A method of creating a soft and lofty continuous fiber nonwoven web is provided. The method includes providing molten polymer to a spinneret defining a plurality of orifices, and flowing a fluid intermediate the spinneret and a moving porous member. The moving porous member is positioned below the spinneret. The method includes using the fluid to draw or push the molten polymer, in a direction that is toward the moving porous member, through at least some of the plurality of orifices to form a plurality of individual continuous fiber strands. The method includes depositing the continuous fiber strands on the moving porous member at a first location to create an intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web, and removing and/or diverting some of the fluid proximate to the first location to maintain loft and softness in the deposited intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web.

A method of creating a soft and lofty continuous fiber nonwoven web is provided. The method includes providing molten polymer to a spinneret defining a plurality of orifices, and flowing a fluid intermediate the spinneret and a moving porous member. The moving porous member is positioned below the spinneret. The method includes using the fluid to draw or push the molten polymer, in a direction that is toward the moving porous member, through at least some of the plurality of orifices to form a plurality of individual continuous fiber strands. The method includes depositing the continuous fiber strands on the moving porous member at a first location to create an intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web, and removing and/or diverting some of the fluid proximate to the first location to maintain loft and softness in the deposited intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web.

A hollow fiber that generally extends in a longitudinal direction is provided. The hollow fiber comprises a hollow cavity that extends along at least a portion of the fiber in the longitudinal direction. The cavity is defined by an interior wall that is formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a polyolefin matrix polymer and a nanoinclusion additive dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is defined in the composition that includes a plurality of nanopores.

A hollow fiber that generally extends in a longitudinal direction is provided. The hollow fiber comprises a hollow cavity that extends along at least a portion of the fiber in the longitudinal direction. The cavity is defined by an interior wall that is formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a polyolefin matrix polymer and a nanoinclusion additive dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is defined in the composition that includes a plurality of nanopores.

An airlaid substrate includes at least one bicomponent fiber having a first region and a second region. The first region includes polypropylene and the second includes a blend of an ethylene-base polymer and an ethylene acid copolymer. The ethylene-base polymer has a density from 0.920 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.970 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt index (I.sub.2) from 0.5 g/10 min to 150 g/10 min. The ethylene acid copolymer includes the polymerized reaction product of from 60 wt % to 99 wt % ethylene monomer and from 1 wt % to 40 wt % unsaturated dicarboxylic acid comonomer, based on the total weight of the monomers in the ethylene acid copolymer. The ethylene acid copolymer having a melt index (I.sub.2) from 0.5 g/10 min to 500 g/10 min.

A nonwoven web having an advantageous bond pattern impressed by a bonding pattern on a roller is disclosed. The bonding pattern is selected to have a bonding area percentage from 6 to 14 percent, which provides a desirable level of bonding of filaments and/or fibers for mechanical strength, while retaining desirable pliability and/or liquid handling characteristics. The bonding area is also relatively highly dispersed, which provides for a relatively greater number of bonded areas for the selected bonding area percentage. The greater number of bonded areas is believed to provide improved structural integrity while still retaining pliability and/or liquid handling characteristics, and also provide for enhanced visual detail and complexity. The relatively highly dispersed bonding area is believed to be particularly effective for nonwoven web materials having three or more layers, with outer layers of polymeric filaments, and even more particularly, one or two outer layers of fine filaments.

A nonwoven web having an advantageous bond pattern impressed by a bonding pattern on a roller is disclosed. The bonding pattern is selected to have a bonding area percentage from 6 to 14 percent, which provides a desirable level of bonding of filaments and/or fibers for mechanical strength, while retaining desirable pliability and/or liquid handling characteristics. The bonding area is also relatively highly dispersed, which provides for a relatively greater number of bonded areas for the selected bonding area percentage. The greater number of bonded areas is believed to provide improved structural integrity while still retaining pliability and/or liquid handling characteristics, and also provide for enhanced visual detail and complexity. The relatively highly dispersed bonding area is believed to be particularly effective for nonwoven web materials having three or more layers, with outer layers of polymeric filaments, and even more particularly, one or two outer layers of fine filaments.

A wettable SMS material for personal protective equipment, such as a SMS fabric that has been treated to improve the wettability and absorbency properties of the SMS fabric is provided. A treated SMS fabric for personal protective equipment can retain its durability, breathability, and comfort, and may also provide the fabric with wettability and absorption properties. An article for personal protective equipment formed from a wettable SMS fabric is also provided.

A wettable SMS material for personal protective equipment, such as a SMS fabric that has been treated to improve the wettability and absorbency properties of the SMS fabric is provided. A treated SMS fabric for personal protective equipment can retain its durability, breathability, and comfort, and may also provide the fabric with wettability and absorption properties. An article for personal protective equipment formed from a wettable SMS fabric is also provided.

A hollow fiber that extending along at least a portion of the fiber along a longitudinal axis thereof and is defined by an interior wall is provided. Through selective control over the manner in which it is formed, the present inventors have discovered that the hollow fiber can exhibit a unique combination of a high void fraction and small fiber size that makes it particularly suitable for use in certain applications, such as in nonwoven webs for absorbent articles.