PULP-BASED WLS AND CP LINES

Pulp – the sustainable, affordable wipe solution

Pulp‑based nonwovens deliver a compelling balance of full wipes functionality, cost efficiency, global availability, and environmental performance. Together with partner Voith, Trützschler Nonwovens provides proven technologies that transform softwood pulp and dispersible staple fibers (e.g., viscose, lyocell, polyester) into high‑quality nonwovens for flushable, baby, and body wipes—at industrial scale.

Trützschler Nonwovens and partner Voith offer various efficient machinery and production line concepts. 

Your benefits from pulp technologies:

Lower fiber cost with softwood NBSK pulp vs. 100% PET, viscose, or lyocell fibers for classic wipes
Consistent global supply—NBSK pulp is a paper industry standard
Fully biodegradable wipes from 100% cellulosic fibers, i.e. a combination of pulp, viscose and lyocell
Proven at scale—up to 20,000 t/year
Flushability leadership—WLS is the basis for genuine flushable wipes that meet tough EDANA and IWFSG criteria
Mature and field‑proven—pulp‑based lines are running for almost a decade

Pulp technology at a glance

Wet‑laying is the forming technology of choice in the paper industry. The process creates uniform, high‑quality pulp sheets at high speeds. It starts with dispersing pulp fibers in water, depositing them onto a moving wire to form a highly even sheet with exceptional thickness uniformity and formation quality. 
Early on Voith adapted this proven technology to produce specialty nonwovens. By combining Voith’s sheet formation technology with our expertise in hydroentangling and drying, we jointly developed a new type of pulp-based, strong, yet soft spunlaced nonwovens.

The two main technologies are

  • Carded/Pulp nonwovens (CP)
  • Wet-Laid/Spunlaced nonwovens (WLS)

 

Wet-Laying/Spunlacing – Engineered for productivity

In WLS processes, wet-laying is the only web forming technology. The raw material blend consists of softwood NBSK pulp combined with short-cut viscose, lyocell or PET fibers between 8 and 12 mm.
The slender NBSK fibers enable excellent entanglement thus minimizing pulp loss during hydroentangling. 

 

A WLS production line for flushable or full-strength wipes

Discover:

  • Voith’s HydroFormer, in use in over 70 wet-laid lines
  • Our specialized CP/WLS Aquajet that ensures reliable fiber pulp fiber integration into the nonwoven
  • Our high-performance, modular MPD dryer for energy- and space-efficient drying
WLS: from softwood trees to pulp sheet to spunlaced nonwoven to flushable or wet hand wipe

Line characteristics

Web weights: 30 to100 gsm
Fibers: pulp, short-cut viscose, lyocell, PET and other dispersible fibers
Output: more than 20.000 tons per year
(depending on fiber type, web weight and working width)
Typical end products: flushable wipes and high-quality wet wipes for baby or body care

Carded/Pulp – Engineered for flexibility

CP processes create a composite, dual‑layer nonwoven that is made of a 100% pulp wet‑laid sheet and a carded web of staple fibers with standard lengths of 38–40 mm. 
This design with both a sheet forming system and a nonwoven card offers exceptional process flexibility. Depending on production needs, operators can run only the wet‑laid section (essentially producing WLS‑type substrates), only the carding section to create traditional spunlaced nonwovens for wipes or combine both layers into a two‑layer composite.  

As a result, a CP installation can deliver economical wipe substrates as well as premium qualities with tailored softness, strength, and bulk.

 

A flexible CP nonwoven line

Discover:

Line characteristics

Web weights: 30 to100 gsm
Fibers: wood and non-wood pulp, standard size viscose-, lyocell, PET and other fiberss
Output: more than 20.000 tons per year
(depending on fiber type, web weight and working width)
Typical end products: top quality wet wipes for baby and body care

CP: from spruce and beech tree to plain, structured or double sided nonwoven and finally baby wipe

Why is pulp a smart choice for single-use wipes?

From renewable resources

Wood or non-wood based pulp plus 100% viscose or lyocell cellulosic fibers

Biodegradable

Nonwovens typically fully biodegrade within 10–12 weeks in soil environments – leaving no microplastics behind

Small CO2 footprint

Favorable CO₂ balance for pulp due to biogenic carbon uptake

Future-fit

Sustainable single‑use products are becoming a regulatory imperative

Global markets are tightening rules on biodegradability, microplastics, and environmental safety—directly affecting baby wipes, body wipes, and especially flushable products. Choosing pulp‑based WLS and CP substrates enables producers to meet these stricter standards, and future‑proof their portfolios.

An even more sustainable raw material is bamboo pulp. Bamboo is fast growing and plantation suitable. When harvested after 3 years, the plant has absorbed more CO2 than a softwood tree within decades of growing. Bamboo pulp performs comparably to NBSK pulp in our trials.

 

Frequently asked questions about pulp, WLS and CP nonwovens

Why is softwood pulp preferred for WLS and CP nonwovens?

Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK) is mainly made from plantation-grown spruce or pine. The long, slender fibers ensure strong entanglement and thus minimal pulp loss during spunlacing.

Can other pulp types be used for WLS and CP lines?

Hardwood pulp (e.g., eucalyptus) are processable but typically show higher loss and lower entanglement efficiency due to thicker and shorter fibers. 
Bamboo pulp is a promising alternative with trial performance comparable to NBSK in most metrics.

Can I make both flushable and standard wipes on one line?

Yes. A CP line can switch between WLS‑style flushables and non-flushable, pure carded nonwovens, or composites.

A WLS line can produce flushables as well as stronger, non‑flushable wipe substrates by adjusting fiber blends and AquaJet’s water pressure.

Are pulp‑based wipe substrates truly fully biodegradable?

Yes, WLS and CP nonwovens are even compostable, when composed of 100% cellulosic fibers (pulp, viscose, lyocell). They typically biodegrade completely within 10–12 weeks in soil environments, leaving no microplastics.

How do you control pulp wash‑out during the manufacturing process?

Voith’s water circuit recovers washed pulp and recycles it; Our AquaJet configuration for CP and WLS lines minimize pulp loss while achieving target strength and softness.

What is the maximum achievable pulp content?

With our CP process, we have produced a high‑quality 50 gsm composite nonwoven with 65% pulp. WLS lines can accommodate even higher pulp ratios, but this typically requires higher total basis weights to maintain the required strength and uniformity for wipe applications.

Are CP and WLS technologies proven in real world applications?

Absolutely. Voith/Trützschler WLS and CP lines have been operational for a decade now. All moist toilet tissue available in supermarkets and drug stores is made on WLS production lines.

Can we run trials before investing in a WLS or CP line?

Yes. Trials are possible at the Voith pilot line for wet‑laying and at our Egelsbach NCTC Technical Center for further carding, hydroentangling, drying and winding. This allows you to validate raw materials, optimize settings and confirm product performance before scaling up.

Vliesstoffanlagen

Was Sie auch interessieren könnte: