Fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing (3DP) of PLA biocomposites reinforced with plant-derived cellulosic fibrous materials, including spun yarn, microcrystalline, microfibrillar, nanofibrillar cellulose, and cellulose nanocrystals, offers an environmentally sustainable solution to the mechanical limitations of polymer-only printed materials. Micron- and submicron-scale cellulosic fibers are valued for their renewability, non-toxicity, high surface area, and favorable elastic and specific moduli; notably, micron-scale reinforcements are particularly attractive due to their ease of large-scale industrial production and commercial viability. Similarly, PLA benefits from large-scale production, contributes to CO₂ sequestration through its raw material precursors, and requires less energy for production than non-biodegradable petroleum-derived polymers. Incorporating these raw materials, each of which offers attractive performance properties, complementary commercial strengths, and environmental benefits, as constituent phases in FDM 3D-printed biocomposites (FDMPBs) can further enhance the environmental responsiveness of an already low-waste FDM 3DP technology. Inspired by these compelling advantages, this paper critically reviews research on FDMPB with cellulosic reinforcements in a PLA matrix, uniquely categorizing studies based on the form of cellulosic reinforcement and its impact on the biocomposite’s structure and mechanical performance. Additionally, the review covers biocomposite filament production methods and the equipment involved, presenting an alternative framework for cataloging FDMPB research. A comprehensive literature analysis reveals that the wide variation in feedstocks, fiber–matrix compounding methods, equipment, and processing parameters used in filament production and 3DP complicates the comparison of FDMPB mechanical properties across studies, often resulting in conflicting outcomes. Key processing parameters have been compiled to bridge this gap and offer a more nuanced understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships governing biocomposite properties. Finally, targeted recommendations for future research on developing FDMPB with a PLA matrix and micron-scale cellulosic reinforcements are provided, addressing the knowledge gaps and challenges highlighted in the peer-reviewed literature.

In the first half of the twentieth century, scientific communities worldwide endeavored to diminish dependence on expensive and scarce animal fibers like wool and silk. Their efforts focused on developing regenerated protein fibers, including soy, zein, and casein, to provide comparable benefits to natural protein fibers, such as lustrous appearance, warmth, and a soft feel. The popularity and cost-effectiveness of mass-produced petroleum-based synthetic polymer fibers during World War II diminished interest in developing soy protein fiber. Realizing the ecological degradation caused by fossil fuels and their derived products, a renewed drive exists to explore bio-based waste materials like soy protein. As a fast-growing crop, soy provides abundant byproducts with opportunities for waste valorization. The soybean oil extraction process produces soy protein as a byproduct, which is a highly tunable biopolymer. Various functional groups within the soy protein structure enable it to acquire different valuable properties. This review critically examines scholarly publications addressing soy protein fiber developmental history, soy protein microstructure modification methods, and soy protein fiber spinning technologies. Additionally, we provide our scientific-based views relevant to overcoming the limitations of previous work and share prospects to make soy protein byproducts viable textile fibers.

Textile supply chain challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war give unique insights into how health crises and geopolitical instability could dry up supplies of vital materials for the smooth functioning of human societies in calamitous times. Coinciding adverse global events or future pandemics could create shortages of traditional face coverings among other vital materials. Reusable face coverings could be a viable relief option in such situations. This review identifies the lack of studies in the existing literature on reusable fabric face coverings available in the market. It focuses on the development, filtration mechanisms, and factors associated with the filtration efficiency of reusable knitted and woven fabric face coverings. The authors identified relevant papers through the Summon database. Keeping the focus on readily available fabrics, this paper encompasses the key aspects of reusable face coverings made of knitted and woven fabrics outlining filtration mechanisms and requirements, development, factors affecting filtration performance, challenges, and outcomes of clinical trials. Filtration mechanisms for reusable face coverings include interception and impaction, diffusion, and electrostatic attraction. Face covering development includes the identification of appropriate constituent fibers, yarn characteristics, and base fabric construction. Factors significantly affecting the filtration performance were electrostatic charge, particle size, porosity, layers, and finishes. Reusable face coverings offer several challenges including moisture management, breathing resistance factors, and balancing filtration with breathability. Efficacy of reusable face coverings in comparison to specialized non reusable masks in clinical trials has also been reviewed and discussed. Finally, the authors identified the use of certain finishes on fabrics as a major challenge to making reusable face coverings more effective and accessible to the public. This paper is expected to provide communities and research stakeholders with access to critical knowledge on the reusability of face coverings and their management during periods of global crisis.

