Particle-loaded fibers include a fiber body having inorganic particles bound together by an organic binder. The fiber body has a diameter less than about 150 μm, and the inorganic particles comprise a particle density of greater than 20%, 30%, 40% or even 50% by volume of the fiber body. Methods for producing such particle loaded fibers include extruding a composition through a die orifice having a diameter of less than 1000 μm to form a fiber having a first diameter, and drawing the fiber from the first diameter to a smaller second diameter of less than 150 μm, wherein the inorganic particles are greater than 50% by weight of the extruded composition.