A top sheet for an absorbent personal care product is a water-permeable composite web produced by hydro-entangling a web of chemical free natural and/or cellulosic staple fibers and/or blend of natural and cellulosic staple fibers and a web of man-made continuous filament yards such that a first side of the composite web exposes the chemical free natural and/or cellulosic staple fibers and/or blend of natural and cellulosic staple fibers and an opposite second side of the composite web has the man-made continuous filament yarns. The web of chemical free natural and/or cellulosic staple fibers and/or blend of natural and cellulosic staple fibers is hydrophilic and the web of man-made continuous filament synthetic yarns is hydrophobic. The composite web weights between about 20 gsm and about 40 gsm.

Nonwoven fibrous webs include elastic filaments such that the web as a whole exhibits elastic properties when stretched. The webs include a multiplicity of nonwoven fibers and at least one elastic filament entangled with at least a portion of the nonwoven fibers to form a self-supporting, cohesive, elastic nonwoven fibrous web. Methods of making such elastic nonwoven fibrous webs using hydro-entanglement, and uses of such webs to form articles are also described.

Nonwoven fibrous webs include elastic filaments such that the web as a whole exhibits elastic properties when stretched. The webs include a multiplicity of nonwoven fibers and at least one elastic filament entangled with at least a portion of the nonwoven fibers to form a self-supporting, cohesive, elastic nonwoven fibrous web. Methods of making such elastic nonwoven fibrous webs using hydro-entanglement, and uses of such webs to form articles are also described.

Nonwoven fabrics are provided that include (i) continuous fibers and (ii) a blend of staple fibers comprising polyester staple fibers, bicomponent staple fibers, microfiber staple fibers, and wettable staple fibers, in which the continuous fibers are mechanically entangled with the blend of staple fibers. The continuous fibers and the blend of staple fibers may be mechanically entangled via a hydroentangling process.

A hydroformed composite material includes an expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than an original loft of an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web from which the expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer was created, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web. The hydroformed composite material includes a formed film layer that includes a plurality of extended cells containing continuous fibers and/or fibrils of the expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer.

An apparatus for bonding a first layer having short fibers with a second layer having long fibers into a non-woven web. The apparatus includes a first circulating belt on which the second layer is depositable and displacable, a second circulating belt via which the first layer is transferable at a transition point to the second layer, a pre-bonding unit arranged directly behind the transition point, and a bonding device. The pre-bonding unit has compactors which are spaced apart from one another. The compactors act in one region on the first or second circulating belt. The bonding device is arranged between the compactors and bonds together the first and second layers. The compactors and the bonding device are integrated into the apparatus to together be in an operating state when the first layer is transferred using the second circulating belt.

An apparatus for bonding a first layer having short fibers with a second layer having long fibers into a non-woven web. The apparatus includes a first circulating belt on which the second layer is depositable and displacable, a second circulating belt via which the first layer is transferable at a transition point to the second layer, a pre-bonding unit arranged directly behind the transition point, and a bonding device. The pre-bonding unit has compactors which are spaced apart from one another. The compactors act in one region on the first or second circulating belt. The bonding device is arranged between the compactors and bonds together the first and second layers. The compactors and the bonding device are integrated into the apparatus to together be in an operating state when the first layer is transferred using the second circulating belt.

A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.

A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.

A nonwoven recyclable fabric and associated methods are provided. The fabric is formed from 100% polyester, and may also include surface coatings such as hydrophilic coatings to promote heat transfer as well moisture vapor transmission rates and/or a silicone coating to promote fabric smoothness and reduce abrasiveness of the fabric.