European Flax™ certification
Find out about the European Flax™ certification features, advantages and how to obtain it. Standard version 3.0 is available from July 18th 2023.
Find out about the European Flax™ certification features, advantages and how to obtain it. Standard version 3.0 is available from July 18th 2023.
Find out more about the main changes in the dedicated article
European Flax™ standard version 3.0 is available from July 18th 2023 and available on the technical documents page.
It becomes effective on February 17th 2024. All audits conducted on or after this date shall be conducted according to European Flax™ version 3.0.
This video in English, with French subtitles, is also available with subtitles in:
Invoices, this video in English, is also available with subtitles in:
Subcontractors, this video in English, is also available with subtitles in:
Multisite certificates, this video in English with subtitles, is also available with subtitles in:
Product composition, this video in English with subtitles, is also available with subtitles in:
Sommaire
European Flax™ is the guarantee of traceability for premium flax fiber grown in Western Europe for all its outlets - fashion, home, technical products, others. A vegetable fiber from an agriculture that respects the environment, without irrigation* or GMOs.
*Except in exceptional circumstances.
European Flax™ is an internationally registered trademark of the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp and its subsidiary CELC DEVELOPPEMENT.
European Flax™ is the answer to consumer expectations and CSR requirements.
Origin of the fibre and Traceability of materials throughout the value chain:
A production of the fibre that is respectful of the environment:
*Except in exceptional circumstances
Social and Ethical Responsibility:
A fibre with proven performance:
Comfort, thermoregulation, moisture transfer, breathability
European Flax™ is the quality visa for premium European fibre flax for all markets.
European Flax™ preserves, promotes and supports a European agricultural and industrial exception, its territorial origin and non-relocatable know-how. It is an ambitious global brand which is intended to be identified by the end consumer.
The European Flax™ certification guarantees a traceability that is verified by an independent third party organisation (certification body) for products made of pure linen or containing a minimum of 50% linen.
The English word "flax" has been legitimately chosen. The term "Flax" is related to the plant and the fibre. The term "Linen" is related to textiles: yarn, fabric, clothing etc.
All the technical requirements and criteria regarding the certification process and its use are detailed in the European Flax™ Standard.
The European Flax™ fibre is the raw material sourced at 100% by Masters of Linen™ certified spinners.
Created by the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp, the European Flax™ certification guarantees a flax fibre of Western European origin (France, Belgium, Netherlands), and its traceability throughout the value chain. Whether you are a scutcher, a processor, a trader or a brand/retailer, you will find below the requirements for obtaining this certification.
European fibre producers are committed through the European Flax™ Charter, a set of criteria to be respected regarding origin and responsible practices. All scutching mills from Western Europe have signed the Charter and are listed on the certified companies page.
The European Flax™ certification guarantees the traceability of linen products based on the Chain-of-Custody principle. This principle means that each link in the value chain that is the owner of the certified material, is certified, up to the last business-to-business transaction.
Subcontractors, not being the owners of the certified material, are declared in the certification perimeter of their client and are therefore verified, but do not need to be certified.
Download the European Flax™ Traceability Chain
Upstream: European fibre producers are committed through European Flax™ Charter, a set of criteria to be respected regarding origin and responsible practices. All scutching mills from Western Europe have signed the Charter and are listed on the certified companies page.
Downstream: all stakeholders (processors and traders of European Flax™ material) commit to guarantee the traceability of their value chain, by respecting the European Flax™ standard, and by submitting to annual verification audits carried out by independent certifying bodies.
Brands and retailers must in some cases become European Flax™ certified and be subject to the annual audits.
All technical requirements and criteria related to the certification process and the use of the certification are detailed in the European Flax™ Standard.
The associated European Flax™ Certification Process document details steps to be taken to implement the certification requirements.
The European Flax™ certification process is aimed at every link in the value chain taking possession of certified material and wishing to process or sell this material, according to the chain-of-custody principle.
This procedure is detailed for each stakeholder and each case in the Certification Process document and summarised in the diagram below:
Download How to Become European Flax™ Certified
These documents should be completed and returned to:
These documents shall be consulted in their most recent version available before each audit.
The certification process steps are detailed as follows:
The certification is valid for a period of 3 years, with annual audits carried out by the certification body Bureau Veritas.
In general, between the validation of the RFQ and the issuance of the certification, an average delay of 17 weeks is to be expected.
