FAQ certifications

The European Flax™ certification is open to any company worldwide whose products are composed of European Flax™ certified flax/linen.

Get more details on: How to become European Flax™ certified ?

Depending on your activity, application and certification process may differ slightly.
Get more details on: How to become European Flax™ certified ? and be sure to read the European Flax™ Certification Process.

Overall, from the signature of the certification offer from Bureau Veritas until certification issuance, the process takes approximatively 17 weeks*, so the certification request should be anticipated early enough.
*based on a fluid process, reactivity on the part of each company and the absence of non-conformities.

Note: companies who have not yet received their certificate may buy and process certified materials, but they cannot sell certified materials until they receive their certificate

Membership:
European Companies applying for European Flax™ certification are required to become members of the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. The scale of membership fees depends on member’s activity and the importance of their linen business. For more information, please contact the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp.

Certification & audit cost:
Cost is approximately €2,500 per year and per company, over 3 years.
Cost may vary depending on activity, multiple sites and subcontractors, and will be communicated by Bureau Veritas in their certification offer.

Composition test:
€300 per year, per company, for processors, starting 2nd year of certification.
Note: Composition tests are mandatory for processors involved in an activity of spinning, weaving, knitting, production of technical semi-products or any activity with a high risk of fibre blending, either internal or outsourced.    

Trademark use is granted by Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp to certified companies and brands/retailers, free of charge, without any mark licensing fees, after signing the European Flax™ Trademark Terms of Use.

Products can be certified as European Flax™ only if:

• Their entire value chain is European Flax™ certified until the last business to business transaction. This includes traders and in certain cases brands or retailers.
• They meet both products composition requirements below:
  - They have a composition of at least 50% linen
  - They are made from flax/linen supplies that are 100% European Flax™ certified.
  This means no mix is allowed with other kinds of linen – organic, recycled, conventional (non-certified), etc.
  - The transmission of the certification through suppliers’ sales invoice is effective.
• The invoice must:
  - Show the supplier’s certificate number
  - Indicate the composition of each certified product
  - Feature the claim “European Flax™ certified” for each certified product

As a reminder, a European Flax™ certified company can make both European Flax™ certified products and non-certified products. That is why you must check on your invoice and with your supplier that the quality you’re buying is actually European Flax™ certified. 

Get more information on: How to verify that a product is European Fax™ certified?
Get more details on: How to become European Flax™ certified ?

You can view the list of companies certified as European Flax™ by browsing our online directory.

No, that is not always the case.

A European Flax™ certified company can make both European Flax™ certified products and non-certified products, so a product bought from a certified supplier is not necessarily certified.

The criteria for product composition and for the transmission of the certification must also be met for this product to be European Flax™ certified.

That is why you must check on your invoice and with your supplier that the quality you’re buying is actually European Flax™ certified.

Get more information on: How to verify that a product is European Fax™ certified?

No, that is not the case.

A product can be European Flax™ certified only if each link in its value chain is European Flax™ certified, until the last business to business transaction.

For example when only the spinner or the weaver in the value chain of a product is European Flax™ certified, but not the other steps (garment manufacturer, traders etc.), this product cannot be European Flax™ certified.

You can start by verifying that your direct supplier is European Flax™ certified by browsing our online directory of certified companies and that the product you are purchasing is certified as well.

Get more information on: How to verify that a product is European Fax™ certified?

If the yarn or the fabric is certified, it means the requirements of the European Flax™ Standard were respected until the spinning step or the weaving step.

But the final product made from this certified European Flax™ yarn or fabric can only be certified if all the steps following spinning or weaving respected the same requirements too, that is to say:

• all companies/steps until the last business to business transaction are certified;
• the product respects the composition requirements;
• the transmission of the certification via sales invoice is effective at every stage.

Get more information on: How to verify that a product is European Fax™ certified?

No. It means that the flax fibre used in European Flax™ certified semi-finished products and finished products has been grown and scutched in Western Europe (France, Belgium, The Netherlands) and that traceability has been ensured at each following transformation and trading steps until the last business-to-business transaction.

