Equipment for manufacturing a fiber structure in the present disclosure includes: a defibrator configured to pulverize and defibrate a fiber material containing fibers; a transport pipe through which a defibrated material defibrated by the defibrator is transported; a melting-material mixing section configured to mix a melting material into the defibrated material transported through the transport pipe; a fibrous-web forming machine configured to accumulate the defibrated material in which the melting material is mixed and form a fibrous web; a sheet supply section configured to supply a shape-maintaining sheet to the fibrous web; and a heating-and-compression mechanism configured to compress the shape-maintaining sheet and the fibrous web between planar plates and heat the shape-maintaining sheet and the fibrous web to a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature at which the melting material softens.

A nonwoven web, containing at least one first homogeneous layer consisting of a blend of at least one of defibrated natural plant based fibers, individualized natural plant based fibers and staple fibers is provided. The nonwoven web contains no binder, adhesive or thermal bonding fibers and a basis weight of the at least one homogeneous layer is from 20 g/m.sup.2 to 100 g/m.sup.2. When a weighted average fiber length of the at least one of defibrated natural plant based fibers, individualized natural plant based fibers and staple fibers is greater than about 4.0 mm, the nonwoven web is a non-dispersible product which does not meet the requirement for dispersibility in accordance with INDA/EDANA GD4, and when a weighted average fiber length of the at least one of defibrated natural plant based fibers, individualized natural plant based fibers and staple fibers is less than about 4.0 min, the nonwoven web is a dispersible product as defined in accordance with INDA/EDANA GD4. Methods to prepare the nonwoven web are provided.

A nonwoven web, containing at least one first homogeneous layer consisting of a blend of at least one of defibrated natural plant based fibers, individualized natural plant based fibers and staple fibers is provided. The nonwoven web contains no binder, adhesive or thermal bonding fibers and a basis weight of the at least one homogeneous layer is from 20 g/m.sup.2 to 100 g/m.sup.2. When a weighted average fiber length of the at least one of defibrated natural plant based fibers, individualized natural plant based fibers and staple fibers is greater than about 4.0 mm, the nonwoven web is a non-dispersible product which does not meet the requirement for dispersibility in accordance with INDA/EDANA GD4, and when a weighted average fiber length of the at least one of defibrated natural plant based fibers, individualized natural plant based fibers and staple fibers is less than about 4.0 min, the nonwoven web is a dispersible product as defined in accordance with INDA/EDANA GD4. Methods to prepare the nonwoven web are provided.

Soft, durable and bulky tissue products comprising non-wood fibers and more particularly high yield hesperaloe pulp fibers are disclosed. The tissue products preferably comprise at least about 5 percent, by weight of the product, high yield hesperaloe pulp fiber and have relatively modest tensile strengths, such as a geometric mean tensile (GMT) greater than about 1,000 g/3″, and improved durability and cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as a CD Stretch greater than about 10 percent. Additionally, at the foregoing tensile strengths the products are not overly stiff. For example the tissue products may have a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.

Soft, durable and bulky tissue products comprising non-wood fibers and more particularly high yield hesperaloe pulp fibers are disclosed. The tissue products preferably comprise at least about 5 percent, by weight of the product, high yield hesperaloe pulp fiber and have relatively modest tensile strengths, such as a geometric mean tensile (GMT) greater than about 1,000 g/3″, and improved durability and cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as a CD Stretch greater than about 10 percent. Additionally, at the foregoing tensile strengths the products are not overly stiff. For example the tissue products may have a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.

Provided is technology for effectively removing fiber from a mesh belt. A second web former for conveying a second web containing fiber deposited on a mesh belt 72 having multiple holes 72a has a brush roller 710 with numerous bristles 712 protruding from the surface and disposed in contact with the mesh belt 72. The sectional area of the bristles 712 of the brush roller 710 is smaller than the open area of the holes 72a in the mesh belt 72 so that the distal ends of the bristles 712 can enter the holes 72a.

Provided is technology for effectively removing fiber from a mesh belt. A second web former for conveying a second web containing fiber deposited on a mesh belt 72 having multiple holes 72a has a brush roller 710 with numerous bristles 712 protruding from the surface and disposed in contact with the mesh belt 72. The sectional area of the bristles 712 of the brush roller 710 is smaller than the open area of the holes 72a in the mesh belt 72 so that the distal ends of the bristles 712 can enter the holes 72a.

Soft, durable and bulky tissue products comprising non-wood fibers and more particularly high yield hesperaloe pulp fibers are disclosed. The tissue products preferably comprise at least about 5 percent, by weight of the product, high yield hesperaloe pulp fiber and have relatively modest tensile strengths, such as a geometric mean tensile (GMT) greater than about 1,000 g/3, and improved durability and cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as a CD Stretch greater than about 10 percent. Additionally, at the foregoing tensile strengths the products are not overly stiff. For example, the tissue products may have a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.

Soft, durable and bulky tissue products comprising non-wood fibers and more particularly high yield hesperaloe pulp fibers are disclosed. The tissue products preferably comprise at least about 5 percent, by weight of the product, high yield hesperaloe pulp fiber and have relatively modest tensile strengths, such as a geometric mean tensile (GMT) greater than about 1,000 g/3, and improved durability and cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as a CD Stretch greater than about 10 percent. Additionally, at the foregoing tensile strengths the products are not overly stiff. For example, the tissue products may have a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.

Soft, durable and bulky tissue products comprising non-wood fibers and more particularly high yield hesperaloe pulp fibers are disclosed. The tissue products preferably comprise at least about 5 percent, by weight of the product, high yield hesperaloe pulp fiber and have relatively modest tensile strengths, such as a geometric mean tensile (GMT) greater than about 1,000 g/3, and improved durability and cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as a CD Stretch greater than about 10 percent. Additionally, at the foregoing tensile strengths the products are not overly stiff. For example the tissue products may have a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.