Researchers at UC Riverside have built a pilot facility that can turn forestry and farm waste into high-value pulp. They say it could let growers and forest managers make money from materials that normally cost a lot to get rid of.
“This process is cleaner and uses less energy than the old methods,” said Charles Cai, the researcher who invented it. “It doesn’t compete with lumber because it can take low-quality wood and turn it into pulp that meets industry standards.”
Making Sustainable Textiles
The pulp from the facility is textile-grade, which is the most valuable type. It can be used to make fabrics like rayon and lyocell. Companies like Patagonia and Lululemon already use lyocell for activewear and breathable clothing.
The system, called CELF (co-solvent enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation), is energy-efficient and non-polluting. Cai said it’s mild enough that the biomass isn’t destroyed, so the byproducts can also be used.
Why It’s Different From Old Mills
Traditional kraft pulp mills use high heat, pressure, and caustic chemicals. CELF uses about half the energy and works with waste like orchard trimmings, forest thinning debris, and corn stalks. Instead of producing toxic black liquor, it yields:
- Non-toxic dissolving pulp
- Lignin for bio-based products like insulation panels
- Fermentable sugars
- Gypsum for drywall
The pilot system has already processed wood debris from California forests. Its first client, The Hurd Co., is testing almond orchard waste to make lyocell fibers. The project was completed with donated equipment after federal grants were suspended.
Distributed Pulp Production
Because CELF units are smaller than traditional mills, farms or forest operations could run them on-site. “We’re not making a new fiber. We’re just making the same pulp in a cleaner, cheaper way from stuff that used to be waste,” Cai said. “Landfill piles and burn piles are turned into something useful, without the pollution of old methods.”
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