US Patent 10094745 Collection device and material

Swabs, materials and methods of making the same include randomly arranged sea-island bicomponent fibers which have randomly splayed terminal ends. According to certain embodiments, swabs and methods of using such swabs are provided so as to collect and release a biological sample comprising a liquid, wherein the swab includes an applicator and sea-island bicomponent fibers, and wherein at least about 50% of the fibers possess randomly splayed terminal ends of the islands of the bicomponent fibers along a length of about 10% or less from such ends.