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Flax is one of the oldest textile plants in Europe and has been used since Neolithic times<ref>Telesforo de ARAZANDI. ''Folklore y costumbres de España''. Tomo I. Barcelona: 1911-1925, p. 355.</ref>. In Euskal Herria [the greater Basque Country], there is no known folklore about its introduction or the time to sow the crop as is the case with wheat or with corn.

Esparto grass was not sown. Wild clumps of this plant were gathered in August. They were dried for 20 days. A wooden mallet was used to hit and crush the wads. Once they were crushed, they were dampened and a thick hard fibre was obtained. The esparto ropes were woven by hand and used to be used for espadrille soles. Yet those soles were poorer in quality than the ones made out of hemp. As it was so rough, esparto grass was also used to clean floors and containers.