Flax health of linseed oil. Eventually, Flanders became the major center of the linen industry in the European Middle Ages. In North America, flax was introduced by the colonists and it flourished there, but by the early 20th century, cheap cotton and rising farm wages had caused production of flax to become concentrated in northern Russia, which came to provide 90% of the world's output. Since then, flax has lost its importance as a commercial crop, due to the easy availability of more durable fibres. Flax is grown for its seeds, which can be ground into a meal or turned into
Flax Art Supply Stores Jerry bought what was once the biggest competitor to Flax in San Francisco, Schwabacher-Frey. He first acquired the retail store and then its commercial division two years later. Under Philip Flax a new Flax store opened in 1966, in the 27,000 square foot Goldberg Bowen Building at 250 Sutter Street. In 1978 a new location at 1699 Market Street opened, followed by the closure of the Sutter Street store in 1981. The company began distributing mail order catalogs nationally in 1984. Craig Flax oversaw the major growth and transition of the catalog business with an expanded range of gift-oriented items