PROCESSES TO PRODUCE SHORT CUT MICROFIBERS

(A) contacting the short-cut multicomponent fibers having a length of less than 25 mm with the heated aqueous stream in the mixing zone to produce a short-cut multicomponent microfiber slurry; (B) directing the short-cut multicomponent microfiber slurry， and optionally， a heated aqueous stream to a fiber open zone to remove a portion of the water dispersible sulfopolyester to produce an open microfiber slurry; And (C) directing the opened microfiber slurry to a first solid-liquid separation zone to produce a microfiber product stream and a first mother liquor stream. A process for producing a microfiber product stream， the process comprising: (A) contacting short cut multicomponent fibers having a length of less than 25 millimeters with a heated aqueous stream in a mix zone to produce a short cut multicomponent fiber slurry; (B) routing the short cut multicomponent fiber slurry and optionally， a heated aqueous stream， to a fiber opening zone to remove a portion of the water dispersible sulfopolyester to produce an opened microfiber slurry; and (C) routing the opened microfiber slurry to a primary solid liquid separation zone to produce the microfiber product stream and a first mother liquor stream. A process for producing a microfiber product stream， the process comprising: (A) contacting short cut multicomponent fibers having a length of less than 25 millimeters with a heated aqueous stream in a mix zone to produce a short cut multicomponent fiber slurry; (B) routing the short cut multicomponent fiber slurry and optionally， a heated aqueous stream， to a fiber opening zone to remove a portion of the water dispersible sulfopolyester to produce an opened microfiber slurry; and (C) routing the opened microfiber slurry to a primary solid liquid separation zone to produce the microfiber product stream and a first mother liquor stream.