In some American classrooms, pipe cleaners are now known as chenille stems. For, I suppose, obvious reasons.
The OED covers chenille :
A kind of velvety cord, having short threads or fibres of silk and wool standing out at right angles from a core of thread or wire, like the hairs of a caterpillar; used in trimming and bordering dresses and furniture. Also attributive, as in chenille-work, chenille-carpet, chenille-machine.The Google Ngram Viewer shows pipe cleaner still far out in front, though plumbing might have something to do with that.
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