ARS | Publication request: USDA Flax Fiber Pilot Plant

Submitted to: Flax Institute Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: March 19, 2004
Publication Date: August 10, 2004
Citation: Foulk, J.A., Akin, D.E., Mcalister Iii, D.D., Dodd, R.B. USDA Flax Fiber Pilot Plant. 60th Flax Institute Proceedings. 2004. P. 56-63.

Interpretive Summary: THE OVERALL AIM OF THIS ARTICLE WAS TO SUMMARIZE THE USDA FLAX FIBER PILOT PLANT (FLAX-PP) AND THE ADVANTAGES OF UNDERSTANDING AND DEVELOPING TEST STANDARDS. THE USDA COTTON QUALITY RESEARCH STATION IS NOW COMPLEMENTED BY THE USDA FLAX FIBER PILOT PLANT WHICH BOTH EXIST FOR THE UTILIZATION AND TESTING OF NATURAL FIBERS. COLLECTIVELY, THESE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROCESS COTTON, FLAX, AND COTTON/FLAX BLENDS.

Technical Abstract: THE UNITED STATES IS PURSUING NATURAL FIBERS AS SUSTAINABLE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SOURCE FOR A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS. FLAX (LINUM USITATISSIMUM L.) FIBER OFFERS MANY POSSIBILITIES TOWARDS THIS GOAL. DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF FLAX FIBER STANDARDS IS PROCEEDING THROUGH THE FLAX AND LINEN SUBCOMMITTEE (D13.17), WHICH MEETS AS PART OF THE TEXTILE COMMITTEE OF ASTM INTERNATIONAL. A USDA FLAX PILOT PLANT (FLAX-PP), WITH A VERSION OF A COMMERCIAL FLAX CLEANING SYSTEM, IS NEAR COMPLETION AT ARS-USDA, CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS FLAX-PP (ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE US) WILL PROVIDE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF FIBER QUALITY PARAMETERS, FIBER STANDARDS, PROCESSING COSTS, AND OPTIMISTICALLY ELIMINATE UNCERTAINTIES OF RAW MATERIAL SUPPLY. THE PILOT PLANT IS COMPLEMENTED BY THE USDA COTTON QUALITY RESEARCH STATION WHICH BOTH EXIST FOR THE UTILIZATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND TESTING OF NATURAL FIBERS.