry. Is it possible? Is there an opportunity to do things differently? Is it possible to be completely independent? If things can be kept, what should be kept? If things are broken, or unsuitable, how can we ensure that we do not become that in the future?
The second theme will cover the theme of repair and will broadly explore the following problem. We, who are involved in the sustainable textile movement are in a bit of a bubble. We all agree with each other, and want to achieve the same things. The problem is this. Is it more beneficial to our movement, and to the planet to serve our community, or to broaden it and reach others?
Here is a practical example. Which has more impact? Expanding the fibershed movement, and bringing on more small producers? Or convincing the major producers to do better, and practice a more sustainable form of agriculture?
NALA is a 501(c)6 trade group with the explicit mandate “to advance sustainability and resilience in the organic agriculture, bast fiber, textile and fashion industries.”
Each individual, as well as each business involved are known for their ESG policies, whether they be sustainability initiatives or diversity and inclusion policies, or both.

Regeneration of Flax: Spinning Workshop
2024-10-30 15:00 - 17:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join expert Andrea Myklebust to learn the craft of spinning flax fiber into linen yarn. Working with hand spindles and distaves, participants will be introduced to the foundational concepts of spinning: the control of loose fiber through drafting, and the addition of twist to create a structurally-sound yarn. The instructor will provide all of the necessary tools and materials, and participants will have their own handspun linen fiber to take home at the end of the workshop.
The workshop is part of a series of public events coinciding with our current exhibition, Regeneration of Flax: Linseed, Linen, Shive & Oil at the Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries, 66 Fifth Avenue at 13th Street, New York.
Event open to the New School Community only by application.
No prior experience is required.
Attendance is limited to 12 and will be selected from the applicants.

Workshop Lead

Andrea Myklebust, Shepherd, weaver, bast fiber researcher and educator

Andrea Myklebust is a shepherd and weaver with a background in the fine arts. She and her husband Stanton Sears worked together for many years creating civic artwork across the US. In 2011 her work shifted to focus on natural fiber textiles. She began growing flax in 2012, and teaches the process of turning flax into linen, from seed to finished cloth. She began growing fiber hemp in 2023, and her farm in southern Vermont is presently the site of research in partnership with the University of Vermont and a USDA-SARE grant. She believes that a revitalized bioregional textile infrastructure centered in cloth made from flax, hemp and wool will help meet the existential challenges of climate change.

To Be Continued… a conversation with Claire O’Sullivan of Contemporary Hempery
2024-10-27 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
This slightly eclectic conversation series is Sharon Kallis’ way of bringing home the stories from some of the people met along the way on her summer research trip. The name of this series is inspired by how sheep farmer Susan Russell ends conversations, “to be continued”, acknowledging there is always more to say, more to do, more to share. As many groups and individuals work at building back local textile systems, learning what it takes to truly clothe ourselves through respectful relationships to place, people, plants, and animals – there is always more to learn- more threads to be gathered up and woven together. This series hopes to amplify the voices of some of these folks doing this work in the UK and inspire others for what might be possible in their own community.

Join us for our first conversation in the series!

October 27th 10-11.30 am (PST) 7-8.30pm(WET)

Claire O’Sullivan from the Contemporary Hempery, Wakelyns farm, England. Claire will share her research into the rich history of hemp farming in East Anglia as well as share current successes, challenges and the next steps for invigorating the hemp industry. Learn how Claire and her business partner Kitty Wilson Brown are honouring agricultural and textile traditions while looking ahead towards contemporary, small-scale, artisanal projects.

Part presentation, part conversation, those interested are encouraged to join for the zoom talk. A recording will be made available of the presentation, the conversation will not be recorded.

Ticket registration ends October 25th, a zoom link will be emailed Saturday the 26th.

