Combed Sliver

Processing Protocol

Mechanical combing of the hackled flax draws the material through a series of increasingly fine pins to align the fibres along the linear axis. During this operation, the short fibres fall away as waste while the long line fibres are condensed into a continuous strand. Draw frames then combine multiple strands of combed sliver to even out any remaining linear density variations.

Control of the drafting force during this step determines the ultimate yarn strength and prevents thin spots in the spun linen. Operators must monitor the pin condition constantly because damaged combs create uneven distributions that disrupt the downstream wet-spinning sequence.

Quality Standard

Mill acceptance of a combed sliver consignment depends on the measured percentage of short fibres. High short-fibre content leads to frequent breakages on wet-spinning frames and reduces efficiency. Laboratory testers measure these parameters before the material is loaded into the creels.