The present disclosure relates to the use of alkoxylated fatty amido alcohols in the process to make viscose wherein cellulose is reacted with lye and the lye strength is from about 8 to about 20% by weight of NaOH, based on the weight of water in the reaction mixture. The use as a reaction improvement additive improves the reaction rate between the cellulose and the lye. The use also improves the reaction between alkali-cellulose and CS2. The present disclosure also relates to solid cellulose that is treated with one or more ethoxylated fatty amido alcohols and which is suitable for use in the claimed process.