Vieböck

Six generations of weaving, one unbroken thread

Vieböck has been weaving linen since 1832, when Franz Viehböck founded a small weaving mill in his farmhouse, growing flax right outside his door. Nearly two centuries later, the tradition continues in Helfenberg, where every meter of fabric is still woven by hand.

The weaving mill has passed through six generations, each one adapting to their time while holding fast to the craft. From Leopold, who created the first consistent collections in 1905, to Christl, who stepped in after her husband’s sudden passing and ran the mill with quiet determination, to Christine, who opened the business to the world. In 2007, master weaver Johann Kobler and his partner Hannes Böck took over, ensuring the mill remained a family business with deep roots in the region. Since 2023, Johann’s son Christoph has carried the work forward.

Quite a lot has changed since 1832. But perhaps less here than anywhere else. The looms still hum, the flax still comes from European fields, and the values remain the same.

“We uphold the same values that have always been important to us: care, down-to-earthness, time, and connection. To nature and to people.”

Today, a team of twenty-three keeps the tradition alive, from weaving and sewing to inspection, shipping, and customer care. Their hands guide every meter of fabric that leaves Helfenberg.

From European flax to certified organic fabric, woven entirely in Helfenberg

Vieböck is the only linen weaving mill in the world to hold both The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and IVN Best certifications. IVN Best is an extremely strict and high-level standard that requires 100% organic natural fibers and covers the entire production chain, from raw material to finished product. That distinction isn’t decoration. It reflects a commitment woven into every thread.

The flax comes from European fields in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It’s a remarkable plant: it thrives on poor soil, needs no fertiliser, and requires no irrigation. While cotton demands around 11,000 litres of water per kilogram, flax grows with what nature provides. After harvest, the fibers are spun into yarn in Poland, Lithuania, and Belgium, then delivered to Helfenberg in a range of qualities: dyed, bleached, natural, fine, coarse.

“Every single Vieböck fabric is woven in Helfenberg.”

No commercial products. No shortcuts. Every centimeter of fabric is inspected by hand, every break repaired, every roll catalogued. The raw linen then travels to a finisher in Lower Austria, where it’s washed, dyed, and mechanically softened using no aggressive bleaches or detergents. All processing and refining, with the exception of dyeing, is done mechanically and by natural means. The result is fabric that feels lived-in from the first touch.

From there, Vieböck’s seamstresses transform the linen into washcloths, towels, table linens, curtains, bed linens, tea towels, and bread bags. Each piece is sewn with the same attention given to the weaving itself. Treated with care, the linen rewards you: highly absorbent, quick to dry, naturally antibacterial, and strong enough to last generations.

Patterns that have endured since the 1940s, rewoven in colours for today

Vieböck doesn’t follow trends. The work speaks for itself: timeless colour palettes, moisture-regulating breathability, antibacterial properties, and a robustness that only natural linen can offer.

Their patterns carry history. The Diamond, woven since the 1940s, uses thick linen yarns for exceptional absorbency. The Honeycomb, a semi-linen blend with cotton, creates a waffle texture that holds moisture and dries quickly. The rustic cotton dish towels have been in their collection for decades, chosen by food bloggers and designers alike for their durability and honest charm.

“These fabrics are repeatedly rewoven in the same quality, season after season. Good design doesn’t need reinvention.”

These fabrics aren’t trying to be anything other than what they are: functional, beautiful, and built to endure. That’s what makes them timeless.

A Commitment to Place, Quality, and the Quiet Power of Small Making

For Vieböck, legacy isn’t measured in scale, it’s measured in continuity. In a globalised world where textiles travel thousands of kilometres before reaching a home, Vieböck stands almost alone in keeping every step of production rooted in one village. “I am very proud that we are still producing at the same location,” says Christoph Kobler.

“Here in Austria, we are securing important jobs while preserving a long-forgotten tradition.”

To choose Vieböck is to support more than linen; it is to support product diversity, regional economies, and the survival of a craft that nearly vanished elsewhere in Europe. Their vision for the future is intentionally modest.

“My greatest wish for Vieböck is its long-term continuation and the preservation of the quality of Vieböck products.”

Growth is not the goal. Staying true to their land, their building, and their people is.

In a world of fast consumption, Vieböck offers another path: textiles made slowly, honestly, and close to the earth. Their linen carries a promise that has held for nearly 200 years: that some things are worth making locally, and worth keeping for life.