Abstract: Provided by the present invention is a production method of a polyvinyl alcohol resin in which a content of organic volatiles has been reduced while inhibiting fusing of the resin to itself. The production method includes a step of washing, with a washing liquid, a polyvinyl alcohol obtained by saponifying a polyvinyl ester, wherein the washing liquid contains 50 to 98 parts by mass of methyl acetate, 1 to 49 parts by mass of methanol, and 1 to 10 parts by mass of water with respect to 100 parts by mass being a total of methyl acetate, methanol, and water.

Abstract: Provided are melt-spun fibers comprising, as at least one component, a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol, and a method for producing fibrous structures comprising the fibers. The thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol fibers comprise, as at least one component, a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol containing from 0.1 to 25 mol % of C1-4 &agr;-olefin units and/or vinyl ether units, having a molar fraction, based on vinyl alcohol units, of a hydroxyl group of vinyl alcohol unit located at the center of 3 successive vinyl alcohol unit chain in terms of triad expression of being from 70 to 99.9 mol %, having a carboxylic acid and lactone ring content of from 0.02 to 0.15 mol %, and having a melting point falling between 160° C. and 230° C., and contain from 0.0003 to 1 part by weight, relative to 100 parts by weight of the polyvinyl alcohol therein and in terms of sodium ion, of an alkali metal ion.