| It is really interesting to me that no one in the UK | | | | Russia, by Peter the Great, was the standard tax on |
| seems to have heard about Russian linen. Everyone | | | | flax. Russian linen is a quality product and one of our |
| knows there is Irish linen but how on earth - with all | | | | manufactures was even a supplier of the Russian |
| stories about Siberia and the really bad Russian | | | | Royal Court in the 19th century when they were |
| weather and climate - can there be linen from Russia? | | | | weaving the most beautiful and highest quality |
| Simple… In Russia, we never had any cotton | | | | Jacquard tablecloths for the Russian Tsars to use and |
| and through centuries linen became a national treasure. | | | | enjoy in their Palaces. So today, with the help of |
| Linen is the most ancient fabric known to man. For | | | | Alenska, you can enjoy the same in your own home! |
| centuries people have been growing flax which is then | | | | Nowadays linen flax is one of the main materials used |
| made into fibre and woven to become linen. | | | | in the manufacture of UK banknotes and improves |
| Domestication of flax occurred in India and China well | | | | their useful life. And yes, we can joke about linen |
| before cotton ever did - more than 5,000 years ago. | | | | having the same value as money… Here are a |
| But despite its venerable age flax remains to be as | | | | few more interesting facts about flax fibre: • |
| young as ever and is always in trend. Flax has been | | | | The famous Turin Shroud (that bears the image of |
| grown in Russia since 2000 B.C. and ancient | | | | Jesus Christ and was used to wrap his body) is spun |
| manuscripts from 1,000 years B.C. contain evidence of | | | | from flax fibres. There is also evidence that the towel |
| linen made by the Slavs. Oriental writers of the time | | | | bearing Christ's image which was not painted by |
| also described Slavs dressed in linen clothing. Prior to | | | | human hands - was also made of linen. • |
| the formation of Kievan Russia (pre-Moscow), all | | | | Prior to the invention of paper, manuscripts were |
| Slavic tribes that inhabited the Eastern European plain | | | | written on linen. One of the most renowned |
| grew flax. Flax was used to make sailcloth, fishing | | | | manuscripts - "Linen Book" by ancient Etruscans - was |
| nets, ropes and linseed oil. In the 10th-11th centuries A.D. | | | | written on linen in the 7th century B.C. • In |
| flax was extensively grown for fibre and seed. It was | | | | ancient Greece linen clothes were the privilege of high |
| regarded as an important crop both for crafts and | | | | priests. • The famous army leader Alexander |
| commerce. Peasants used it to pay feudal taxes and | | | | the Great wore an armour made of… linen to |
| make payments to the Tsar's treasury. Russian | | | | protect him in battle. It was said to be impenetrable to |
| Princes collected tribute in linen. In the late 19th-early | | | | the enemy's sword. • In ancient Russia, linen |
| 20th century, Russia emerged as the leading producer | | | | clothes were worn on festive occasions. The first |
| and exporter of flax and linen among European | | | | ever flag in Russia approved by Peter the Great was |
| nations. So popular was linen and its variety of uses | | | | made of linen. |
| that the first standard Government tax imposed in | | | | |