Maceration is the process of placing the stems of flax and hemp plants in contact with water with the aim of rotting, thanks to the action of bacteria, the woody part and therefore separating it from the textile fibre (thread) contained within them. Maceration could be done dry or in water. Dry maceration, longer and more widespread north of the Alps, occurred by leaving the stems spread out in the open so that the combined action of soil humidity, dew, rain and sun would rot the woody part. Maceration in water, more practiced on Ticino soil, was carried out in macerators, specially dug tanks, or in slow-moving watercourses. In both cases, the bundles of flax or hemp had to be completely immersed and were therefore secured thanks to the weight of some stones. Due to the generation of a gas with an intense and unpleasant smell during maceration, it was decided to carry out this process in areas far from inhabited centres.