O o d h e a d p u b L i s h I n g L i m I t e d

Key words: nonwoven, carding, spunlace, cross-lap, air-laid, wet-laid, stitch
bond.
6.1
Introduction
In nonwoven manufacturing the fibre is converted directly into fabric without
passing through a yarn stage. Although significant cost savings due to the
shorter process route make nonwovens attractive, nonwoven fabrics have
inherent physical limitations and weaving and knitting will remain the favoured
production processes for some time. These limitations can be understood
through a comparison of properties of wovens and knits with nonwovens:
• Wovens and knits:
• within yarns: intimate fibre contact, helical fibre paths – strength
and elasticity,
• between yarns: looser linkages, yarn crimp.
• drape, bulk, good handle, fluidity.
• Nonwovens: Intimate fibre contact throughout is required to achieve the
requisite strength and fibre security. This leads to:
• stiffness,
• poorer handle,
• poor drape,
• poor stretch recovery.
The strength and elasticity of woven and knitted fabrics are provided by the
yarns, the yarn crimp and the yarn arrangement. This allows high fabric
strength and good fibre security within the yarn while the fabric’s flexibility
© 2009 Woodhead Publishing Limited

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Advances in the manufacture of nonwoven wool
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and fluidity are provided by the looser links between the yarns. Nonwovens
cannot easily imitate this effect because the strength and fibre security of the
nonwoven is derived from fibre entanglement or bonding throughout the
fabric. These shortcomings currently restrict nonwovens to certain applications.
These include industrial fabrics and medical and safety apparel but some
consumer apparel products are well suited to nonwovens and so research is
continuing to overcome the limitations and widen the applicability of
nonwovens.