Those steps can be performed in or outside of Europe, the European Flax™ certification being open to any company worldwide whose products are composed of certified flax/linen. See European Flax™ Traceability Chain

European Flax™ is the guarantee of traceability for premium quality flax fibres grown in Western Europe for all end uses. It is open to any company worldwide whose products are composed of certified flax/linen.

A flax fibre grown through farming that is respectful of the environment, under social and ethical criteria laid down by the International Labour Organization.

More information on the added values of the European Flax™ fibre

You can also find more information on the flax-linen proven properties and the European Flax ™ scutched long fibre LCA.

Only certified European Flax™ products can be labelled as such, so the first thing is to make sure that your direct supplier is certified and that your product is indeed certified.
Get more details on: How to verify that a product is European Fax™ certified?

Brands & retailers need to verify if they need to become certified before being able to claim the European Flax™ certification for their products. This will depend on their supply chain.
Find out more on: How to become European Flax™ certified ?

Regarding the use of the logo on certified finished products:

• Certified companies may use the European Flax™ trademark on their European Flax™ certified semi-finished or finished product by:
  - Signing the Trademark Terms of Use for Processor & Traders
  - Respecting the European Flax™ Graphic Charter
  - Submitting all their communication projects on European Flax™ (hangtags, swatch headers, brochures, websites etc.) for review and approval by Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. ( contact: certification@allianceflaxlinenhemp.eu )

• Brands/Retailers may also use the European Flax™ trademark and tools in their communication and marketing, by:
  - Verifying whether they need to become certified first (see our infographics How to become European Flax™ certified to understand which case applies to your company).
  - Contacting Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp to obtain all information regarding the certification and trademark use conditions.
  - Signing the Trademark Terms of Use for Brands & Retailers
  - Completing the Company Profile
  - Respecting the European Flax™ Graphic Charter
  - Sending Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp each year copies of a few invoices evidencing the certified products (confidential information such as prices may be erased)
  - Submitting all their European Flax™ communication projects (point of sales advertising, hangtags, websites etc.) for review and approval by Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. (contact : certification@allianceflaxlinenhemp.eu )

As a reminder, trademark use is granted by Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp to certified companies and brands/retailers, free of charge, without any mark licensing fees.

The guarantee of traceability of European Flax™ products/materials from one certified company to another is ensured through sales invoices, which must feature: 

• The supplier’s certificate number 
• The composition of each certified product 
• The claim “European Flax™ certified” for each certified product 

European Flax™ traceability does not require transaction certificates. 

Also, each certified company is audited yearly by an independent certifying body to ensure it complies with the European Flax™ requirements and all traceability processes are fully implemented.

What the 2 certifications have in common:

• They promote flax fibre grown in Western Europe, produced through farming that is respectful of the environment, without irrigation*, or GMOs. The fibre, extracted through a 100% mechanical process, is also zero waste as all parts of the plant are used (long fibres, short fibres, seeds, shives, and dust).
  *except in exceptional circumstances
• They rely on independent certification bodies, through yearly audits conducted confidentially.
• They are available for: semi-finished products & finished products, composed of minimum 50% of certified flax/linen, and 100% of the linen is certified.
• They offer business to business and business to consumer marketing support to promote the unique benefits of flax & linen with proven traceability.

The differences between the 2 certifications:

• European Flax™ guarantees the traceability for premium quality flax fibres grown and scutched in Western Europe (France, Belgium, The Netherlands) for all their markets (fashion, home and technical) and throughout global supply chains worldwide.
• Masters of Linen™ guarantees the traceability for flax fibres grown and scutched in Western Europe and transformed into linen textiles by European companies on European and Euromed 1 sites. A textile of excellence, local at all stages: from the vegetal European Flax™ fibre to yarn and fabric.
• The European Flax™ fibre is the raw material sourced at 100% by Masters of Linen™ certified spinners. So, the Masters of Linen™ certified companies and products (yarns and fabrics) can benefit from the environmental and sustainability benefits of the European Flax™ fibre at the fibre level.
  In addition, all the steps of transformation (spinning, weaving or circular knitting) are made in Europe.
  - Only spinners, weavers and circular knitters producing in Europe (and Euromed 1 sites for spinning) can be certified as Masters of Linen™. 
  - Traders or manufacturers cannot be certified as Masters of Linen™.
  - Flatbed knitters can’t be Masters of Linen™ certified. Their products may, under certain conditions be certified.

