Coda X The Linen Project

Since 2018, The Linen Project has been cultivating flax, which is used to make linen. Until 1900, linen, along with wool, was the most commonly used material for textile production. It requires a great deal of knowledge and expertise in terms of sowing, harvesting and processing. The Linen Project works according to the idea of ‘learning by doing’ and has therefore established ‘shared stewardship’: a group of about 30 people (stewards) who are responsible for the entire process of manual linen production. Together, they go through all the steps of flax cultivation, from seed to thread to product.

The Linen Project brings together heritage, education, agriculture, design, craft and economics. Together with industry partners, the project is also investigating how the mechanical linen chain can be redesigned. In 2024, there were over 800 participants in ‘1m2 flax’, in which people throughout the Netherlands grew their own square metre of flax in their gardens. It will be possible to participate again in 2025.

Consumers regularly purchase cheap(er) products that are increasingly of poor quality, often produced under poor working conditions and with a huge impact on our environment. Through various activities, The Linen Project aims to develop a greater understanding and love of textiles and raise awareness about the fashion system.

This presentation shows work by: Heleen Klopper, Jan Peter Scheen, Loes Schepens, Hans Hutting, Marieke van Mieghem, Eva Klee, Rob Velker (photography).

The Linen Project is part of the Crafts Council Netherlands and can be seen in the CODA ExperienceLab Showroom from 15 February to 18 May 2025.