Lyocell Spunlace Nonwoven

Lyocell spunlace nonwovens

The price gap is gradually narrowing, and the potential of Lyocell to replace viscose staple fiber and modal fiber is increasing.

Viscose staple fiber, Lyocell and modal are all regenerated cellulose fibers, but compared with the other two fibers, Lyocell takes a different approach and uses a special NMMO solvent to produce fibers. The whole process is chemically reactive and almost pollution-free to the environment. In addition, apart from the rapid growth in consumption and supply, in recent years, with the increase in the scale of Lyocell production capacity, NMMO solvent has basically achieved domestic substitution, Lyocell prices have continued to decline, and the price gap with viscose staple fiber has gradually narrowed. The potential of Lyocell to replace viscose staple fiber has been further enhanced, and it has become one of the choices of more and more spunlace nonwoven users.

Fiber introduction: All three are regenerated cellulose fibers with commonalities and differences Viscose staple fiber, Lyocell and Modal are all regenerated cellulose fibers. Their raw materials are all natural pulp (wood pulp, cotton pulp or bamboo pulp). They are all regenerated fibers spun out by dissolving plant cellulose and then spinning, and have similar advantages to natural fibers. These three are commonly used fibers in spunlace nonwovens. Process: Viscose staple fiber and Modal are similar, while Lyocell takes a different approach The production principles of viscose staple fiber and Modal are the same. Both use chemical methods to treat pulp to make viscose stock solution, and then spin through a coagulation bath, but there are differences in details in each link; while Lyocell takes a different approach and uses a special NMMO solvent to produce fibers. The whole process has no chemical reaction and is a purely physical process with almost no pollution to the environment.

Therefore, Lyocell spunlace nonwoven fabrics are more environmentally friendly and safer for the human body than viscose spunlace nonwoven fabrics. Performance: Lyocell is better than its predecessor Viscose staple fiber, Lyocell and Modal have different morphologies and different properties. The cross section of viscose staple fiber is oval or irregular, with irregular grooves in the longitudinal direction; the cross section of Modal tends to be circular or oval, and is relatively smooth in the longitudinal direction; the cross section of Lyocell tends to be circular, with a smooth surface and no grooves in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, Modal and Lyocell are better than their predecessors. They not only inherit the softness and good hygroscopicity of viscose staple fibers, but also achieve a higher wet modulus, improving the problems of low strength and easy deformation of viscose staple fibers. Therefore, under the same gram weight and laying method, Lyocell spunlace nonwovens have better strength and higher tear resistance than viscose spunlace nonwovens. Consumption: Viscose staple fibers are growing steadily, and Lyocell is gaining momentum Viscose staple fibers: The apparent consumption of my country's viscose staple fiber industry is growing steadily. Benefiting from the economic recovery, the apparent consumption of viscose staple fibers will reach 3.727 million tons in 2023, an increase of 10.4% year-on-year, reaching the peak of apparent consumption of viscose staple fibers in the past five years. Lyocell: Lyocell fibers with superior performance have gradually become an important chemical fiber product in my country.

The apparent consumption of Lyocell in 2023 will increase from 191,000 tons in 2022 to 397,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 107.4%. Supply: Viscose staple fiber is making steady progress, and Lyocell is unstoppable Viscose staple fiber: The industry has entered the mature stage of the industry, the capacity release has slowed down, and the output has increased steadily. As of 2023, my country's viscose staple fiber production capacity will reach 5.08 million tons/year. The industry has not released new capacity for three consecutive years, and the supply pattern is improving. Lyocell: The industry concentration is high, but the pattern is changing rapidly and needs further attention. As of the end of December 2023, there were 578,000 tons/year of Lyocell production capacity in China, and the global total reached 968,000 tons/year.

The industry concentration is high, and the global CR3 reached 71.3%. At present, there are many new production capacities planned in China, up to 980,000 tons/year. The scale will continue to expand in the future, which may reshape the existing industry pattern. Further attention needs to be paid to the planned capacity release. Compared with viscose fiber spunlace nonwovens, Lyocell spunlace nonwovens are newer products that can break through the fierce price competition in the viscose spunlace market, and provide higher profit guarantees for wet wipes brands, wiping product brands and wholesalers. Price: The price gap is gradually narrowing, and the potential of lyocell to replace viscose is increasing. In recent years, with the increase in the scale of lyocell production capacity, NMMO solvent has basically achieved domestic substitution, the price of lyocell has continued to decline, and the price gap with viscose staple fiber has gradually narrowed. As of August 9, 2024, the price of lyocell has dropped to 13,300 yuan/ton, and the price gap with viscose staple fiber has turned from positive to negative, and the potential of lyocell to replace viscose staple fiber has been further enhanced. The characteristics of lyocell fiber are round cross-section; high strength; breathable and skin-friendly. Ultrafine denier fiber is the preferred raw material for low-weight spunlace nonwovens.

The 100% lyocell spunlace nonwoven fabric is soft to the touch and skin-friendly. The groove structure of the fiber itself makes the finer fibers more tightly entangled when they are made into cloth, and the nonwoven fabric made is smooth and does not hurt the skin, and is easier to clean. The single fiber is stronger, which is conducive to the entanglement of the fiber on the fabric surface, forming fine pores, good air permeability, and effectively improving the lateral strength of the fiber. The Lyocell fiber used by Weston applies the latest fresh fiber odor management technology. The residual odor factor is only about 10% of similar products. The final product - 100% Lyocell spunlace nonwoven fabric, has almost no detectable odor factor.

More biodegradable spunlace please visit:

https://www.westonnonwoven.com/spunlace/biodegradable-spunlace/