UBC researchers develop cleaner way to make rayon-type fibres

A UBC research team has developed a cleaner way to produce rayon, a popular fabric used in clothing for more than a century. The process could significantly reduce chemical use and improve sustainability in textile manufacturing.

The study, led by UBC Forestry associate professor Dr. Feng Jiang and doctoral student Huayu Liu, demonstrates a method for spinning continuous cellulose fibres without the harsh, toxic solvents traditionally used in commercial fibre production.

“People have been making man-made cellulose fibres like rayon for more than 130 years,” says Dr. Jiang. “The material itself is biodegradable and renewable, but the processes behind it can be highly toxic, energy-intensive and damaging to the environment. Our goal was to find a way to dramatically reduce that impact.”

How it’s made

Traditional methods for producing synthetic cellulose fibres involve fully dissolving cellulose using large amounts of strong, often toxic chemicals. UBC researchers took a different approach. Instead of dissolving everything, they worked with microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) - tiny, hair-like strands of cellulose that can be made with simple mechanical grinding and very few chemicals.

MFC is easy to source and much gentler to produce, but it usually doesn’t flow well enough to be spun into long, continuous threads. To solve that, the researchers added a small amount of softened, dissolved cellulose that acts like a natural “glue,” helping the tiny fibres slide, connect and twist together into a smooth fibre.

The outcome: a strong, continuous thread that can be woven just like conventional textile fibres.

“What we found is that we don’t actually need to dissolve cellulose completely to get continuous fibres,” says Liu. “By dissolving only a portion of it, we can reduce the amount of solvent needed by as much as 70 per cent — and we can recycle all of it.”

Cleaner and more sustainable

As this method works with less processed pulp it also cuts out several steps that normally involve bleaching or harsh chemical treatment for dissolving pulp, making the entire process cleaner, simpler and more sustainable.

Dr. Jiang says the findings represent real progress. “Making man-made cellulose fibre with less chemical input and far lower environmental impact is a meaningful step,” he said. “Sustainability isn’t only about the final material - it’s about sourcing the raw material responsibly and ensuring the entire process avoids toxic solvents and minimizes pollution.”

The fibres have so far been produced at lab scale, and the team is now exploring opportunities to scale up production. They have partnered with Professor Stephanie Phillips at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s fashion design school to test knitting and weaving prototypes once larger quantities are available.

“We hope these fibres will eventually be used for sustainable clothing and fabric manufacturing,” said Dr. Jiang. “This research shows that a more circular, lower-carbon pathway for textiles is possible.”

The study was recently published in Chem Circularity.