Methods and systems of the present invention use mixed textile feedstock, which may include post-consumer waste garments, scrap fabric and/or other textile materials as a raw feed material to produce isolated cellulose and other isolated molecules having desirable properties that can be used and be used in the textile and apparel industries, and in other industries. A multi-stage process is provided, in which mixed textile feed material is subjected to one or more pretreatment stages, followed by at least two pulping treatments for isolating cellulose molecules and other molecular constituents, such as polyester. The isolated cellulose and polyester molecules may be used in a variety of downstream applications. In one application, isolated cellulose and polyester molecules are extruded to provide regenerated cellulose fibers and regenerated polyester fibers having desirable (and selectable) properties that are usable in various industrial applications, including textile production.

Provided is a method for producing a chemically modified cellulose fiber with which fibrillation can be performed along with sulfation reaction. The method for producing a chemically modified cellulose fiber includes a step (a) of treating a cellulose fiber with sulfamic acid to allow a cellulose fine fiber which is a constituent of the cellulose fiber to react with the sulfamic acid, thereby substituting some of hydroxyl groups of cellulose with a substituent represented by a structural formula (1) below (where M represents a monovalent to trivalent cation), and a step (b) of performing fibrillation simultaneously with the step (a). ##STR00001##

Provided is a method for producing a chemically modified cellulose fiber with which fibrillation can be performed along with sulfation reaction. The method for producing a chemically modified cellulose fiber includes a step (a) of treating a cellulose fiber with sulfamic acid to allow a cellulose fine fiber which is a constituent of the cellulose fiber to react with the sulfamic acid, thereby substituting some of hydroxyl groups of cellulose with a substituent represented by a structural formula (1) below (where M represents a monovalent to trivalent cation), and a step (b) of performing fibrillation simultaneously with the step (a). ##STR00001##

This disclosure relates to processes for preparing a keratin fiber, for example, continuous process. In some embodiments, a process as described herein can comprise extruding a keratin solution into a first solution to form a first fiber; drawing the first fiber and oxidizing the first fiber to form a treated fiber; drawing the treated fiber and oxidizing the treated fiber one or more times; and setting the treated fiber to form the keratin fiber. Such processes can be useful for preparing a keratin fiber with a high draw ratio.

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for directed to synthetic block copolymer proteins, expression constructs for their secretion, recombinant microorganisms for their production, and synthetic fibers (including advantageously, microfibers) comprising these proteins that recapitulate many properties of natural silk. The recombinant microorganisms can be used for the commercial production of silk-like fibers.

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for directed to synthetic block copolymer proteins, expression constructs for their secretion, recombinant microorganisms for their production, and synthetic fibers (including advantageously, microfibers) comprising these proteins that recapitulate many properties of natural silk. The recombinant microorganisms can be used for the commercial production of silk-like fibers.

Disclosed is a lyocell crimped fiber manufactured by crimping a lyocell multi-filament. The lyocell multi-filament is manufactured by spinning a lyocell spinning dope containing a cellulose pulp and an N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) aqueous solution. The lyocell crimped fiber has a blooming index of 800 to 2,000.

Disclosed is a lyocell crimped fiber manufactured by crimping a lyocell multi-filament. The lyocell multi-filament is manufactured by spinning a lyocell spinning dope containing a cellulose pulp and an N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) aqueous solution. The lyocell crimped fiber has a blooming index of 800 to 2,000.

Methods for reaction electrospinning are provided to form collagen fibers. The method can include: acidifying a collagen in an acidic solvent to form an acidic collagen solution; electrospinning the acidic collagen solution within an alkaline atmosphere (e.g., including ammonia vapor) to form collagen fibers; and collecting the collagen fibers within a salt bath (e.g., including ammonium sulfate). The acidic solvent can include water and an alcohol, and can have a pH of about 2 to about 4 (e.g., including a strong acid, such as HCl). An albumin rubber is also provided, which can include albumin crosslinked with glutaraldehyde.

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for directed to synthetic block copolymer proteins, expression constructs for their secretion, recombinant microorganisms for their production, and synthetic fibers (including advantageously, microfibers) comprising these proteins that recapitulate many properties of natural silk. The recombinant microorganisms can be used for the commercial production of silk-like fibers.