<p>Fabric waste is emerging as an alternate feedstock for extraction of cellulose to reduce the environmental burden. The novelty of this study lies in the comparative evaluation of four mineral acids (H₂SO₄, HCl, H₃PO₄, and HNO₃) for hydrolyzing hosiery fabric waste (HFW) for cellulose extraction at 2% acid concentration. The extracted microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was characterized using standard spectral and analytical techniques including FTIR, XRD, TGA, DTG, and optical imaging. The use of different acids resulted in good to excellent yield of cellulose production (34–90%), appreciable crystallinity index (71–83%), and good thermal stability (235–297 °C). Importantly, the results confirm the production of cellulose using HFW as a source. Based on the major findings of this study, the use of H₂SO₄ and HCl is recommended over H₃PO₄ and HNO₃ for hydrolyzing the fabric waste for cellulose extraction. The outcome of the present study opens new exploration avenues towards fabric waste management through chemical recycling, especially in textile industry. Moreover, the study points out the environmental, industrial, societal, and ethical implications of using waste fabric as source to get MCC. This work also encourages development of zero-waste system and circular economy for production of cellulose, a significant step toward sustainability goals.</p> Graphic abstract <p></p>