Fabrication and Processing of Collagen-Based Biotextiles for Tissue Engineering Applications

Collagen is a vital biomaterial in tissue engineering, yet traditional collagen scaffolds often lack sufficient mechanical strength. This chapter explains how fiber-forming technology can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of collagen by using continuous collagen fibers or threads. Biotextiles, fiber-based biomaterials fabricated with textile technologies, have been utilized in commercial medical devices like surgical sutures, tendon patch, and vascular prostheses due to their excellent mechanical properties, including flexibility. Biotextiles also have porous architecture that promotes nutrient transmission, cell migration, and ECM deposition, which favors its applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. We review the fabrication methods for collagen-based biotextiles, including electrospinning, fiber extrusion, and collagen yarn spinning, highlighting improvements in molecular alignment and hybrid material properties to enhance mechanical performance and durability.