Weyerhaeuser, Lenzing to Develop Greener Nonwoven Fabrics

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FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- Lyocell fiber, derived from wood pulp, can already be found in clothing and bedding, and two companies are working together to use it instead of petroleum-based materials in nonwoven products like baby wipes.

Weyerhaeuser, a producer of forest-based products, and Lenzing, a fiber maker, have teamed up to develop a way to commercialize lyocell-based nonwovens.

Lyocell is created by taking cellulose from wood pulp, dissolving it in a solvent, and forcing it though nozzle, where it then forms fibers. The solvent is almost entirely recovered and reused, said Jackie Lang, Weyerhaeuser public affairs manager.

The partnership between the two companies will focus on first developing nonwoven fabrics made from lyocell and also commercializing and developing large-scale production of lyocell-based nonwovens.

The companies are looking to make both industrial and personal products, ranging from cleanroom wipes for the technology industry to baby wipes and household cleaning wipes, products that are typically contain petroleum-based materials like polyester.

Lenzing currently produces lyocell fiber under the brand name TENCEL, which is used in clothing and bedding. "They know what the customer wants," Lang said. "They know how it work on machines."

Weyerhaeuser invented and patented the technology, and it also owns forests, selling wood pulp that is turned into lyocell. The company's forests are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative in the U.S. and by the Canadian Standards Association in Canada, Lang said.

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