In the current study, self-assembled cellulose fibers were prepared by wet spinning and dry spinning of the cellulose nanofibers (CNF). The CNF were prepared using a low-cost and energy efficient procedure from a bio-residue source without using any additional chemical treatments. Different concentrations of CNF in water were simply wet spun into an acetone coagulation bath as well as dry spun into the air. These different spinning conditions as well as the effect of concentration and shear force on the orientation of the CNF in the spun fibres and mechanical properties of these fibers were investigated. Using viscosity measurements, the theoretical shear forces are calculated and related to orientation and the mechanical properties. It is this shearing during the loosely bound suspension state of the CNF that is thought to allow an increase in orientation of the CNF in the spun fibre. This orientation is then maintained by the presence of the hydroxyl group on the surface of the CNF resulting in hydrogen bonds between the CNF. This self-assembly of the more orientated CNF as the fibres dry provided high stiffness and low ductility to the resulting fiber. These characteristics and the fact that they are continuous fibres make them very suitable to use in the structural composites. The fibers were further characterized regarding viscoelasticity behavior and thermal properties as well as crystallinity and microstructure.