For more than a century, the sweet aroma of linseed oil hung over the Lang Toon, where generations of workers created the smooth, durable product that would floor the world.

From towering factories dotted around the Fife coastal town of Kirkcaldy came thousands of rolls of linoleum destined to bring colour and comfort to the hard wood and stone floors of humble homes and stately abodes, grand ships, public buildings and smart offices.

At their peak, the ‘lino’ factories in the heart of the town brought work for more than 4,000 - many of them women - and ignited a vibrant community scene of social and sports clubs, powered by the music of factory pipe bands.

Eventually, however, demand for lino dwindled; where once there were seven large factories employing one in ten of the town’s population, by 1963 just one remained, and memories of the powerhouse of lino production began to fade.

Now a major new project aims to revive the story of how Fife became the lino capital of the world, through the memories of the workers who helped make it one of Scotland’s most enduring industrial success stories.

Museum curators in Fife have issued a call for anyone who played a part in building the county’s reputation as a world-leading centre for linoleum production to share their memories as part of a £115,000 mission to explore the impact the everyday product had on the town and people.

The Flooring the World project is also urging people to come forward with any work-related artefacts they may have, which could be added to Fife museums’ globally renowned linoleum collection.

Among the most coveted is a curious promotional elephant document holder created by Leith-born sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi for pioneering lino company Nairn’s of Kirkcaldy.

Just 3,000 of the plastic elephants were created in 1973 and have been known to fetch four figure sums at auction.

One of the quirky elephants is held in the Fife museums’ collection, along with a piece of linoleum that once furnished Paul McCartney’s childhood home in Liverpool.

Project engagement curator Lily Barnes, said the lino industry had a major impact on life in the town, with generations of workers from families employed in production and offices and a lively social scene which saw people mix outside of the factory walls.

“The two biggest were Nairns, originally Michael Nairn and Company, and now Forbo, and Barry, which was originally Shepherd and Beveridge.

“Each of these had multiple factories around the town, and the social side was a strong part of the factories’ identity. There were sports clubs, social clubs, football teams.

“Barry’s had a particularly good pipe band, and Nairns had its bowling team.

“Our collection is strong on the first century of lino production, but contains fewer objects from the 1960s onwards. This period, well within living memory of contemporary Fifers, will be a particular focus over the next two years.”

Lino products made in Kirkcaldy and the nearby villages of Falkland and Newburgh placed the Kingdom on the map as a global hub of linoleum production - thanks to a single entrepreneur's remarkable vision.

Michael Nairn was a canvas trader in Kirkcaldy who saw demand rising for floor cloth to cover rock hard, cold stone and wooden floors.

Despite warnings that he would fail miserably, he borrowed £4,000 to create Scotland’s first factory producing floor cloth - nicknamed “Nairn’s Folly” by those who scoffed at his vision.

It opened in 1847, and by the time of Nairn’s death 11 years later, business was flourishing.

The arrival of another material would build on his success and transform the town.

English bookmaker, Frederick Walton, invented linoleum in 1861 after examining a pot of oil-based paint and finding the linseed oil had oxidised to leave a firm, rubbery top layer.

He devised a method of accelerating the oxidisation process, creating a hard-wearing floor covering which he named linoleum.

Demand for the new product soared just as the patent on its manufacturing process expired – paving the way for Michael Nairn & Co to step in.

As lino took off, the race was then on to meet demands for more intricate patterns and colourful designs.

“The pattern books have some fantastic designs, some of which use six or seven colours and are very elaborate,” adds Lily.

Standard linoleum was made by creating a sludge called cement by mixing linseed oil with resin or gum and a substrate, often cork, which would be coloured with pigments and spread over a canvas backing.

It could then be printed with different designs on top of the base colour.

Lily adds: “Alternatively, designs could be made up by combining shapes of linoleum in different shades and colours - called inlaid linoleum.

“This had the advantage that designs wouldn't wear away with use but was more time consuming to make.

“Nowadays, the linoleum manufactured in Kirkcaldy is all of a marbled pattern but is still available in lots of different colours.

“It’s still made in much the same way as it was in the 19th century.”

The sole remaining factory built by Michael Nairn & Co is now owned by international flooring company, Forbo. The Swiss-based company recently gifted its historical archive, dating to Nairn’s foundation in 1847, to cultural charity OnFife, which runs the region’s museums service.

Forbo’s treasures includes a striking set of linoleum marquetry pictures, banners carried by workers on summer excursions and Nairn’s very own factory fire engine also features. The new project, which is backed by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, is particularly seeking memories from women workers and anyone who took part in industrial action. They also want to learn more about production in Falkland and Newburgh.

The project will also explore the wider social impact of linoleum on people’s lives. The team is keen to hear from anyone who remembers having linoleum at home or in places of work.

Gavin Grant, OnFife’s Collections Team Leader, said: “We’d like to find out as much as we can about the everyday experiences of people working with linoleum – not just manufacturing, but retail, marketing, administration and all of the other associated roles.”