While searching for a better filament for his light bulb, I made another advance. I developed and patented a process for squeezing nitro-cellulose through holes to form fibers. My newly established Swan Electric Company, which by merger was to become the Edison and Swan United Company, used the cellulose filaments in their bulbs. However, the textile industry also used my method to create artificial fibers for clothing and domestic products.

obrien, nikolas. "lighting Revolution:joseph swan." americanhistory. americanhistory.com, 3/25/2011. Web. 25 Mar 2011. <http://americanhistory.si.edu/lighting/bios/swan.htm>.