The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an absorption and distribution nonwoven fabric made of staple fibers and absorbent material made of regenerated cellulose for personal hygiene products. The nonwoven fabric is composed of thermoplastic, synthetic staple fibers as support fibers, wherein the support fibers are homo- or bi-component, thermoplastic regenerated cellulose for personal hygiene products. The nonwoven fabric is composed of thermoplastic, synthetic staple fibers as supporting fibers, wherein the supporting fibers are homo- or bi-component, thermoplastic polymer fibers comprising fusible constituents, staple fibers of thermoplastic and/or duroplastic polymers as distribution fibers and absorbent material of regenerated cellulose. The nonwoven fabric is mechanically bonded and then thermally bonded by means of subsequent hot-air bonding. The invention also relates to an absorption and distribution nonwoven fabric produced by the method according to the invention and to a device for carrying out the method according to the invention.

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.

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.

Articles, such as sanitary tissue products, including fibrous structures, and more particularly articles including fibrous structures having a plurality of fibrous elements wherein the article exhibits differential cellulose content throughout the thickness of the article and methods for making same are provided.

An insulating fill material composition for use in outerwear, sleeping bags, bedding, and the like includes 40.0 to 85.0 wt % alpaca fibers, 10.0 to 20.0 wt % bicomponent fibers, and 5.0 to 40.0 wt % polyester fibers. The alpaca fibers have a length of 40.0 to 70.0 mm. The bicomponent fibers have a length of 40.0 mm to 60.0 mm and a linear mass density of 0.11 to 0.33 mg/m. The polyester fibers have a length of 40.0 mm to 60.0 mm and a linear mass density of 0.22 to 0.44 mg/m. Blending, combing, carding, and lapping of the alpaca fibers, the bicomponent fibers, and the polyester fibers forms a matte, which when needled and heated forms a batting having a weight of 50.0 to 400.0 g/m.sup.2.

An insulating fill material composition for use in outerwear, sleeping bags, bedding, and the like includes 40.0 to 85.0 wt % alpaca fibers, 10.0 to 20.0 wt % bicomponent fibers, and 5.0 to 40.0 wt % polyester fibers. The alpaca fibers have a length of 40.0 to 70.0 mm. The bicomponent fibers have a length of 40.0 mm to 60.0 mm and a linear mass density of 0.11 to 0.33 mg/m. The polyester fibers have a length of 40.0 mm to 60.0 mm and a linear mass density of 0.22 to 0.44 mg/m. Blending, combing, carding, and lapping of the alpaca fibers, the bicomponent fibers, and the polyester fibers forms a matte, which when needled and heated forms a batting having a weight of 50.0 to 400.0 g/m.sup.2.

Thermally stable absorbable fiber populations, i.e. fiber populations that do not undergo thermally induced crystallization, can be intermixed with thermally unstable fibers to yield a stabilizing effect without altering morphological properties of a fiber system. Via this, one may minimize thermally induced shrinkage and maintain physical properties of electrospun materials in the as-formed state.

Thermally stable absorbable fiber populations, i.e. fiber populations that do not undergo thermally induced crystallization, can be intermixed with thermally unstable fibers to yield a stabilizing effect without altering morphological properties of a fiber system. Via this, one may minimize thermally induced shrinkage and maintain physical properties of electrospun materials in the as-formed state.

A method for producing a multifilament, comprising (A) heat-melting a raw material composition to obtain a molten product and discharging the molten product through the discharge holes to obtain a plurality of raw filaments in a molten state; and (B) blowing gases onto the plurality of raw filaments, comprising (B1) blowing a first gas onto the plurality of raw filaments in the molten state to cool raw filaments and (B2) blowing a second gas onto the plurality of raw filaments cooled in (B1). In (B1), a temperature of the first gas is (Tc45 C.) to (Tc30 C.), Tc is a crystallization temperature of the poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) resin, and in (B2), a temperature of the second gas is higher than the temperature of the first gas, and is (Tc30 C.) to (Tc10 C.). The raw material composition contains a poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) resin. An average value of fineness of the single filaments is 15 dtex or less.

A method for producing a multifilament, comprising (A) heat-melting a raw material composition to obtain a molten product and discharging the molten product through the discharge holes to obtain a plurality of raw filaments in a molten state; and (B) blowing gases onto the plurality of raw filaments, comprising (B1) blowing a first gas onto the plurality of raw filaments in the molten state to cool raw filaments and (B2) blowing a second gas onto the plurality of raw filaments cooled in (B1). In (B1), a temperature of the first gas is (Tc45 C.) to (Tc30 C.), Tc is a crystallization temperature of the poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) resin, and in (B2), a temperature of the second gas is higher than the temperature of the first gas, and is (Tc30 C.) to (Tc10 C.). The raw material composition contains a poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) resin. An average value of fineness of the single filaments is 15 dtex or less.