🔹 From family heritage to sustainable innovation: Why flax and hemp are back in the spotlight.
🔹 Sustainability in practice: How ESG contributes to a circular economy with locally grown and processed fibers.
🔹 The future of textiles: The role of natural fibers in an industry in transition.
Curious about their opinions, ideas, and motivation? Read it here.
Your great-grandfather was active in the flax industry.
Does the renewed focus on bast fibres feel like a tribute?
Karel: Our great-grandfather, like many in the region, worked in flax. A traditional sector where our grandfather, André, later started trading flax waste. Eventually, through his passion for pigeon racing, he came into contact with the textile industry in the Far East. When the flax industry faced difficult times, he shifted to trading yarns and founded the parent company, Symaco. Many flax companies transitioned into weaving mills and became customers of these yarns.
Julie: But the passion for flax never disappeared. When my father started the spinning mill, flax reappeared in our yarn collection. Together with hemp, these are locally grown raw materials that are particularly interesting.
Karel: The flax industry has endured tough times, but a few strong companies have remained global leaders. Today, the European textile industry faces similar market challenges.
Julie: Companies that survive such periods have a future. Never waste a good crisis.
Anyone interested in this history can visit Texture in Kortrijk to see how the sector has adapted here.
Why are you focusing again on flax, wool, and hemp?
Karel: Natural fibres are more highly regarded than synthetic fabrics. The younger generation is increasingly choosing sustainable, high-quality products that last longer and are less polluting. Hemp and flax offer a strong local alternative.
Julie: This trend is visible in various sectors, such as the food industry with slow food, where people consume locally sourced meat. Flax and hemp are the only locally grown fibres. The local-for-local principle is appealing: grown, spun, woven, and processed locally.
In terms of sustainability, we see two major trends: on the one hand, the growth of bio-based materials and, on the other, recycled materials. ESG has a key role to play in this.
Flax is often seen as a traditional material. How does it fit into a high-tech spinning mill?
Julie: In our innovation process, we also combine flax with more technical fibres, such as fire-resistant and UV-resistant materials. These add a natural touch to the product while also bringing strong, unique properties that complement technical fibres.
We clearly see growing demand. Not just in our spinning mill, but also in the applications of flax and composite or non-woven materials. There are many technical innovations, especially in the construction industry.
This demonstrates the versatility and potential of these raw materials.
At trade fairs like Heimtextil, Premiere Vision, and Maison & Objet, we see that natural materials are more than just a trend. How does ESG respond to this?
Karel: Fast fashion will not disappear overnight, but fashion companies are increasingly focusing on sustainability. Clothing must be recyclable or biodegradable. This drives demand for natural fibres, which are also more comfortable to wear.
Hemp is even more ecological than flax: it grows faster, requires less water, and improves soil quality. It is one of the few natural fibres that performs exceptionally well in outdoor applications.
Do you see significant differences in sustainability compared to five years ago?
Karel: The demand for organic fibres continues to grow. Sustainability is no longer just a trend but a lasting movement.
And within our R&D strategy?
Karel: We are investing heavily in research and testing the limits of natural fibres. These fibres are less uniform than synthetic ones, which presents additional challenges in production and processing.
Flax and hemp require significantly less space than cotton and use minimal water. Moreover, hemp grows even faster than flax. These characteristics are crucial in a world with a growing population and decreasing agricultural land.
Julie: And they are grown locally. Unless climate change allows us to grow cotton in Belgium, we will remain committed to our bast fibres and recycled materials.
Sometimes flax travels a long distance before being processed here. What about our flax and hemp?
Julie: Our flax comes from Belgium or France. However, processing often takes place in Asia, where the flax is turned into yarns or fabrics before returning to Europe. Although the raw material is originally French or Belgian, it accumulates quite a few travel miles.
ESG provides a local alternative with a shorter supply chain and a lower ecological footprint.
What obstacles have you faced in your innovation journey, and which have you already overcome?
Karel: The biggest challenge is the production process. The machines needed to process flax are not the same as those required for synthetic fibres. We are working hard to optimize production and find the right settings.
Flora, a textile technology student, is also focusing on these raw materials during her internship and developing colour collections.
Karel: Our specialty is colour spinning, a technique based on mass-dyed fibres such as viscose, which is naturally an ecological material.
- No additional dyeing processes
- No extra water consumption
- Colour pigments are injected directly into the fibre during production
Flora will not only conduct tests in the spinning mill but will also focus on developing a colour collection.
How do we inspire the entire supply chain to work more sustainably?
Julie: We encourage companies to buy locally and to listen to the "supplier next door." Simpler material compositions make recycling easier. Additionally, we constantly seek fibres with ecological benefits and innovations in textile-to-textile recycling.
Karel: The group of conscious consumers is growing. Those who buy European products know that human rights are respected, and that the product is of high quality. There is still a market for extremely cheap textiles, but demand for sustainable alternatives is increasing.
Julie: Maybe we should launch a #Hackyourhemp campaign, just like we did with #Hackyourjeans, to raise awareness among designers and brands about bio-based materials and a local supply chain.
Karel: Hemp is still often viewed with amusement. Proper communication can highlight the potential of this fibre in the textile industry.
Julie: The Happy Hemp Collection (laughs).
How do you see the textile industry in five years?
Julie: I expect a strong evolution towards bio-based and recycled materials. The local-for-local aspect will also become more important. Not only for ecological and economic reasons but also for geopolitical ones. People want transparency about where their products come from.
And if you could dream long-term?
Karel: I hope Europeans consciously choose European textile products. Europe has a rich textile history and expertise. Belgian upholstery fabrics and Italian clothing have an excellent global reputation.
Julie: Make European textiles great again. Back to the roots.
Why should designers and brands switch to more natural products?
Karel: Think about the environment, the world, the future. The fast fashion industry has created a throwaway culture. We need to return to quality products that last longer.
Julie: Do it for the next generation, just as we do in our family business.