How is sugarcane bagasse prepared for use in papermaking?

To prepare sugarcane bagasse for use in papermaking, the material must first undergo a critical mechanical process to remove a substantial portion of its pith cells. Bagasse, which is the fibrous residue remaining after the extraction of sugar-bearing juice from sugarcane, typically consists of approximately 65 percent fiber, 25 percent pith, and 10 percent water-soluble materials.12

Because the pith can negatively impact paper quality, its removal is an essential step prior to the pulping operation. Once the pith has been sufficiently removed, the remaining bagasse fiber—which is relatively fine and averages 1.5 to 2 millimeters in length—can be pulped using either soda or kraft cooking liquor. This pulping process may be conducted using either batch or continuous systems to produce various types of paper, ranging from brown kraft-process paper to newsprint and glossy white paper.13