Poly-(caffeyl alcohol) (PCFA), also known as C-lignin, is a promising new source of both carbon fibers and pure carbon. PCFA can be used to produce carbon fibers by direct electrospinning, without blending with another polymer to reduce breakage. Analyses have shown that the carbon obtained from PCFA is superior to that obtained from other lignins. The fibers formed from PCFA are smoother, have a narrower diameter distribution, and show very low defects. The PCFA can be obtained by extraction from plant seed coats. Examples of these plants include the vanilla orchid, Vanilla planifolia, and Jatropha curcas. The fibers may be formed through electrospinning, although other methods for forming the fibers, such as extrusion with a carrier polymer, could be used. The fibers may then be carbonized to increase the carbon yield.