LENZING - Lenzing has announced the launch of a new Veocel Lyocell fibre with Eco Disperse technology, which, with enhanced biological disintegration performance, is designed for use in flushable wipes.
The new Veocel variant is said to offer improved wet strength, optimized flushability and, says Lenzing, represents the most advanced fibre under the Veocel brand portfolio.
With botanic origin, all Veocel Lyocell fibres with Eco Disperse technology feature strong wet strength, biodegradability and effective liquid management. These cellulosic fibers come in cut lengths of 8 mm to 12 mm, and are versatile for blending ratios of 20 per cent – 40 per cent in most wetlaid processing technologies. Nonwoven products featuring a blend containing any of the Veocel Lyocell fibers with Eco Disperse technology and wood pulp have been certified as “fully flushable” according to INDA/EDANA Guidelines for Assessing the Flushability of Disposable Nonwoven Products issued in May 2018, after passing seven rigorous industrial tests.
While non-biodegradable synthetic fibres such as polyester are the most common blending fibres in today’s nonwoven fabrics for wipes applications, Wolfgang Plasser, vice president of Global Business Management Nonwovens, Lenzing, notes that the versatility of Veocel fibers offer a sustainable and botanic alternative to synthetic materials. When added to nonwoven products, Veocel Lyocell fibers offers value- added benefits of enhanced absorbency, natural smoothness, and most importantly, biodegradability.
“We take a proactive approach and lay the foundation for flushable wet wipes that combine convenience with environmental responsibility, so that we can bring optimal quality and performance to flushable nonwoven products, as well as other nonwoven segments,” he said.
Enabled by Eco Disperse technology, wipes made from the new Veocel Lyocell fibers have high wet strength usability and can disintegrate within a shorter period of time. For instance, nonwoven fabrics with 20 per cent of the new Veocel Lyocell fibers and 80 per cent of wood pulp reach more than 90 per cent disintegration within 30 minutes, which is faster than the passing benchmark of the Disintegration Test FG502 in INDA/EDANA Guidelines for Assessing the Flushability of Disposable Nonwoven Products issued in May 2018.
Veocel Lyocell fibers are produced via a sustainable, closed-loop process, where more than 99 per cent of the solvent used for the production process will be recovered and reused. The fibres can be adopted as blending material for nonwoven products including baby wipes, facial cleansing wipes, flushable wipes, general purpose wipes, and intimate wipes.
