At Ottosson’s, we use Swedish linseed oil in our products. Through our collaboration with one of Sweden’s largest flax growers on a farm outside Löddeköpinge, we have access to high-quality linseed oil that is grown in fields, mainly in Skåne and in Östergötland.
The fresh scent of linseed oil is not just pleasant when you paint. The fragrance also signals that the paint is sustainably produced and plant-based; however, perhaps the most important clue is that the paint is high quality thanks to the properties of linseed oil.
Swedish linseed oil is unique due to its high levels of linolenic acid and linoleic acid. These levels are around 80 percent, compared to the flax grown in Southern Europe where the content is about 30 percent. The long summer days in northern Europe promote a high fatty-acid composition. The advantage of this is that linseed oil more easily forms a strong film, which provides a stronger surface when painting with linseed oil paint.
Ottosson’s linseed oil is pressed and aged on Höjs Boställe Farm. Aging takes at least six months, and then a clean and clear linseed oil is produced, free from waste products and water. The result is what is called cold-pressed, raw linseed oil. The linseed oil is then heated for about a week to produce boiled linseed oil, which forms the basis of our linseed oil paints.