The present invention provides a nonwoven fabric that is biodegradable and has a good pleat retaining property, and an application thereof. The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric comprising at least one fiber layer (I) which contains a polylactic acid polymer and which has an average fiber diameter of 10-30 m, wherein in polarized Raman spectroscopy of the fiber layer (I), the value I///I, which is the ratio of the peak intensity I// at 872 cm.sup.1 of a Raman spectrum measured with polarized light parallel to a fiber axis, to the peak intensity I at 872 cm.sup.1 of a Raman spectrum measured with polarized light perpendicular to the fiber axis, is not more than 1.80. The present invention also relates to a filter material comprising the nonwoven fabric, and a filter for foods, an air filter, and a mask which each comprise the filter material.

The invention relates to a method for producing a nonwoven fabric comprising at least one nonwoven web composed of fibres. The fibres are produced by means of at least one fibre-producing device. Subsequently, the fibres are deposited on at least one depositing device in order to form the nonwoven web. The nonwoven web or nonwoven fabric is solidified with at least one calender roller, and the nonwoven fabric is also solidified or primarily solidified with at least one hot fluid primary solidification device.

A strap is provided with a core having a core main body having a plurality of members including at least a member having flexibility is stacked, and a skin member surrounding the core. The core main body is formed of a variable performance member and a special member bonded to each other with thermocompression bonding to be stacked in a face-back direction of a timepiece. The variable performance member has flexibility and temperature dependency, and is formed including plastic.

A strap is provided with a core having a core main body having a plurality of members including at least a member having flexibility is stacked, and a skin member surrounding the core. The core main body is formed of a variable performance member and a special member bonded to each other with thermocompression bonding to be stacked in a face-back direction of a timepiece. The variable performance member has flexibility and temperature dependency, and is formed including plastic.

A composite tape (1) is provided comprising at least a first layer (3) comprising a plurality of first continuous polymer filaments (32) defining a development axis (32a) and at least in part a plurality of mutually identical outlines (33) arranged in succession along said development axis (32a); a second layer (4) of second continuous polymer filaments (40) forming a surface layer of tape (1) and placed in contact with the first layer (3); wherein the outline (33) is determined on a section plane (32b) normal to the development axis (32a), defining a first extension area on the section plane (32b) and being inscribable in a circle determined on the section plane (32b) and defining a second extension area on the section plane (32b); and wherein the first extension area is less than 90% of the second extension area.

A composite tape (1) is provided comprising at least a first layer (3) comprising a plurality of first continuous polymer filaments (32) defining a development axis (32a) and at least in part a plurality of mutually identical outlines (33) arranged in succession along said development axis (32a); a second layer (4) of second continuous polymer filaments (40) forming a surface layer of tape (1) and placed in contact with the first layer (3); wherein the outline (33) is determined on a section plane (32b) normal to the development axis (32a), defining a first extension area on the section plane (32b) and being inscribable in a circle determined on the section plane (32b) and defining a second extension area on the section plane (32b); and wherein the first extension area is less than 90% of the second extension area.