Long fibres of mullite were prepared by sol-gel method using aluminium nitrate, malic acid and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). Thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were used to characterise the properties of the gel and ceramic fibres. The gel fibres completely transformed to mullite fibres at 1200uC, with a uniform diameter and dense microstructure.