Register here: https://earthand.com/events/to-be-continued-a-conversation-with-claire-osullivan-of-contemporary-hempery/

NALA Member Social and Networking
2024-10-24 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
**THIS IS A MEMBER ONLY EVENT**
Please join us on Oct 24, 2024, 4-5 PM EST for the October NALA Member Social and Networking event featuring Andrea Myklebust and Laura Sullivan of the Northern New England Fibershed as they share information about their regional mill grant research, and growing protocols in Northeast New England.
Andrea and Laura will share the story of a bast-fibre feasibility study funded by a Fibershed microgrant during 2023/24. The
project, conducted by a working group of the Northern New England Fibershed affiliate, explores current flax and hemp
production in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and the potential demand for a small-scale primary scutching facility and
bast fiber spinning infrastructure.

Learn more here: Andrea & Laura Speaker Bios 9.9.24

Regeneration of Flax: Panel Discussion
2024-10-07 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
A farmer, a designer, a processor, and a sustainability expert join us to discuss the potential of flax.

In a hybrid event, on October 7th, a panel of experts will take a deep dive into the lifecycle and material potential of processing flax for fiber, oil and building materials. The panel is part of a series of public events coinciding with our current exhibition, Regeneration of Flax: Linseed, Linen, Shive & Oil at the Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries, 66 Fifth Avenue at 13th Street, New York.
With 60% of textile fibers made of synthetic polyester today, we look to the robust history of flax growing over the last 36,000 years as a viable biobased alternative to synthetics. Flax is grown as a rotational crop and sequesters carbon as it grows. Flax fibers create linen fabrics, composites and insulation. Flax seed can be a food, or pressed into oils for finishes and flooring. Shive, a woody byproduct, is used for mulch and being researched for flaxlime. We will discuss the methods of farming organically and the potential of flax to remove heavy metals from soil. Experts will discuss the challenges of scaling, applications in the built environment and the benefits of local material sourcing for regional economies.

The panel will be held from 5-6:30pm EST.

The exhibition opening and reception will be held 6:30-8pm EST.

RSVP Today!

Speakers

Heidi Barr, Co-Founder and CEO PA Flax Project
Heid Barr is the Co-founder and CEO of the PA Flax Project, a cooperative dedicated to re-imagining the flax for linen industry in Pennsylvania. For over a decade she owned and operated Kitchen Garden Textiles, a Philadelphia based lifestyle brand working at the intersection of food and fabric. This work led to a deep understanding of the connection between textiles and farming. In 2020, with farmer Emma De Long, Heidi took this understanding to the next level and the PA Flax Project began. Her love for textiles and lifelong attention to environmental issues combine into her passion for bringing linen production back to Pennsylvania.

Alvin Ulrich, President – Biolin Research Inc.
Since the 1990’s Alvin Ulrich has used public and private funding to carry out R&D work related to flax straw, fiber and shive with Biolin Research Inc., a company he founded in Saskatchewan, Canada, the major source location of oilseed flax in North America. His extensive experience growing, processing, grading and finding end uses for both the fiber and non-fiber portions of the flax plant have made him one of North America’s leading linologists. He is a founding member of the North American Linen Association, Biomass Quality Network Canada, Prairie Fibreshed and the ASTM sub-committee D13.17 Bast Fibers and Plants.

Marie Demaegdt, Textile and Sustainability Manager
Marie Demaegdt is Textile and Sustainability Manager at the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp [formerly CELC]. She’s in charge of enhancing innovation in linen textiles – yarns, wovens and knits – and supporting designers in sourcing them, thanks to the digital and physical material libraries linendreamlab.com and Linen Dream Lab Paris. She coordinates Life Cycle data across the European flax & linen agro-industry to highlight the responsible practices of European Flax® fibre and Masters of Linen™ textiles and to make reliable data available through key databases. She represents flax-linen in the PEF Apparel & Footwear to co-construct the sectorial rules of the EU’s PEF method.

