A substrate for artificial leather comprising a nonwoven fabric of bundles of microfine filaments. The substrate for artificial leather simultaneously satisfies the following requirements 1 to 4: (1) the bundle of microfine filaments comprises 8 to 70 microfine filaments having a cross-sectional shape of nearly circle; (2) the bundle of microfine filaments has a cross-sectional area of 170 to 700 m.sup.2 and a flatness of 4.0 or less; (3) on a cross section parallel to a thickness direction of the nonwoven fabric body, cross sections of the microfine fiber bundles exist in a density of 1500 to 3000/mm.sup.2; and (4) on a cross section parallel to a thickness direction of the nonwoven fabric body, gaps between the microfine fiber bundles have a size of 70 m or less. By satisfying the requirements, the substrate for artificial leather combines high level of sensuous qualities and high level of physical properties which have been considered to be mutually exclusive.

A preform manufacturing apparatus comprising a supply of fiber strip, a moveable positive fiber strip delivery mechanism coupled between a desired lay down location and the supply of fiber strip to positively deliver and orient the supply of fiber strip to the desired lay down location, and an electronic unwinder coupled to the supply of fiber strip is described herein. The electronic unwinder is configured to interact with the moveable positive fiber strip delivery mechanism.

A filament web type precursor fabric for an activated carbon fiber fabric is produced by (i) spreading precursor filaments for preparing activated carbon fiber in a web state; and (ii) punching the precursor filaments for preparing activated carbon fiber spread in a web state to entangle the precursor filaments for preparing activated carbon fiber with each other. The filament web type precursor fabric has a structure in which the precursor filaments for preparing activated carbon fiber are spread in a web form and entangled with each other, and has a weight per unit area ranging from 50 to 500 g/m.sup.2. An activated carbon fiber fabric manufactured by activating the filament web type precursor fabric contains yarns with improved and uniform durability and crystallinity, and an shows improved performance of forming microfine pores having a diameter of 1 to 2 nm.

A preform manufacturing apparatus comprising a supply of fiber strip, a moveable positive fiber strip delivery mechanism coupled between a desired lay down location and the supply of fiber strip to positively deliver and orient the supply of fiber strip to the desired lay down location, and an optional electronic unwinder coupled to the supply of fiber strip when more delicate textile strips are used to fabricate the net shape preform is described herein. The electronic unwinder is configured to interact with the moveable positive fiber strip delivery mechanism.

A preform manufacturing apparatus comprising a supply of fiber strip, a moveable positive fiber strip delivery mechanism coupled between a desired lay down location and the supply of fiber strip to positively deliver and orient the supply of fiber strip to the desired lay down location, and an optional electronic unwinder coupled to the supply of fiber strip when more delicate textile strips are used to fabricate the net shape preform is described herein. The electronic unwinder is configured to interact with the moveable positive fiber strip delivery mechanism.

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 meltblown method for producing nonwoven fabrics with hygroscopic metastatic feature. Firstly, fuse prepared bio-polyamide 6,10 into a melt, then extrude, and blow the melt out spinnerets to form natural bio-polyamide 6,10 filaments laid onto a conveyer to form a substrate fibrous web. Secondly, blend and dissolve prepared pulp by putting N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) dissolving solvent, and dehydrate it to form dope, then extrude and blow the dope out spinnerets to form natural cellulose filaments laid up over existing fibrous web of bio-polyamide 6,10 on the conveyer so that a fibrous composite of the bio-polyamide 6,10 and natural cellulose in overlaid lamination is formed thereon. Finally, coagulate and regenerate the fibrous composite of the bio-polyamide 6,10 and natural cellulose by means of ejecting mist aerosol of water, and convert it into nonwoven fabric with hygroscopic metastatic feature by orderly applying post treatments of hydro-entangled needle punching, drying, winding-up processes.

A method for producing a composite material part comprising a step of producing a preform formed of unidirectional continuous fibers oriented in at least one fiber orientation, a step of applying non-woven filaments to the preform, and a step of needling the filaments by means of a needling device comprising a plurality of needles, each needle being provided with a notch extending along a notch axis perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis of the needle, or several notches each extending along a notch axis perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis of the needle, the notch axes being parallel to each other, the needles and the preform being arranged so that the notch axes form a non-zero angle with the fiber orientation.

Aspects herein are directed to a recyclable, asymmetrical-faced composite nonwoven textile suitable for use in apparel and other articles and methods of making the same. In example aspects, the asymmetrical-faced composite nonwoven textile includes a first face formed, at least in part from a first entangled web of fibers and an opposite second face formed, at least in part from a second entangled web of fibers. When incorporated into an article of apparel, the first face forms an outer-facing surface of the article of apparel, and the second face forms an inner-facing surface of the article of apparel. The first face includes features making it suitable to form the outer-facing surface such as resistance to abrasion, and the second face includes features making it suitable to form an inner-facing surface such as a soft hand.