Moisture Regain Correction Calculations for Gravimetric Flax Fineness Testing
Gravimetric flax fineness testing requires correcting bone dry bundle mass to 12% standard regain to prevent count errors and landed cost distortions
Non Cellulosic Encrustants
Fiber Impurities
Bast fibres are bound together in the flax stem by a matrix of pectin, lignin and hemicellulose that must be softened before spinning. In yarn manufacturing, the presence of non cellulosic encrustants determines the stiffness, cohesion and color of the raw flax fibres. This chemical matrix must be removed or modified to produce a fine, flexible yarn suitable for weaving.
Removal Mechanism
Warm water retting in the fields or chemical boiling in the mill dissolves these binding substances to separate the individual fibres. High concentrations of non cellulosic encrustants make the fibre coarse and difficult to draw through the drafting rollers. To reduce these encrustants, the mill uses enzymatic or alkaline scouring baths during the finishing process.
If the scouring process is too weak, the yarn remains stiff and rough. If the scouring is too harsh, the cellulose fibres are damaged, which weakens the yarn strength.
Spinning Performance
Combing machines remove these loosened encrustants along with the short fibres and shive particles. The laboratory records the remaining percentage of these substances to predict yarn softness. Lower encrustant levels yield a smoother fabric that absorbs dyes evenly.
This treatment ensures that the final linen fabric is soft to the touch.