Enhanced Knittability of Paper Yarn from the Swedish Forest by Using Textile Finishing Materials

High strength kami-ito yarns from microbial cellulose biofilms

We develop high-strength, sustainable yarns from microbial biofilms with minimal processing and chemical use. Inspired by the Japanese "kami-ito" () technique for creating yarns from paper, we introduce an eco-friendly alternative to cotton and industrially-produced man-made cellulose fibers using a microbial cellulose source. We culture and dye bacterial cellulose biofilms to produce yarns with tensile strengths of up to 200 MPa (55 MPa in the wet state). These bacterial cellulose (BC) yarns exhibit significant stretchability, with elongation reaching 23 % in dry condition, which is a remarkable improvement when considering the stiffness of typical man-made cellulose filaments and dried BC films. The BC yarns are shown to absorb up to 24 % water at 100 % relative humidity, comparable to natural fibers like hemp and flax. Our findings further underscore a multidisciplinary exploration that integrates biology, art, and design to develop durable, dyeable, and environmentally sustainable textile yarns.

Structure, properties, and fabric applicability of sustainable paper yarn with high washing stability

This research provides an in-depth assessment of two paper yarn variants, examining their structural, functional, and performance characteristics. These yarns demonstrated favorable properties, including suitable linear density, twist, typical cellulosic functional groups as confirmed by Infrared spectroscopy, minimal hairiness, moisture transfer, and creditable mechanical strength. These yarns have flat layered cross-sections and grooved longitudinal surfaces. In addition, a low hairiness index (1.3-1.33) further acknowledged their smooth surface. Their remarkable evenness (15.86% and 7.08%) supported their effective wicking properties. Despite average breaking strength (0.77 cN/dTex and 1.05 cN/dTex) and moderate elongation, these yarns exhibited exceptional water-washing resistance and retained over 89% breaking strength after 15 washes. This study ranks these paper yarns as highly suitable for durable clothing fabrics, providing promising sustainable alternatives in the textile industry.