Abstract: A sewing thread consists of from 70 to 95 percent by weight of lyocell fibre and from 5 to 30 percent by weight of at least one synthetic fibre such as polyester or polyamide. The sewing thread can be used for sewing garments, particularly those comprising a major proportion of cellulosic fibres, and can be dyed with a dyestuff for cellulose.

Abstract: The fibrillation tendency of solvent-spun fiber can be increased by subjecting the fiber to a treatment which reduces its degree of polymerisation by about 200 units or more. Suitable methods of treatment include severe bleaching, for example application of an aqueous liquor containing 0.1 to 10 percent by weight sodium hypochlorite (as available chlorine) to the fiber followed by steaming. Fiber may be treated in never-dried or previously-dried form. Fiber treated by the process of the invention is useful for example in the manufacture of paper and hydroentangled fabrics. Fiber of increased tendency to fibrillation can be beaten to a Canadian Standard Freeness 400 in the Disintegration Test by 30,000-150,000 disintegrator revolutions and to a Canadian Standard Freeness 200 in the same Test by 50,000-200,000 disintegrator revolutions.

Abstract: A cigarette filter in which the body of the filter comprises paper containing, or consisting essentially of, lyocell fibres. The invention also relates to a cigarette incorporsting such a filter.