Inkjet-printed wool fabric.
Textiles overview
CSIRO is developing new fibres and fibrous solutions for a range of industry needs.
- 18 August 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011
Textiles is not a single discipline. It is collection of many disciplines that revolve around:
- the structure, properties and behaviour of fibres
- how fibres are assembled into fibrous structures and fabrics
- the making, analysis, sale and end uses of fibres and fabrics.
Our research
Our research includes a variety of natural and artificial textiles, and aims to:
- provide innovative fibre and fibrous solutions across a broad range of Australia's needs
- create new commercial products based on advanced fibrous materials
- stimulate international demand for Australia's natural fibres.
Advanced fibrous materials
CSIRO has an established reputation in fibre and fibrous structures research.
We are now focusing that expertise into the area of advanced fibrous materials for:
- health and hygiene
- performance and protection
- minerals and environment
- enhancing wool exports
- fibre solutions.
CSIRO has developed entirely new fibrous materials incorporating carbon nanotubes, composites, biocompatible textile scaffolds, conducting polymers and electrospun nanofibres. High strength, elasticity, conductivity, controlled porosity and giant surface areas can be combined to provide new materials with revolutionary properties.
We also work closely with business in technical textiles, to assist this important and growing segment of the Australian textile industry.
Cotton
CSIRO’s cotton textile research program develops instruments for more precise measurements of cotton quality and improving processing methods.
Our Cottonscan and Siromat instruments are demonstrating to the international cotton industry that they can quickly and routinely measure the fineness and maturity of cotton with high precision.
Wool
CSIRO has an established reputation in fine apparel wool research. We also search for alternative uses for wool as a component in technical textiles for medical, automotive, communication, aerospace, emergency services, or military applications.
We are currently building on our wool expertise to:
- build on our commercially successful work in electrostatically charged wool filters for applications in personal protection, such as aerosol protection and applications in protective clothing
- create new or regenerated bio-derived fibres from natural or recombinant sources such as insect silks and feathers.
Find out more about our Advanced fibrous materials: lighter, stronger, smarter.
- OPTIM™ is a trademark of CSIRO Australia.
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Fast facts
- CSIRO has developed new fibrous materials incorporating carbon nanotubes
- CSIRO and Bekaert has recently commercialised Sirolock doffer wire, a significant breakthrough in fibre processing efficiency
- CSIRO created OPTIM™ technology, a new luxury fibre from wool, with a super-light silky feel
- With collaborators we developed high-speed automated testing for wool fibre contamination
- A survey by CSIRO of 31 Asian cotton mills has provided vital feedback to the industry on the quality of Australian cotton
- CSIRO and Michell Ltd have commercialised electrostatically-charged wool and polypropylene filters in personal respirators for domestic and industrial use
