straw pulp

Straw is the stalks of cereal grasses, such as wheat and oats, used after the grain has been dried and threshed. Historically, straw has been used for litter, fodder, roofing, and weaving into baskets and hats. In modern industry, chemically pulped straw is a component in the manufacture of coarse paper and strawboard for paper boxes.1

Straw is a source of cellulose fibers, which are the raw material for paper. While wood is the most abundant source of cellulose for papermaking, agricultural wastes like straw are also used, particularly in regions lacking forests. The pulping process for straw typically involves milder alkaline treatment compared to wood. In the United States, straw pulp was once widely used for corrugating medium but has largely been replaced by wood pulp. However, straw pulp is still produced on a smaller scale in Europe and Asia.23