Get more information on: How to verify that a product is Masters of Linen™

European Flax™ and Masters of Linen™ are two different certifications.
European Flax™ certified companies are not automatically Masters of Linen™ certified, and vice versa.

Get more details on: How to become European Flax™ certified?
Get more information on: How to become Masters of Linen™ certified?

European Flax™ and Masters of Linen™ are two different certifications.
Masters of Linen™ certified companies are not automatically European Flax™ certified, and vice versa.

Get more details on: How to become European Flax™ certified?
Get more information on: How to become Masters of Linen™ certified?

Masters of Linen™ certified products can only be made by certified Masters of Linen™ companies.
Therefore, if a company is only certified as European Flax™, its products can only be labelled as European Flax™. They cannot be labelled as Masters of Linen™ certified.

If a company is Masters of linen™ certified (spinners, weavers, circular knitters), their Masters of Linen™ yarns and fabrics are automatically certified European Flax™ as well.

In fact, the European Flax™ fibre is the only flax raw material used by Masters of Linen™ spinners. As a consequence, it is at the base of Masters of Linen™ certified products.

Please note that this does not allow Masters of Linen™ certified companies to claim that they are European Flax™ certified.

In order to be European Flax™ certified and receive a European Flax™ certificate, they must undergo the European Flax™ certification process.

Get more details on: How to become European Flax™ certified?

To become Masters of Linen™ certified, a company must:

1. Be a European Spinner, Weaver or circular Knitter.
   No Traders, Flatbed knitters or Manufacturers can be Masters of Linen™ certified.
2. Be a member of the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp, via national linen association if relevant.
3. Produce in Europe
   For spinners: 100% E.U. production (with acceptance of Euromed 1 sites) and no trading of yarn originating outside the E.U.
   For weavers: own a mill in the E.U.
4. Support the European linen industry by purchasing certified materials:
   For spinners: 100% European Flax™ certified fibre supplies
   For fancy spinners, weavers/knitters: over 55% of Masters of Linen™ certified yarn supplies yearly, over total linen supplies.
5. Be verified through yearly independent audit by certification bodies or company Legal Auditor

For full requirements please contact us

Editors and brands may choose to become certified as well, or to receive the certification for their certified products from their supplier.

Get more information about: How to label my Masters of Linen™ products

The process to become Masters of Linen™ certified can be summarized as follow:

1. Contact us for information and to receive the application files
2. Application: 
   Fill in and sign the Contract and Company profile, and send them to certification@allianceflaxlinenhemp.eu
3. Review and validation by Committee:
   Once your application is completed, it is sent to the Committee for validation.
   Certification is effective immediately after validation;
4. Company receives Masters of Linen™ logo, marketing tools, etc.
5. Yearly audit:
   Starting in March following the approval of the application, lead by:
   - Legal Auditor /Revisore/CAC/Réviseur/SROC
   - Centexbel certification body, Belgium (sst@centexbel.be)
   - Centrocot certification body, Italy (patrizia.lombardini@centrocot.it ; paolo.ghezzo@centrocot.it)
   After 1st audit, the Company receives a certificate, valid for 1 year.

Get more details about: How to become Masters of Linen™ certified?

Once the Contract and Company Profile are validated and all required elements are provided, the Masters of Linen Validation Committee can rule on each application within a few weeks.

Membership:
Companies applying for Masters of Linen™ certification are required to become members of Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. The scale of membership fees depends on member’s activity and the importance of their linen business.
For more information, please contact us 

Audit costs:
Indicative yearly cost for certification bodies Centrocot and Centexbel is approximately €400/year + travel expenses.

Trademark use is granted by Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp to certified companies and brands/retailers*, free of charge, without any mark licensing fees.
*for brands and retailers: please contact us for full details.

