Thermal bonded nonwovens are fabrics produced by using heat to melt thermoplastic powders or fibers (polyester, polypropylene, etc.). Since the bulk of thermal bonded nonwovens are produced using fibers, today we’ll spend some time discussing them. There are a number of ways to apply heat to the fibers. At the point where two or more fibers […]

Continuing our “How It’s Made Series,” today we’ll discuss how nonwoven needlepunch fabrics are made from webs of fibers (to see the web-making process, check out our carding/airlaid blog post). In the case of needlepunch, some of the fibers have been driven through the web by—yep, you guessed it—barbed needles. This gives the webs strength […]

When consumers hear the words “diaper” or “feminine pad” they expect these products to do their ultimate jobs—wick and absorb. Consumers rarely think about how they do it. They don’t think about the components of diapers or pads, but if they did they would be instant fans of the hydroentangled topsheet.