Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) grown for seed does not compete well with flax in fibre yield, but as a by-product of seed production its stems could be used in non-woven products. With the aim of discovering suitable linseed genotypes to be cultivated for dual-purpose use in Finland, Finnish linseed cv. Helmi was compared with ten other linseed genotypes and one flax cultivar for stem yield, bast fibre content in stem, stem length and diameter and bast fibre yield. In addition, breaking tenacity and elongation at break of the fibres were determined. The experiments were carried out in 1996B1997 at the Agricultural Research Centre (MTT) in Jokioinen, Finland (latitude 60o49'N). Bast fibre content in stem averaged 16.9% and breeding line Bor 18 had significantly higher bast fibre content than cv. Helmi. Bast fibre yield averaged 301 kg dry matter ha-1. Compared with cv. Helmi, breeding lines Bor 15 and Bor 18 and cvs. Flanders and Gold Merchant produced significantly higher fibre yield. The median for breaking tenacity varied among the genotypes between 41 and 67 cN/tex and the median for elongation at break between 3.5 and 6.8%. Finnish breeding line Bor 18 is recommended for cultivation as dual-purpose linseed in Finland. ;