In order to meet these requirements, they had to return to the very beginning of the development cycle: the fiber. They chose hemp and flax, two plant-based fibers which, thanks to their lower water consumption and shorter transport distances, have a much smaller ecological footprint than cotton. These bast fibers form an extremely tough base, and when a softer feel is needed, Modal, a fiber made from beechwood, is added.
The globalization of the textile industry and the relentless advance of easy-to-process cotton heralded the closure of many European fabric producers. As a result, Freitag had to develop F-abric from scratch.