Application of Non-woven Fabrics

During the non-woven fabric production, the yarn manufacturing as well as yarn preparation processes (required in woven fabric) are eliminated. Due to this reason non-woven fabrics are cheaper as compared to the conventional fabrics. The great advantage of non-woven fabrics is the speed with which the final fabric is produced. Non-woven fabrics are formed directly from fibers into a fabric. Therefore, they miss out the yarn production process.

Conventional fabric is produced in the following way:

Fiber → Yarn → Fabric (knitting or weaving)

Non-woven fabrics are produced in the following way:

Fiber → Fabric

Non-woven is a much quicker method of producing fabrics, but the fabrics have limited use due to their poor durability and strength. Yarns used for knitting and weaving have been through the spinning process, which adds great strength and cohesion to the group of fibers. With non-woven fabric, the fibers are laid as a web and only held together by chemicals, heat or mechanical processes. There is some relative strength in these fabrics but it is short term, and, therefore, these products have a short life span.

Non-woven industry manufactures and converts versatile and engineered fibrous assemblies with numerous existing applications and continuously innovating products for new applications. The classification on the basis of employed technology can be challenging as numerous combinations of raw materials, web formation, web bonding, and post processing methods lead to non-woven products for a wide range of application areas. This degree of freedom is the key to offer non-woven with unique properties to suit a myriad of application areas.

The end uses of non-woven fabrics can be segmented into, but not limited to, hygiene, wipes, apparel, medical, health care, personal care, automotive, electronics, filtration, agriculture, horticulture, furnishings, construction, and packaging. It is important to mention that a single product in an application area can be manufactured by employing different technologies.

Woven and knitted fabrics are widely employed in apparel and fashion applications. Non-woven fabrics find some application in disposable sector and are mostly employed as components of durable applications. The key areas of applications include interlinings, protective clothing, shoe linings, and synthetic leather. Going into the history of disposable dresses, Scott Paper Company introduced paper dresses in 1966 and sold more than half a million in less than a year. The dress was actually part of an advertising campaign and included yarn reinforcement. Following the trend, other companies also launched paper products, including evening dress, wedding gown, water proof rain coats, bikinis, and paper suits; some of the examples with commercial success are mentioned here.

Application of nonwovens in medical field goes back to the time of Second World War when need for new and large volumes of medical product had arisen. At that time nonwovens were regarded as the most effective materials for bacterial barriers. Besides, in hospitals, cross-contamination is always one of the biggest problems which were attributed largely to re-using of woven gowns, masks and other similar articles which would get contaminated and potentially spread the germs. On the other hand, non-woven fabric is a more cost effective alternative which was disposable and reduced the problem of cross-contamination greatly. Most non-woven products used outside the body are disposable, single-use articles that have the advantage of not requiring sterilization or cleaning for reuse. However, there are some that can be reused to provide the required function over a limited period of time.

Non woven fabrics play a significant role in the medical sector. The product range includes surgical gowns, surgical masks and other wearable products; surgical drapes, sanitary pads; dressings; filtration materials; and implantable textiles such as tissue scaffolds for rebuilding internal organs, among other products.