Researchers at the University of Copenhagen and DTU have developed a method to convert agricultural residues such as straw into cellulose for viscose-like fibres. The technique uses a low-chemical pretreatment and a nontoxic organic acid, reportedly lowering water and energy use and avoiding hazardous reagents. If scaled, crop-waste textiles could reduce part of fashion's greenhouse-gas emissions and create new income streams for farmers. Further lifecycle studies and scaling are needed before wide commercial adoption.
Scientists Turn Crop Waste into Textile — A Potential Game-Changer for Fashion's Pollution Problem
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen and DTU have developed a method to convert agricultural residues such as straw into cellulose for viscose-like fibres. The technique uses a low-chemical pretreatment and a nontoxic organic acid, reportedly lowering water and energy use and avoiding hazardous reagents. If scaled, crop-waste textiles could reduce part of fashion's greenhouse-gas emissions and create new income streams for farmers. Further lifecycle studies and scaling are needed before wide commercial adoption.
08:13 PM, 11/17/2025Environment
Turning agricultural residue into wearable fabric
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark have developed a promising method to convert leftover crop materials—such as straw—into cellulose for viscose-like fibres. Published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Sustainability, the study outlines a process that could reduce the fashion industry's reliance on water-hungry cotton and fossil-fuel-based synthetics.
How the process works
The team extracts cellulose from agricultural residue using a largely low-chemical pretreatment followed by a nontoxic organic acid to separate the cellulose that can be spun into durable fibres. Early reports indicate the method avoids hazardous reagents commonly used in some cellulose-to-textile processes and requires less water and energy than many conventional textile manufacturing routes.
Environmental and economic benefits
Lower pollution: Using crop waste reduces the need to burn residues in fields—an open-burning practice that produces air pollution—and helps avoid the microplastic pollution associated with synthetic fibres.
Resource savings: The approach can cut water and energy use compared with traditional cotton production and some synthetic-fibre manufacturing.
Farmer income: Turning residue into a marketable input could create new revenue streams for farmers who currently discard or burn agricultural byproducts.
"This work is part of a growing wave of material-science innovations — from textiles made from onion skins to improved recycling techniques — that aim to reduce fashion's environmental footprint while supporting circular economies."
Scope and next steps
The researchers estimate that wide adoption of crop-waste textiles could help reduce a portion of fashion's emissions; the apparel sector is responsible for roughly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The industry today emits about 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent and produces some 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually, making it one of the most polluting global sectors.
Before crop-waste textiles reach broad commercial use, the process will need further scaling, independent lifecycle assessments and supply-chain development. If those steps succeed, the technology could become a commercially viable low-impact alternative that aligns with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
What this means for consumers
For shoppers, the innovation could expand options for lower-impact clothing and increase transparency around raw-material sourcing. For policymakers and brands, it offers another pathway toward circular materials and reduced reliance on virgin fibres.