How to distinguish flax, nettle and hemp fibres

What is it about?

Bast fibres are difficult to identify from each other. With a single method it is still impossible. This is one combination of methods to distinguish flax, nettle, and hemp from each other. The research material has been ethnographic textiles from the collections of the National Museum of Finland.

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Why is it important?

Our research shows that that the combination of observation of surface and cross-sectional characteristics combined with the modified Herzog test enables the identification of Northern textile bast fibres. The research of historical textile fibres helps us to understand our cultural history, trade routes, and material culture in the past.