Adding a crimping process to lyocell fiber enhances the performance of flushable wet wipes through structural and functional improvements. The key advantages are as follows:

1. Physical Property Enhancement

a. Superior Liquid Absorption and Retention
The crimped structure increases fiber surface area and porosity, creating a spring-like three-dimensional network. This significantly boosts water absorption speed and capacity,

allowing wipes to quickly absorb moisture, cleaning solutions, or medicated liquids while maintaining a consistent moist state during use. This prevents drying out or dripping, ensuring stable cleaning efficacy.

b. Softness and Low Irritation
The curved morphology of crimped fibers reduces sharp edges at fiber ends, resulting in a smoother, gentler texture. This minimizes friction against the skin, lowering the risk of redness or allergies

—critical for sensitive applications like baby care or intimate hygiene.

c. Balanced Dry/Wet Strength and Durability
Crimping enhances inter-fiber entanglement, improving the wipe’s flexibility and resistance to tearing in both dry and wet states. 

Wipes remain intact during stretching or scrubbing (e.g., no punctures) while avoiding excessive toughness that could hinder flushability. This balances usability with the need for easy dispersal in sewage systems.

2. Environmental Friendliness and Functional Adaptability

a. Improved Flushability and Biodegradation
Crimped fibers disperse more easily under wetting or hydraulic forces due to their loose, entangled structure. Combined with lyocell’s natural hydrophilicity and biodegradability, this accelerates disintegration in wastewater systems, 

reducing the risk of pipeline blockages and meeting flushability standards (e.g., ASTM D2825 tests).

b. Enhanced Additive Loading Capacity
The microporous structure created by crimping provides more adsorption sites for functional ingredients (e.g., moisturizers, disinfectants, fragrances). 

This improves the retention and uniform release of additives, ensuring wipes deliver long-lasting benefits like antibacterial or skin-nourishing effects.

3. Process and Cost Advantages

a. High Process Compatibility
Crimping integrates smoothly with spunlace, thermal bonding, or other nonwoven manufacturing processes without major production line modifications. 

The bulkiness of crimped fibers also allows for reduced basis weight (grams per square meter), cutting material costs while maintaining performance.

b. Dimensional Stability
The elastic crimped structure helps wipes retain their shape during folding, packaging, and use. Even when wet, they stay flat and form-stable, facilitating mechanical production and user convenience.

Conclusion

The crimping process modifies lyocell fiber’s microstructure to create synergistic advantages in absorbency, softness, strength, environmental safety, and functional adaptability—all 

critical for flushable wet wipes that require “effective cleaning, gentle skin contact, and safe dispersal.” It also balances manufacturing efficiency, making it a key technology to enhance product competitiveness.