Premium Professional Bakers Couche - 35"x26", 100% Flax Linen Heavy Duty Proofing Cloth from Tissage Deren of France, with One Bonus Mure & Peyrot Fixed Blade Lame, by BrotformDotCom

Q: How many loaves of baguette can it make?

As you can see in the picture, the cloth is just pulled up between the loaves and you put them down. Look like 6 - 8 loaves. I usually do bigger loaves and get 2 - 3 easy. It's a large piece of cloth. I also keep mine in the freezer after brushing off the flour. Some of my doughs have olive oil in them. This prevents a rancid odor from occurring.

Q: Just used first time. Fibers all over bread. How long does this happen? Is there a difference between sides of couche. One looks more fibery.

Not sure why the fibers broke off. I don't knead on mine, I just use it only for a well floured couche for 2 baguettes and fold over the rest to lightly cover them. Before I used mine, I added several cups of flour on both sides well patted in and shook it outside. Don't use scraper or knife or brush on it. I don't wash it and don't apply washes or liquids on it. I keep it gently folded in a zip bag. My techniques I read from various sources. Hope that helps.

Q: why can't you just use canvas?

If you do use a drop cloth canvas, you have to clean it very well because drop cloth has chemical sizing in it and it's not particularly good for you.

Q: Could this be folded and used as a liner in my Brotform basket?

You could drape the baker's couche inside a Brotform basket and let the edges and points hang over the side of the basket. However, because the couche is a somewhat stiff, square piece of linen, it wouldn't form to the shape of the basket and the resulting "pleats" would show up in your loaf. If your basket has a diameter of 9 inches, King Arthur Flour sells a cloth Brotform liner in that size.