After pulling up the flax, flax growers line the plants up horizontally on the ground, so that they are exposed to the sun.
This is when the soil microorganisms come into play! These then develop on the plants and devour the pectin, the plant’s natural cement that holds the cellulose fibres together.
This decomposition action will therefore release the fibres naturally present in the plant, which is known as retting.
In other words, retting consists of leaving fibre plants to rot on the ground, controlling the process so as to obtain and maintain solid fibres. This process is just as frugal as the cultivation of the plant itself, and is in line with current environmental issues, compared to the resources needed to produce cotton, synthetic fibres or viscose, such as bamboo, which is a major contributor to deforestation.