The research on chitosan fibers abroad started earlier, beginning in the early 20th century. As early as 1926, Knwike of Denmark was the first to spin chitin fibers. By the late 1960s, researchers at Japan's Fuji Spinning Company systematically studied chitin and found that these natural materials were widely sourced, safe, and non-toxic, making them especially suitable for manufacturing bandage products that could accelerate wound healing. They also confirmed through animal experiments that this new material had effects against infections caused by bacteria that were either similar to or better than ordinary antibiotics.
Regrettably, despite the abundant existence of chitin in nature, it is estimated that only 1.5 million tons of chitin can be obtained worldwide each year, with only a few ten thousand tons actually being produced. According to data known to experts, currently less than 10,000 tons of chitin are used globally in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, health supplements, food additives, etc.
Hu Guangmin, chairman of Huaxing Group, told reporters that the group has a clear understanding of the inevitable transformation and upgrading of the textile and chemical fiber industries after many years of rapid growth. For this reason, the company planned ahead, "relying on water to eat water," focusing its attention on Shandong's rich marine resources, starting experiments on spinning chitosan fibers in 2006. Eventually, the company used acetic acid and sodium hydroxide as solvents, achieving a non-toxic spinning process throughout, obtaining a national invention patent. In the preparation of spinning solutions, Shandong Huaxing adopted advanced processes such as vacuum dissolution and centrifugal degassing; in the spinning and post-treatment processes, they used ultrasound and microwave treatment processes, improving the properties of the fibers. The dry breaking strength of Huaxing chitosan fibers reached 1.5-1.8 CN/dtex, the dry breaking elongation rate was ≥14%, and the linear density error rate was ≤±5%, demonstrating excellent spinnability. It can be blended with cotton, hemp, modal, viscose, wool, cashmere, etc., to produce various high-end functional textiles. It can also be combined with medical viscose, polyester, etc., to produce high-grade medical and protective materials.
In 1980, Japan's Meisei Senpaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. was the first to trial-produce chitosan fibers. In the early 1990s, Japan began using the characteristics of chitosan fibers to produce antibacterial and deodorizing underwear and pantyhose blended with cotton, which were very popular among consumers. Later, Japanese fabric processing companies collaborated with Asahi Kasei Textiles to develop materials that could absorb sweat while being waterproof and breathable by adding a chitosan coating to the side that touched the skin. Fuji Textile Co., Ltd. developed a high-moisture modulus viscose fiber suitable for infant clothing fabrics. This fiber incorporated chitosan with moisturizing and antibacterial components during production, inhibiting microbial growth and providing preventive effects for people with skin allergies. In addition, in 1999, South Korea's Chitosan Company established an experimental production line for chitosan fibers.
However, due to various reasons, none of these countries or companies have achieved mass production of chitosan fibers, instead seeking related products from China. This has precisely created space for the development of China's chitosan fiber industry.
The 1990s was the heyday of chitosan research and development in China. By the mid-1990s, hundreds of universities and research institutions across the country were involved in the study and development of chitosan. In 1991, Donghua University successfully developed chitosan medical sutures, followed by the successful development of chitosan medical dressings (artificial skin) and application for patents. From 1999 to 2000, Donghua University developed a series of chitosan blended yarns and fabrics, producing various health-preserving underwear, pantyhose, and baby products. In 2000, in Weifang, Shandong, the world's first Korean wholly-owned enterprise to mass-produce pure chitosan fibers began production, producing 3 tons per month. Besides Shanghai, manufacturers in Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other provinces also developed chitosan health-preserving underwear or bedding products, which have been launched on the market. Among the most representative examples is Shandong Huaxing Group, which, through independent research and development, has formed a 200-ton/year chitosan fiber production line with independent intellectual property rights, connected the downstream industrial chain, and achieved diversified and series-based product applications. Hismer is the trade name for Huaxing chitosan fibers, symbolizing health elements (Health mol).
Chitosan fibers are one of the rare fiber varieties that naturally possess five major functions: non-toxic, mold-resistant, antibacterial, flame-retardant, and anti-static. The main raw material for producing chitosan fibers, chitosan, is the product of chitin deacetylation. Chitin, also known as chitosan or chitin, mainly exists in the shells of shrimp, crabs, insects, and the cell walls of fungi and algae plants. Globally, billions of tons of chitin are biosynthesized each year, from which tens of billions of tons of chitosan can be extracted, making it the second most abundant natural polymer compound after cellulose. Chitin is also the largest nitrogen-containing natural organic compound on Earth, except for proteins.
Chitosan fibers naturally possess five major functions. Compared with foreign countries, China's development and research of chitin textiles started later. China began researching the preparation of chitin and its derivatives in the 1950s, but progress was relatively slow. Initially, chitosan was used as a film-forming agent for coating printing, then as a finishing agent and adhesive for formaldehyde-free textiles. Using chitosan's excellent biomedical properties as a medical material for research began in the early 1990s.
Shrimp and crab shells from dining tables can be woven into beautiful clothes—this is not a pipe dream. Moreover, in the future, aerospace materials, bandages for wound dressing, surgical sutures, radiation-protective garments, and more might all come from shrimp and crab shells. As a significant variety of bio-based regenerative polysaccharide fibers, chitosan fibers originating from the vast ocean are increasingly gaining attention in various fields due to their abundant resources, superior performance, and renewable and biodegradable products. After long-term research and application domestically, a 200-ton/year pilot production line has been formed and smoothly put into operation, with some enterprises accelerating the construction of a 2,000-ton/year fiber production line, making the industrialization of chitosan fibers imminent.
Domestically, a 200-ton/year production line has already been formed.