The present invention relates to a fabric, such as a backing suitable for tufted carpets or artificial turf, comprising slit films, tapes or monofilaments, said slit film, tape or monofilament comprising at least 70% by weight of a metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene composition based on the total weight of the slit film, tape or monofilament. The metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene composition comprised in the slit film, tape or monofilament is a metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene composition comprises: a) at least 45% by weight based on the total weight of the metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene composition of a metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene A, wherein said metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene A has a density of at most 0.918 g/cm.sup.3, and a melt index MI2 of at most 4.0 g/10 min; and b) at least 25% by weight based on the total weight of the metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene composition of a metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene B, wherein said metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene B has a density which is higher than the density of said metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene A; and a melt index MI2 which is higher than the melt index MI2 said metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene A.

The invention further relates to processes for manufacturing said fabric, such as processes for manufacturing a backing suitable for artificial turf, processes for manufacturing the slit film, tape or monofilament and to articles, e.g. a (woven) fabric, comprising said slit film, tape or monofilament obtained by said processes.

Disclosed is composite comprising four layers, two of the layers is a polymer film and two of the layers are non-woven materials, that is suitable for use as a primary backing material and/or a secondary backing material in the manufacture of textile carpet compositions. Also disclosed is a method for making the disclosed composite.

The present invention pertains to a method for manufacturing a laminated textile product comprising providing a first intermediate product comprising a primary backing having a front surface and a back surface, and yarns stitched into the primary backing, the yarns extending from the front surface of the backing material, feeding the intermediate product along a body having a heated surface, the back surface being pressed against the said heated surface, to at least partly melt the yarns present in the intermediate product to bond the yarns to the backing, wherein the part of the back surface that is pressed against the heated surface has a relative speed with respect to the heated surface, so as to provide a second intermediate product having a calendered back surface, providing a dimensionally stable carrier sheet or secondary backing, and connecting the second intermediate product to the carrier sheet by providing a hot melt adhesive between the calendered surface and the sheet, and pressing the sheet to the second intermediate product to form the textile product.

A dimensionally stable universal floor covering includes a tufted textile having stitches and a reinforcement layer of fibers and adhesive providing dimensional stability for the entire floor covering. The fibers and adhesive are mixed and then moved by an applicator towards the stitches. A slip path is formed to improve the movement of the fibers and adhesive. A releasable adhesive or gecko-like cover system is provided which also provides additional strength and stability and a releasable attachment of the universal floor covering to a supporting surface.

This invention relates to a floor mat having reduced tuft profile on the backside of the textile component of the floor mat. The floor mat is comprised of a textile component and a base component. The textile component includes face yarn tufted through a primary backing layer. The reduced tuft profile is present on the backside of the textile component. Advantages of a floor mat with reduced tuft profile include improved uniformity of the secondary backing layer applied to the textile component and improved durability of the textile component.

The present invention pertains to a method for manufacturing a laminated textile product comprising providing a first intermediate product comprising a primary backing having a front surface and a back surface, and yarns stitched into the primary backing, the yarns extending from the front surface of the backing material, feeding the intermediate product along a body having a heated surface, the back surface being pressed against the said heated surface, to at least partly melt the yarns present in the intermediate product to bond the yarns to the backing, wherein the part of the back surface that is pressed against the heated surface has a relative speed with respect to the heated surface, so as to provide a second intermediate product having a calendered back surface, providing a dimensionally stable carrier sheet or secondary backing, and connecting the second intermediate product to the carrier sheet by providing a hot melt adhesive between the calendered surface and the sheet, and pressing the sheet to the second intermediate product to form the textile product.

The present invention seeks to provide a tufted structure such as an artificial turf, that imitates more closely the root zone, the volume effect, and density of natural grass and that has an improved wear and drainage property. An artificial turf adapted for use in landscape and sports applications comprises a bounded layer of fibers formed as a non-woven matting made of one or more natural and/or synthetic fibers. A plurality of tufts of pile yarn is inserted through the bounded layer of fibers. A backing is applied at the backside of the bounded layer of fibers enhancing anchoring the tufts to the bounded layer of fibers.

The present invention seeks to provide artificial turf that imitates more closely the root zone, the volume effect, and density of natural grass and that has an improved wear and drainage property. An artificial turf adapted for use in landscape and sports applications comprises a mechanically bounded layer of fibers formed as a non-woven matting made of one or more natural and/or synthetic fibers. A plurality of tufts of pile yarn is inserted through the mechanically bounded layer of fibers. A backing is applied at the backside of the mechanically bounded layer of fibers enhancing anchoring the tufts to the mechanically bounded layer of fibers.

A dimensionally stable universal floor covering includes a tufted textile having stitches and a reinforcement layer of fibers and adhesive providing dimensional stability for the entire floor covering. The fibers and adhesive are mixed and then moved by an applicator towards the stitches. A slip path is formed to improve the movement of the fibers and adhesive. A releasable adhesive or gecko-like cover system is provided which also provides additional strength and stability and a releasable attachment of the universal floor covering to a supporting surface.

A dimensionally stable universal floor covering includes a tufted textile having stitches and a reinforcement layer operatively connected to the stitches to provide dimensional stability for the entire floor covering. The reinforcement layer is made of fibers and adhesive that are formed into a reinforcement layer of laminated fibers that is operatively connected to the stitches and/or the fibers and adhesive are formed into a layer of fibers and adhesive that is contained within the stitches. The fibers and adhesive are mixed and then moved by an applicator toward the stitches. A curved slip path is formed on a curved portion of the applicator to improve the movement of the fibers and adhesive toward the stitches. A removable tip portion on the end of the curved portion of the applicator improves the penetration of the adhesive and provides compression of the fibers towards the ends of the stitches. A releasable adhesive cover system is provided to cover the layer of fibers for providing additional strength and stability and for providing a releasable attachment of the universal floor covering to a supporting surface.