This study was carried out to prepare high porosity pulp for oil and air filter media from commercial grade NBKP with 6 - 20% NaOH treatment. The fiber width of NBKP remarkably decreased by NaOH pretreatment. The air permeability of the test sheet prepared from alkali-pretreated NBKP increased with increasing NaOH concentration up to 15%. The burst factor was greatly decreased by alkali pretreatment. By 15 - 20% NaOH pretreatment of NBKP, it could be possible to prepare a high porosity pulp. It seems that the high porosity of the pulp was due to a strong swelling and a great change of the cellulose crystalline lattice from cellulose I to cellulose II with NaOH treatment of NBKP. The study suggested that alkali- pretreated NBKP could be used for manufacturing oil and air filter media.