A hollow-core optical fiber may include a substrate having a tubular shape and an inner surface surrounding a central longitudinal axis of the hollow-core optical fiber; a hollow core extending through the substrate along the central longitudinal axis of the hollow-core optical fiber; and a plurality of cladding elements positioned between the central longitudinal axis of the hollow-core optical fiber and the substrate. Each of the plurality of cladding elements may extend in a direction parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the hollow-core optical fiber. Each of the plurality of cladding elements may include a wound glass sheet configured as a spiral, and each of the plurality of cladding elements may contact an interior surface of the substrate.

A method for producing a hollow-core preform may include rolling a glass sheet to form a rolled-glass structure; and attaching one or more of the rolled-glass structures to an inner surface of an annular support structure to form a hollow-core preform, wherein the inner surface of the annular support structure defines an interior cavity and the one or more of the rolled-glass structures are positioned within the interior cavity. The hollow-core preform may be drawn into a hollow-core optical fiber.