Regeneration of Flax Exhibition
2024-09-30 12:00 - 2024-11-12 18:00 (America/New_York)
Healthy Materials Lab presents Regeneration of Flax: Linseed, Linen, Shive, & Oil at the Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries on 5th Avenue in NYC. The exhibition will display the breadth of applications of products from the flax plant and encourage increased regional development of flax fiber in North America. Through the diversity of innovative designs, historic and current, our goal is to reconnect designers with the lifecycle of their materials.
https://healthymaterialslab.org/events/regeneration-of-flax-exhibition
Flax has been used for centuries for ropemaking, as a food source, and for textiles. It is a bio-based replacement for petrochemical-based products. The entire flax plant (Linum Usitatissimum) can be utilized, leading to zero-waste, healthier materials for textiles, finishes, paints, insulation and flooring. Through showcasing photography, material samples, written text, diagrams, and artwork, the exhibit will display the flax plant through its life cycle, in various applications, and ultimately its compostability.
Exhibitors include: DumoLab Research at the University of Pennsylvania, Michelle Wilson, Danielle Burke, Cassie Quinn & More!
Currently, fiber flax is primarily grown in Western Europe. Our exhibition will bring discourse to revitalization efforts of flax for linen textile production in North America. Additionally, the exhibition will highlight and display the use of linseed oil and shive byproducts for the built environment.
In response to the current climate crisis, our exhibition and related public programming will contribute to the crucial discussion concerning carbon sequestration, regional economies, and the ongoing shift towards healthier, bio-based materials.

PA Flax Project’s Producer Event Series: Part 3 (Processing)
2024-09-28 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Participate in a workshop on hand processing fiber flax and witness the transformation of straw into golden spinnable fiber. See an overview of mechanized processing, examples of products to be produced at the mill, and an overview of PA Flax Project Mill plans.

This event will take place in both Spanish and English with simultaneous interpretation. Spanish-only, English-only, and bilingual speakers are all invited to attend this workshop.
To register and for more information please visit: https://paflaxproject.com/events

Saturday, September 28, 2024
10:00 AM 12:00 PM EST
Location TBD (map)

Rain Date is Sept 29th

NALA Member Social and Networking
2024-09-26 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
**THIS IS A MEMBER ONLY EVENT**
Please join us for the September NALA Member Social and Networking event featuring Heidi Barr and the team from the PA Flax Project as they share information about their recent award of the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) and the journey to writing, receiving, and managing federal grants.
All NALA members will receive a meeting link via email and through our member newsletter.

Green Mountain Linen's: East Barnard Linen Fair
2024-09-07 00:00 - 2024-09-08 23:59 (America/New_York)
Join Green Mountain Linen at our third annual East Barnard Linen Fair on Saturday 7th – Sunday 8th September, 2024.

No-registration needed. This free event celebrates traditional methods of processing flax to linen.

Participate in the flax harvest, and try flax processing with traditional equipment. See spinning and weaving demonstrations throughout the weekend.

A schedule of events will be posted to the East Barnard Linen Fair website soon: eastbarnardlinenfair.org

Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence
2024-08-24 15:00 - 17:00 (America/North_Dakota/New_Salem)
Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence, Cooksville, WI
August 24th at 3:00 pm CST
This workshop is part of a larger event offering a wide variety of interesting workshops and lectures on permaculture related issues and activities. Leslie Schroeder of the Wisconsin Linen Revival will also be taking part in the evening’s panel discussion on the what and why of “Localism.”
More details here:
https://www.wisconsinpermacultureconvergence.com/
https://www.wisconsinlinenrevival.com/events

TechTextil in Raleigh, North Carolina
2024-08-21 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
NALA will join the inaugural Industry Networking Collaborative meeting at TechTextil in Raleigh on August 20th. Associations will meet to discuss visions, missions, goals and collaborations.
If you are attending TechTextil, you are invited to join a launch party to celebrate this industry collaborative on August 21, 2024.
Register Here

NALA Member Social & Networking
2024-08-20 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
** This event is exclusively for NALA Members. **
Your next NALA Members Social & Networking opportunity is scheduled for August 20, 2024 from 10:oo am – 11:00 am PDT. Please join us in welcoming our special guest speaker: Jessica Thies from the Parsons School of Design. Jessica will be speaking about her faculty role in the Parsons Healthy Materials Lab & upcoming exhibition, Regeneration of Flax.

