The textile industry is considered one of the most polluting industries worldwide. One major reason for its large environmental impact is the reliance on non-renewable, fossil-based materials, which account for 70%. Therefore, an urgent shift toward renewable and biodegradable natural materials is essential. One promising advanced natural material with potential to sustain the textile industry is microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). MFC is defined as a cellulose fibril with a length of 0.5–10 µm and a width of 10–100 nm. It was first produced in 1983 by Turbak et al. from wood pulp. Today, MFC can be manufactured mechanically or chemically from any cellulose source.

The unique properties of MFC include a large surface area and numerous hydroxyl groups, which enhance their interaction with other materials in composites. MFC demonstrates excellent mechanical strength and stiffness, making it suitable for reinforcing and improving the mechanical properties of composite materials. In addition to its functionality and sustainability, MFC is also cost-effective since its source is cellulose, which is abundant in nature.

The textile industry can benefit from the advantages of the MFC by enhancing the mechanical properties of cellulosic materials, especially recycled cellulose materials. There is still a significant gap between the quality of recycled and virgin materials. Therefore, in this research, we aim to increase the strength of recycled cellulose textiles by reinforcing them with MFC. This study will examine the morphology and structure of the MFC, as well as methods to improve the mechanical properties of cellulose textiles, analyzing the results of tensile tests and the evenness of the coated yarns.