Several noteworthy scenarios emerged in the global textile and fashion supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukraine war. The destabilizing influences of a global pandemic and a geographically localized conflict are being acutely noticed in the worldwide fashion and textile supply chains. This work examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukraine conflict on supply chains within the textile and fashion industry. This research employed a content analysis method to identify relevant articles and news from sources such as Google Scholar, the Summon database of North Carolina State University, and the scholarly news portal NexisUni. The selected papers, news articles, and reports provide a comprehensive overview of the fashion, textile, and apparel supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, accompanied by discussions from common supply chain perspectives. Disruptions due to COVID-19 include international brands and retailers canceling orders, closures of stores and factories in developing countries, layoffs, and furloughs of workers in both retail stores and supplier factories, the increased prominence of online and e-commerce businesses, the growing importance of automation and digitalization in the fashion supply chain, considerations of sustainability, and the need for a resilient supply chain system to facilitate post-pandemic recovery. In the case of the Russo-Ukraine war, the second-order effects of the conflict have had a more significant impact on the textile supply chain than the direct military operations themselves. In addition to these topics, the study delves into the potential strategies for restoring and strengthening the fashion supply chain. It synthesizes insights from the latest literature to guide future research in understanding and addressing the challenges fashion supply chains face in the COVID-19 era. Overall, this study offers valuable insights that can inform future endeavors in researching and improving the fashion supply chain in the context of the ongoing pandemic and war in Ukraine.

This study reports the filament-making stage of a sequential single-screw process-development pathway for compatibilizer- and plasticizer-free soy hull fiber (SHF)/PLA biocomposites used in fused deposition modeling. Thirty-three filament-making trials were interpreted through an event-linked process chain, and 14 trials were evaluated using phase-resolved in-line diameter records and capability-style Cp/Cpk metrics. Filament-making converged on a single-mixing-zone screw, a 3.85 mm orifice/5.75 mm land die, 10 rev/min, and a 160/170/180/195 °C barrel profile for 10–30 wt.% SHF, whereas neat PLA required 180/185/200/205 °C. The strongest sustained benchmark was a 10SHF filament produced under converged settings, with a mean diameter of 1.7411 mm, a standard deviation of 0.0236 mm, 95.45% of readings within 1.70–1.80 mm, and only 0.013% above 1.89 mm. Feed replenishment, depletion, irregular pellets, recycled material, and fines-rich feed shifted the same nominal configuration among controlled and unstable states. The highest reliably spool-fed formulation was 30 wt.% SHF. The 35SHF filament remained nozzle-depositable from loose coils but fractured repeatedly during take-up and direct spool unwinding in 3D printing. Operational validation of all four converged filament formulations comprised 720 printed mechanical-test specimens over approximately 936 h. The reported conditions define platform-specific operating windows, but the process insights hold global relevance for pellet-based extrusion systems.

High-loading plant-fiber/PLA feedstocks are often reported through final filament properties, leaving the upstream compounding mechanisms that determine pellet feedability in two-stage routes insufficiently resolved. This study developed a compatibilizer- and plasticizer-free single-screw compounding route for micronized soy hull fiber (SHF)/PLA through 42 sequential trials. Stable operation depended directly on continuous solids delivery. Reversible stop–restart observations and repeated defect patterns were consistent with a mechanism in which continuous feeding improves screw filling and solids-bed consolidation while limiting retained-air/gas carry-forward. Three-pass PLA milling reduced premix particle-scale mismatch and visible SHF/PLA agglomeration and enabled collective premix drying. The converged route used a double-mixing-zone screw, 2.75 mm die, 160/195/195/185 °C barrel profile, and 15 rev/min and produced downstream-usable pellets at 30 wt.% SHF, whereas 35 wt.% SHF defined a platform-specific processing boundary. Image analysis of 965 pellets and seven mapped pellet-to-filament lineages identified internal-texture P75 as the strongest route-level morphology marker; higher texture ranked with printing-filament readings above the 1.89 mm jamming threshold (ρ = 0.929, exact p = 0.0067). Compounded-pellet morphology therefore acts as a measurable process output linking upstream compounding history to downstream feed risk.