What exactly is cellulose?
With its excellent stabilising characteristics, cellulose is part of every plant cell wall. The proportion of cellulose in plant biomass varies greatly depending on the species. Wood, for example, consists of only up to 50 % cellulose, depending on the type. In contrast, many plant species such as cotton, flax and straw mainly consist of cellulose and are thus suitable for purposes that differ from those of wood.
What is cellulose used for?
Cellulose has very diverse applications. The best known is probably paper production, where cellulose is the main raw material. But cellulose is also used in the clothing industry in the form of viscose, cotton fibre or linen. Wood is only the original material for viscose. Cotton fibres, on the other hand, are made from cotton and linen from flax. Cellulose is also found in the packaging industry as food packaging. Thanks to its unique barrier characteristics with just one coating cellulose can be used for many different types of packaging.