2024 Annual Crops & Soils Field Day-University of Vermont
2024-07-25 10:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
2024 Annual Crops & Soils Field Day
We welcome you to join the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program at their 17th Annual Crops & Soils Field Day at Borderview Research Farm.
WHEN: Thursday, July 25, 2024, 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT
WHERE: Borderview Farm, 487 Line Road, Alburgh, VT 05440
Cost is $25 per non-farmer and free for farmers. Includes lunch.
Event is rain or shine, dress appropriately.
Advanced registration is required.
Register here by noon 7/23: http://go.uvm.edu/conferences.

Rodale Institute Organic Field Day
2024-07-19 08:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Join Rodale Institute’s researchers and expert staff at our annual Organic Field Day to learn the latest results of our farming trials and visit nearly 20 demonstration stations on our 386-acre experimental farm.
PA Flax Project is participating in Rodale Institute’s Organic Field Day. Find them next to the 1 acre plot of fiber flax planted in collaboration with Rodale this spring introducing people to the fiber flax plant and talking about the opportunities and challenges of growing fiber flax in Pennsylvania.
July 19, 2024
8:30am — 4pm EDT
Kutztown, PA
Participants will have the opportunity to interact one-on-one with Rodale Institute experts and learn about a wide variety of research and demonstration projects, all focused on organic agriculture. Stations will be set up throughout the farm, so you’ll have the opportunity to explore our living laboratory by walking or enjoying a leisurely wagon ride from site-to-site.
Space is limited and registration is required. Please bring your own lunch (there will also be food on-site available for purchase).
Register Here: https://rodaleinstitute.org/visit/organic-field-day/

PA Flax Project’s Producer Event Series: Part 2 (Harvest)
2024-07-13 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
See a demo of the “Grubber” mechanized harvesting equipment necessary for harvesting fiber flax at scale. Learn about hand harvest and an overview of retting and post-harvest handling. Learn how flax fits into rotations and about PA Flax Project’s cooperative business model.

This event will take place in both Spanish and English with simultaneous interpretation. Spanish-only, English-only, and bilingual speakers are all invited to attend this workshop.
To register and for more information please visit: https://paflaxproject.com/events

Saturday, July 13, 2024
10:00 AM 12:00 PM EST
Pasture Song Farm (map)

Rain Date July 14th

LANDIS VALLEY SUMMER INSTITUTE – FLAX: FROM FIELD TO FABRIC
2024-07-05 09:00 - 2024-07-07 16:00 (America/New_York)
Learn how to process flax into fabric by hand starting in the field!
In Flax: From Field to Fabric you begin with pulling the flax in the field and progress through breaking, heckling, carding, using a drop spindle to spin yarn, dying the yarn and finally weave a small piece of fabric.
This three-day hands-on course includes a drop spindle and a lap loom for you to take home to continue your journey after the class.
All materials and equipment are included. Cindy Conners lecture on Saturday at 4 PM is also included with your admission to this class.
Landis Valley Museum Master Instructors Joe Schott, Tina Mickley and Author Cindy Conner will guide you through every step. Registration for this very special class is limited. Class is held both outside and inside, please dress in layers appropriate for the weather. Please wear sturdy, comfortable, supportive shoes.
Date: Friday July 5, Saturday July 6 and Sunday July 7
Time: 9 AM – 4 PM EST Each Day
Special Requirements: Ages 18+
Location: Please meet in Museum Store
Tuition: : $300.00, LVA Members: $275.00
What to Bring: Lunch and water bottle.
Coffee and Donuts will be served each morning from 8:30 AM – 10 AM in the Museum Store.
All sales are final, no refunds. Proceeds benefit the Museum.
Register Here: https://www.landisvalleymuseum.org/event/summer-institute-flax-from-field-to-fabric/

Visit a Western Oregon Flax Field in Bloom!
2024-06-29 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Full bloom! Come walk in the fiber flax field with Fibrevolution on Saturday, June 29, 2024, and enjoy the beautiful sea of blue flowers. Bring your camera, flat shoes, and a sun hat. We will be there from 10-1 pm, behind the Oso Honey Farm stand – 5876 SW 3rd St, Corvallis, Oregon. Flowers open in the morning and fall by the afternoon. Visit on your way to the Black Sheep Gathering in Albany!

