At the upcoming World of Wipes (WOW) 2025 in Columbus, Ohio, Lenzing's flagship specialty nonwovens brand, VEOCEL, will introduce VEOCEL Lyocell fibers for Enhanced Cleaning, a new innovation designed to support the next generation of high-performance surface cleaning and disinfecting wipes.

Aligned with VEOCEL' s innovation theme, "Unleash Possibilities", this breakthrough is designed to inspire Lenzing's partners to rethink product design through the use of advanced cellulosic fibers. Derived from wood-based[1] raw materials, they offer an alternative to fossil-based synthetics and contribute to the reduction of avoidable plastic[2] waste in wipe applications.

Delivering Enhanced Cleaning Performance [3]

VEOCEL Lyocell fibers for Enhanced Cleaning are engineered to improve wiping performance through stronger and denser fabrics and enhance the end-user experience. These fibers ensure even liquid distribution, helping to reduce excess dripping and provide greater control during cleaning. Compared to fossil-based alternatives, each wipe can clean up to twice the surface area, offering significantly improved disinfecting efficacy.

A key factor contributing to the performance of these new VEOCEL fibers is their compatibility with active or functional ingredients commonly used in disinfectants such as quaternary ammonium compounds (quats). While many other cellulosic fibers require additional chemical treatments to achieve similar functionality, VEOCEL fibers for Enhanced Cleaning are designed through careful selection of raw materials and optimized production methods to exhibit minimal and consistent binding to active ingredients. This seemingly simple yet impactful advancement in fiber properties allows VEOCEL™'s cellulosic fibers to be used in applications previously dominated by plastic-based materials. 

In addition, these fibers provide excellent wet strength and form stability[4], maintaining structural integrity even at lower basis weights. Altogether, these characteristics make them exceptionally well-suited for demanding cleaning environments—from household and personal care to institutional and industrial settings.

All VEOCEL Lyocell fibers are wood-based[5] and biodegradable[6], produced in a closed-loop, resource-efficient process with low emissions to air and water[7]. The Enhanced Cleaning variant maintains these high environmental standards while delivering superb technical performance.

"With the introduction of our VEOCEL Lyocell fibers for Enhanced Cleaning, we are unleashing new possibilities for our customers to choose cellulosic fibers in disinfecting wipes, empowering excellent performance while advancing their commitment to environmental responsibility," said Patricia A. Sargeant, Executive Vice President Nonwovens at Lenzing AG.

Discover More at WOW 2025

Lenzing will showcase VEOCEL Lyocell fibers for Enhanced Cleaning at WOW 2025, July 21–24, at Tabletop #405. Attendees can learn how this innovation supports hygiene, efficiency, and responsible material use.

Axel Russler, Innovation Project Manager Nonwovens, presented the fiber's development, performance testing and real-world applications in an INDA-hosted pre-show webinar titled "Advanced Cellulosic Solution for Disinfection Wipes".