Tissue products made from low-coarseness fibers

Abstract

Tissue products made with fibers having a low Coarseness Index have improved softness relative to tissue products made with conventional papermaking fibers.

We claim: 
     
       1. A tissue product comprising from about 5 to about 50 dry weight percent fibers selected from the group consisting of abaca leaf fibers, pineapple leaf fibers, and bast fibers from paper mulberry, said tissue product having a geometric mean tensile strength of about 500 grams or greater and an increased Tensile/Modulus Ratio compared to the same tissue product without any of said fibers. 
     
     
       2. The tissue product of claim 1 comprising from about 5 to about 50 dry weight percent abaca leaf fibers. 
     
     
       3. The tissue product of claim 1 comprising from about 5 to about 50 dry weight percent pineapple leaf fibers. 
     
     
       4. The tissue product of claim 1 comprising from about 5 to about 50 dry weight percent bast fibers from paper mulberry. 
     
     
       5. The tissue product of claim 2 wherein the Tensile/Modulus Ratio is 9.87. 
     
     
       6. The tissue product of claim 3 wherein the Tensile/Modulus Ratio is 12.6. 
     
     
       7. A tissue sheet comprising from about 5 to about 50 dry weight percent seed floss fibers of the genus Asclepias, wherein the seed floss fibers are cut to an average length of about 1.5 millimeters and the surfaces of the seed floss fibers are treated with a nonionic surfactant prior to forming the tissue sheet, said tissue sheet having a geometric mean tensile strength of about 500 grams or greater, an increased Tensile/Modulus Ratio compared to the same tissue sheet without any of said fibers, and an absorbent capacity greater than the absorbent capacity of the same tissue sheet without said fibers. 
     
     
       8. The tissue sheet of claim 7 wherein the surfactant-treated floss fibers are blended with softwood kraft fibers to form an aqueous slurry and wet laid onto a forming wire in a conventional manner. 
     
     
       9. The tissue sheet of claim 7 wherein the geometric mean tensile strength is attributable solely to the fibers in the sheet without the addition of strength additives. 
     
     
       10. The tissue sheet of claim 7 wherein the absorbency is 12.24 grams of water per gram of fiber.