Products can be certified as Masters of Linen™ only if they respect the following criteria:  

1. Company criteria:
   Their materials were made from materials made by Masters of Linen™ certified companies meaning:
   - Their yarn was made by a certified Masters of Linen™ Spinner AND their fabric was made by a certified Weaver or Circular Knitter.
   OR
   - Their yarn was made by a certified Masters of Linen™ Spinner AND they were knitted and manufactured by a European Flatbed Knitter.
2. Products composition criteria:
   The products/materials meet the 2 Masters of Linen™ composition criteria:
   - They are made from 100% Masters of Linen™ certified linen.  
   This means no blending is allowed with other kinds of linen - organic, recycled, conventional (non-certified), etc.
   - They have a composition of at least 50% linen or are woven as a linen union (linen union = cotton warp, linen weft, minimum 40% linen). 
   Please note that intimate yarn blends are not permitted under the Masters of Linen™ certification.
3. Guarantee of traceability:
   The guarantee of traceability of Masters of Linen™ products/materials is ensured through sales invoices (or any other document from the certified company such as order confirmation, or a separate document), which must feature:
   - The supplier’s Masters of Linen™ certificate number
   - The composition of each certified linen product
   - The claim “Masters of Linen™ certified” for each certified product

As a reminder, a Masters of Linen™ certified company can make both Masters of Linen™ certified products and non-certified products. That is why you must check on your invoice and with your supplier that the quality you’re buying is actually Masters of Linen™ certified.

Get more info about: How to verify that a product is Masters of Linen™

View the list of companies certified as Masters of Linen™ by browsing our directory.

No, that is not always the case.

A Masters of Linen™ certified company can make both Masters of Linen™ certified products and non-certified products, so a product bought from a certified supplier is not necessarily certified.  

The criteria for product composition and traceability must also be met for this product to be Masters of Linen™ certified.

Get more info about: How to verify that a product is Masters of Linen™
Get more details on: How to become Masters of Linen™ certified?

Only certified Masters of Linen™ products can be labelled as such, so the first thing is to make sure your product is indeed certified.

Regarding the use of the logo on certified finished products:

• By certified companies
  Certified companies may use the Masters of Linen™ trademark on their Masters of Linen™ certified semi-finished or finished product by: 
  - Respecting the Masters of Linen™ Guidance for logo use, which was sent by the Alliance once their certification is validated. 
  - Submitting all their communication projects on Masters of Linen™ (hangtags, swatch headers, brochures, websites etc.) for review and approval by Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. ( contact certification@allianceflaxlinenhemp.eu ) 
• By Brands/Retailers
  Brands and Retailers may also use the Masters of Linen™ trademark and tools in their communication and marketing, by:

1. Checking that:
   - their fabric or circular knit supplier is Masters of Linen™ certified.
   - For their flat knit products, that the spinner is Masters of Linen™ certified and that the flat knitter is located in Europe.
2. Checking that the products are Masters of Linen™ certified.
3. Contacting Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp to obtain all information regarding the certification and trademark use conditions.
4. Respecting the Masters of Linen™ Guidance for logo use sent to them by the Alliance
5. Sending Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp each year copies of a few invoices evidencing the certified products (confidential information such as prices may be erased).
6. Submitting all their Masters of Linen™ communication projects (point of sales advertising, hangtags, websites etc.) for review and approval by the Alliance.

Brands and Retailers may also choose to become certified themselves, and use the Masters of Linen™ Trademark according to the process for certified companies above.

Get more details on: How to become Masters of Linen™ certified?

The guarantee of traceability of Masters of Linen™ products/materials is ensured through sales invoices (or any other document from the certified company such as order confirmation, or a separate document), which must feature
- The supplier’s certificate number
- The composition of each certified product
- The claim “Masters of Linen™ certified” for each certified product

Brands and retailers receive the above traceability and certification guarantees of their materials directly from:
- Their certified weavers or circular knitters
OR
- Their certified spinners (in case of flatbed knitwear)

Masters of Linen™ traceability does not require transaction certificates.

Also, each certified company is audited yearly by an independent certifying body to ensure it complies with the Masters of Linen™ requirements and all traceability processes are fully implemented.