Certification is a process that requires reactivity and investment of time from a company. The application for a certification must therefore be anticipated sufficiently ahead of time.
Note: Companies that have not yet received their certificate are allowed to buy and process certified materials. However, they cannot sell certified materials until they have received their certificate.
A product can be certified as European Flax™ only if:
For more details on the information to be checked on invoices, see Guidance document.
The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp has listed all companies that have obtained the European Flax™ certification in its Certified Company Directory.
You can download the list of certified companies as a pdf file until the update of the online directory is complete.
Consult the directory of European Flax™ certified companies
Only European Flax™ certified products can be labelled as such (How to verify that a product is European Flax™ certified).
All types of communication, labelling, use of the logo and claim around the European Flax™ certification must respect the criteria of the European Flax™ Graphic Charter and be validated by the Alliance.
The use of the mark is granted free of charge by the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp, without any licensing fees, after signing the Trademark Terms of Use (contact us).
European Flax™ certified companies along the value chain are allowed to label their products (semi-finished and finished) European Flax™ by following the steps below:
For a brand or a retailer, the certification for their finished products depends on their supply chain. In some cases, brands and retailers must become certified to the European Flax™ standard and be subject to annual audits (Certification Procedure).
Brands/retailers may use the European Flax™ logo and tools in their communication and marketing, by following the steps below:
Bureau Veritas - France, Europe, Africa, Japan
Mr. Medhi CHINOUNE | medhi.chinoune@bureauveritas.com
Ms. Catherine FERAUD | catherine.feraud@bureauveritas.com
Bureau Veritas - China
Ms. Minlu SUN | minlu.sun@bureauveritas.com | +86 18918228084| +86 02123190800
Bureau Veritas - Taiwan
Ms. Mavis LIU | mavis.liu@bureauveritas.com | +886-922 762 662
Bureau Veritas - Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, Myanmar, Indonesia
Mr. Thien DINH | thien.dinh@bureauveritas.com
Bureau Veritas - India / Sri Lanka
Mr. Dinesh K SHETTY |dinesh.shetty@bureauveritas.com |+91 22 62742929
Bureau Veritas - Bangladesh
Mr. Tareq AHMED | tareq.ahmed@bureauveritas.com
Bureau Veritas - Pakistan
Ms. Sabeen AHAD | sabeen.ahad@bureauveritas.com
Ms. Coline Lechat | coline.lechat@bureauveritas.com
N.B.: Other geographical areas are managed by BV France, with a local auditor.
Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp
The laboratories below are members of the Bast fibre Observatory and accredited for the composition tests required for certain companies in the framework of the European Flax™ certification.
BUREAU VERITAS CPS FRANCE
34B Rue de la Ladrié - 59650 VILLENEUVE D'ASCQ - FRANCE
+ 33 (0)3 20 46 34 56
www.bureauveritas.com
E-mail contact: supportclients.cpsfra@bureauveritas.com
CENTEXBEL
Technologiepark 70 - 9052 ZWIJNAARDE - BELGIUM
+32 (0)9 220 41 51
www.centexbel.be
E-mail contact: labo.chemisch@centexbel.be
CENTROCOT - CENTRO TESSILE COTONIERO E ABBIGLIAMENTO
Piazza S. Anna, 2 - 21052 BUSTO ARSIZIO (VA) - ITALY
+39 0331 696711
www.centrocot.it
E-mail: info@centrocot.it
CETELOR - Centre d'Essais Textile Lorrain
27 Rue Philippe Seguin - 88000 EPINAL - FRANCE
+33 (0)3 72 74 96 80
www.cetelor.com
E-mail contact: naoual.bousmat@univ-lorraine.fr
CITEVE
Rua Fernando Mesquita, nº 2785 - 4760-034 VILA NOVA DE FAMALICAO - PORTUGAL
+351 252 300 300
www.citeve.pt
E-mail contact: citeve@citeve.pt
IFTH - INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DU TEXTILE ET DE L'HABILLEMENT
Zone de l'Union - 41 rue des métissages - 59200 TOURCOING - FRANCE
+33 (0)3 20 19 74 00 (lab) / +33 (0)4 72 86 16 44 (sales)
www.ifth.org
E-mail: commercial@ifth.org
See all the technical documents to download in order to obtain the European Flax™ certification.
Access to technical documents of European Flax™ certification
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