DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FLAX AND HEMP

Abstract

Differentiating flax and hemp is a long-time analytical problem, which is becoming more and more relevant with the wider loading of bast fibres. Flax and hemp are very similar fibres in all aspects, and their differentiation is often controversial. In this work, the literature is researched for the classic methods of differentiating these two types of fibres. Additionally, a further to twist discrimination methods (the twist test method and the method using polarised light) were analysed. The method most suitable for practical use was tested on a wide spectrum of fibres and compared with the usual methods.