A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia has developed a cleaner, more sustainable method for producing rayon-type clothing fibers, potentially cutting the environmental impact of textile production. 

Traditional rayon manufacturing relies on dissolving wood pulp with large volumes of harsh and toxic chemicals, a process that is energy-intensive and environmentally damaging. 

Instead, the UBC team uses microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) which are tiny, mechanically processed strands of wood pulp and combine it with a small amount of partially dissolved cellulose that acts like a natural binder. This allows the fibers to be spun into continuous threads while reducing the need for solvents by up to 70%, eliminating several high-impact chemical processing steps, and enabling solvent recycling. 

(image courtesy of original article at https://news.ubc.ca/2025/12/ubc-team-develops-greener-way-to-produce-clothing-fibres)