June NALA Members Social and Networking
2024-06-20 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
*This event is for NALA Members Only*
Your next NALA Members Social opportunity is scheduled for Thursday, June 20th at 9:00 am PST / 12:00 am EST. Please join us in welcoming our special guest speaker: Arin Gintowt, Co-VP of NALA, as he shares the Psychology of Linen. In addition to serving on the NALA Board of Directors, Arin is the founder of CanFlax and President at Eliza Faulkner Designs.
With over ten year’s experience in the sustainable fashion industry, and a multi-disciplined and diverse background in economics, media, entertainment, and marketing, Arin brings passion and vision, and looks to create a positive impact in whatever he touches. Arin is a ceaseless learner and critical thinker. He enjoys advocating the benefits of durable goods, restorative and regenerative agriculture, and ESG, and enjoys speaking on those subjects.
We would also like to welcome new NALA members into the community with a meet & greet opportunity. This is a great chance to make connections and build the community!

NALA Social & Networking: Guest Speakers Rosie Bristow and Nick Evans (NALA Members Event)
2024-05-30 09:00 - 10:00 (Asia/Krasnoyarsk) | Zoom
Rosie Bristow and Nick Evans of Fantasy Fibre Mill connects regenerative agriculture to ethical fashion, producing natural fibre yarn which is grown, processed and spun in the UK. They aim to disrupt the extractive and exploitative fashion supply chain and instead produce textiles which nurture the local environment and community. So far they have grown a hectare of flax, built three prototype processing machines, made lots of yarn samples and undertaken a big research project into the viability of building a soil-to-soil textile economy in the UK.
Zoom link will be provided to all NALA members. This is a NALA member only event.

Workshop: Flax to Fiber with Sharon Kallis of EartHand Gleaners Society
2024-05-24 00:00 - 2024-05-26 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles)
Are you flax to linen curious and in the Edmonton, Alberta Canada area? Sharon Kallis will be teaching a weekend intensive processing to spinning class the weekend of May 24 – 26. There is a potluck artist talk and social that is free on Friday night, then processing to spinning on Saturday and Sunday, which is the paid program.

PA Flax Project's Producer Series: Part 1 (Growing)
2024-05-18 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Rodale Main Camppus
See fiber flax in the field in its early growth stage, meet PA Flax Project’s full team, discuss fiber flax varieties & an overview of the crop cycle, and hear an overview of PA Flax Project’s cooperative business model and its economic benefits to producers.

This event will take place in both Spanish and English with simultaneous interpretation. Spanish-only, English-only, and bilingual speakers are all invited to attend this workshop.
To register and for more information please visit: https://paflaxproject.com/events
***Organic snacks will be provided.

Saturday, May 18, 2024
10:00 AM 12:00 PM EST
Rodale Main Campus (map)

Rain Date May 19th

NALA Social & Networking: Guest Speaker Alvin Ulrich (NALA Member Event)
2024-04-25 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
This month we welcome Alvin Ulrich, NALA Board of Director’s member and owner of Biolin Research Inc., which began as a research facility with the goal of producing value-added fiber from flax grown in the Prairie provinces of Canada. Biolin’s mission is to utilize 100% of the flax straw for commercial end uses so that the straw, traditionally burned or chopped in the fields by farmers, becomes a viable and profitable product, completing the natural recycle circle.
Zoom link will be provided to all NALA members. This is a NALA member only event.
