Bark-Fiber From Wood Waste Offers Possible Relief ]or Prospective Wool Shortage

WASHINGTON, January 27-The use of bark from redwood trees to make a substitute fiber for clothing, blankets, and other textiles was under consideration today by the Research Division of the. War Production Board as a means of solving a possible sheep's wool shortage.

Approximately 120,000,000 pounds of synthetic wool could be manufactured annually from the bark of redwood trees, now largely a waste product of lumbering, according to Edric E. Broll'n, of The Pacific Lumber Company, San Francisco, California.

Mr. Brown, who was called to consult with the Re'search Division, said that with simple adjustments standard textile machinery can be used for making yarn or felt from a mixture of natural wool and synthetic wool. The new fabric uses a bark-wool content ranging from 20 per cent to 50 per cent.

Among the advantages claimed for the use of barkwool is that it has a high rating as an insulator of heat and is resistant to fire and rot.

"We are hopeful that redwood bark will be widel-v tsed as a source for substitute wool because it would help solve the nation's textile problem, and also because such use would coincide with the standard practice of all the {orest products industries to reduce waste," Mr. Brown :said.

"At the same time, our industries also are employing conservation methods intended to keep the forests perpetually productive. Such practices have already contributed to the ability of the forests to supply lumber, pulp, and plywood, not only for normal purposes, but also to supply war-time substitutes for steel, aluminum, fuel, and now-even wool."

The present shortage in sheep's rvool arises from r,var interruption of American imports and from the expanded tequirements of the Army and Navy.

Fifty per cent ol the contents oI the young lcdy s hct, which cppecra lo be conventioncl wool telt, once grew ci bar[ on c redwood irle in Calitorniq. Edric E. Browu, oI The Pccilic Lumber Compcny, Scn Flgncqco explcins to Gcy Jensen how redwood bork, <rlrrcyl con- sidered c \rcste producl, cqn be used cs cr substitule lor dool oI which the OPM leels there will be cr wqrtime shortcge. Tbe lcbric over Misa JenEen's crm contcine 25 per cent redwood bcrl< fiber.

In addition to the war's effect upon shipments from Australia, the United States' wool problem is further complicated norv by the need to furnish blankets and uniforms for some 3,000,000 new trainees under present plans for Army expansion.

According to the American Wool Council, a total Anny of 4,000,000 men would require about 1,200,000,000,pounds of wool-about one-third more than one year,s combined annual output of all North and South American wool producers.