Three strains of Clostridium thermocellum, JH01, JH20 and JH30 which are capable of producing ethanol directly from cellulose were isolated from composts. The morphological, cultural and physiological properties of the strains were similar to the ATCC type strain, except for carbon source utilization and degree of ethanol tolerance. All of the three isolates could use glucose and maltose as a sole carbon source and two of them, strains of JH01 and JH20 were three times more tolerant to ethanol than the ATCC type strain. Cellulases secreted by the isolated strains had higher activities than those of the ATCC type strain.