Sweden turns oat and wheat waste into clothes for green fashion

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed a sustainable method to produce textile pulp from agricultural waste such as oat husks and wheat straw, offering an eco-friendly alternative to cotton and wood-based cellulose. Their process uses soda pulping, which involves boiling raw materials in lye—a non-toxic substance—to extract cellulose. This technique is simpler and requires fewer chemicals than traditional wood-based methods, as it avoids steps like chipping and debarking. The approach not only reduces environmental impact but also adds economic value to agricultural byproducts that would otherwise be discarded. The study highlights that oat husks and wheat straw are particularly effective for creating dissolving pulp used in textile manufacturing. Ongoing research has also shown promise with other agricultural residues, such as grass press-cake, moving closer to real-world fiber production. The researchers suggest that existing pulp-and-paper industry infrastructure could be adapted to process these materials, potentially accelerating the adoption of sustainable textiles without the need for entirely new facilities. This innovation represents a