An article and method includes a nonwoven textile forming at least part of an upper of an article of footwear and binding fibers entangled with fibers of the folded portion and the major portion, the edge being secured, at least in part, to the major surface. The nonwoven textile is comprised of fibers and has a major portion and a folded portion, the folded portion including an edge of the nonwoven textile folded over to bring the edge in contact, at least in part, with a major surface of the major portion to form a folded edge.

A masterbatch is disclosed, along with associated methods, and biodegradable filaments, fibers, yarns and fabrics. The masterbatch includes 0.2 to 5 mass % CaCO.sub.3, an aliphatic polyester with a repeat unit having from two to six carbons in the chain between ester groups, with the proviso that the 2 to 6 carbons in the chain do not include side chain carbons, and a carrier polymer selected from the group consisting of PET, nylon, other thermoplastic polymers, and combinations thereof.

Provided is a nonwoven fabric for skin care products. The nonwoven fabric includes: a thermoplastic resin fiber having a single fiber diameter of 50 nm or more and 800 nm or less; and a cellulose fiber having a tensile strength measured in accordance with JIS L 1015:2010 8.7.2 of 1.9 cN/dtex or less. A total content of the thermoplastic resin fiber and the cellulose fiber is 85% by mass or more relative to a total mass of the nonwoven fabric for skin care products, and a content ratio by mass of the thermoplastic resin fiber and the cellulose fiber (Thermoplastic resin fiber/Cellulose fiber) is 0.06 to 0.22.

A bonded and entangled non-woven structure made of at least 50% staple fibers by weight of the bonded and entangled non-woven structure, and at least a partial bonding of the fibers of the non-woven structure. The at least partial bonding including thermally activated bonds between a first polyolefin material produced with a catalyst including at least one metallocene catalyst and having a melting point in the range 130-170 C. and a second material having a melting point which is at least 10 C. higher than the melting point of the first material, the weight of the first material in the non-woven structure being at least 3% of the weight of the nonwoven structure.

Disclosed herein are improvements to processes and equipment for the manufacture of composite nonwoven webs comprising a mixture of two or more different fibers and formed from at least two streams of air-entrained fibers. Adjacent the perimeter of an exit port of one of the fiber streams are located a series of spaced tabs and apertures. As a first stream of air-entrained fibers pass the series of tabs and apertures, vortices are formed therein. When mixed with a second stream of air-entrained fibers, the vortices within the first stream of fibers causes increased mixing of the fibers, helping to drive the first fibers deeper into the second stream of air-entrained fibers.

Disclosed herein are improvements to processes and equipment for the manufacture of composite nonwoven webs comprising a mixture of two or more different fibers and formed from at least two streams of air-entrained fibers. Adjacent the perimeter of an exit port of one of the fiber streams are located a series of spaced tabs and apertures. As a first stream of air-entrained fibers pass the series of tabs and apertures, vortices are formed therein. When mixed with a second stream of air-entrained fibers, the vortices within the first stream of fibers causes increased mixing of the fibers, helping to drive the first fibers deeper into the second stream of air-entrained fibers.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric having an air permeability of 2000 l/m.sup.2/s or less when measured at a pressure difference of 200 Pa according to EN ISO 9237, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least two sets of fibers, wherein a first fiber set comprises a significant level of splittable fibers and a second fiber set comprises a low level of splittable fibers or no splittable fibers; using the first fiber set to form at least one first fibrous web in a first web formation process and using the second fiber set to form at least one second fibrous web in a second web formation process; stacking the first and second webs so obtained to provide a multilayer web including two distinct layers of fibrous webs; and bonding the multilayer web. The invention further relates to a nonwoven fabric obtainable by such process and the use of such nonwoven fabric in acoustic isolation applications.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric having an air permeability of 2000 l/m.sup.2/s or less when measured at a pressure difference of 200 Pa according to EN ISO 9237, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least two sets of fibers, wherein a first fiber set comprises a significant level of splittable fibers and a second fiber set comprises a low level of splittable fibers or no splittable fibers; using the first fiber set to form at least one first fibrous web in a first web formation process and using the second fiber set to form at least one second fibrous web in a second web formation process; stacking the first and second webs so obtained to provide a multilayer web including two distinct layers of fibrous webs; and bonding the multilayer web. The invention further relates to a nonwoven fabric obtainable by such process and the use of such nonwoven fabric in acoustic isolation applications.

A water entanglement system having a first rotatable surface comprises a first water jet which may be configured to water-entangle a preform in situ. The water-entanglement system may comprise a second rotatable surface disposed proximate the first rotatable surface. The second rotatable surface may comprise a second water jet configured to water-entangle the preform in situ. The first rotatable surface may be oriented substantially parallel to the second rotatable surface.

A water entanglement system having a first rotatable surface comprises a first water jet which may be configured to water-entangle a preform in situ. The water-entanglement system may comprise a second rotatable surface disposed proximate the first rotatable surface. The second rotatable surface may comprise a second water jet configured to water-entangle the preform in situ. The first rotatable surface may be oriented substantially parallel to the second rotatable surface.