Provided are a fibrous sheet having a stress relaxation rate defined by the following formula of less than or equal to 85%:

stress relaxation rate [%]=(stress S.sub.5 at extension after five minutes/stress S.sub.0 at initial extension)100

when a stress at extension immediately after extension in an in-plane first direction at 50% elongation is defined as a stress S.sub.0 (N/50 mm) at initial extension, and a stress at extension at a time of extending in the first direction at 50% elongation for five minutes is defined as a stress S.sub.5 (N/50 mm) at extension after five minutes, and a bandage including the fibrous sheet.

Provided are a fibrous sheet having a stress relaxation rate defined by the following formula of less than or equal to 85%:

stress relaxation rate [%]=(stress S.sub.5 at extension after five minutes/stress S.sub.0 at initial extension)100

when a stress at extension immediately after extension in an in-plane first direction at 50% elongation is defined as a stress S.sub.0 (N/50 mm) at initial extension, and a stress at extension at a time of extending in the first direction at 50% elongation for five minutes is defined as a stress S.sub.5 (N/50 mm) at extension after five minutes, and a bandage including the fibrous sheet.

Provided is a conjugate fiber for air-laid nonwoven fabric manufacture having a planar zig-zag crimp shape before a thermal treatment, such that a uniform web is obtained by air laying with high processability and productivity, and the conjugate fiber develops a spiral crimp when the web is subjected to a thermal treatment to thereby enable the web to shrink significantly, as a result of which a nonwoven fabric can be obtained in which fibers are amassed to a high density. The conjugate fiber for air-laid nonwoven fabric manufacture is a heat-fusible conjugate fiber in which a first component comprising an olefinic thermoplastic resin is conjugated with a second component comprising an olefinic thermoplastic resin having a melting point higher than that of the first component. The conjugate form is such that the centers of gravity of the conjugate components are mutually different in the fiber cross section, the fiber has a single-yarn fineness of 1 to 10 dtex, a fiber length of 3 to 20 mm, and a planar zig-zag crimp whose crimp shape index (actual length of short fiber/distance between both ends of short fiber) ranges from 1.05 to 1.60, and the web shrinkage upon thermal treatment at 145 C. of a web obtained by an air-laid method is not lower than 40%.

Air-cured batting includes a nonwoven web. The batting contains 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture, and 2.5 to 25 wt % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate, wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batting, and on a second surface of the batting, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form. Articles comprising the air-cured batting and methods of making the air-cured batting are also provided.

Air-cured batting includes a nonwoven web. The batting contains 75 to 97.5 wt % of fiber mixture, and 2.5 to 25 wt % of resin comprising a cross-linked copolymer of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate, wherein the resin is present on a first surface of the batting, and on a second surface of the batting, the second surface being parallel to the first surface, and wherein the resin is adhered to fibers of the fiber mixture, thereby forming a bonded structure, such that, by virtue of the resin, the air-cured batting has structural integrity that imparts handleability of the batting in sheet form. Articles comprising the air-cured batting and methods of making the air-cured batting are also provided.

A blowable insulation material comprising natural fibers and short cut synthetic fibers or fiber balls. The natural fibers and short cut synthetic fibers or fiber balls are individually treated with a water repellent to impart water repellency to the fibers, and later aerodynamically blended together. The water repellent fibers constitute a part or most of the blowable insulation material, thus enhancing the durability of the structure as well as water repellency, which may be advantageous during washing or laundering.

A blowable insulation material comprising natural fibers and short cut synthetic fibers or fiber balls. The natural fibers and short cut synthetic fibers or fiber balls are individually treated with a water repellent to impart water repellency to the fibers, and later aerodynamically blended together. The water repellent fibers constitute a part or most of the blowable insulation material, thus enhancing the durability of the structure as well as water repellency, which may be advantageous during washing or laundering.

The invention provides a nonwoven laminate, comprising in order (A) to (E): a spunbond nonwoven layer (A) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester; an optional spunbond nonwoven layer (B) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester, the nonwoven layer (B) having a higher copolyester content than nonwoven layer (A); a needled staple fibre nonwoven layer (C), comprising: monocomponent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) staple fibres (c1), and multicomponent staple fibres (c2), which comprise at least a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) component and a copolyester component; an optional spunbond nonwoven layer (D) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester, the nonwoven layer (D) having a higher copolyester content than nonwoven layer (E); a spunbond nonwoven layer (E) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester; wherein all layers are melt-bonded to each other.

The invention provides a nonwoven laminate, comprising in order (A) to (E): a spunbond nonwoven layer (A) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester; an optional spunbond nonwoven layer (B) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester, the nonwoven layer (B) having a higher copolyester content than nonwoven layer (A); a needled staple fibre nonwoven layer (C), comprising: monocomponent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) staple fibres (c1), and multicomponent staple fibres (c2), which comprise at least a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) component and a copolyester component; an optional spunbond nonwoven layer (D) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester, the nonwoven layer (D) having a higher copolyester content than nonwoven layer (E); a spunbond nonwoven layer (E) comprising fibres, which comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and copolyester; wherein all layers are melt-bonded to each other.

A blowable insulation material comprising natural fibers and short cut synthetic fibers or fiber balls. The natural fibers and short cut synthetic fibers or fiber balls are individually treated with a water repellent to impart water repellency to the fibers, and later aerodynamically blended together. The water repellent fibers constitute a part or most of the blowable insulation material, thus enhancing the durability of the structure as well as water repellency, which may be advantageous during washing or laundering.