Shown are thermo-fusible conjugate fibers having a high degree of crystallinity, while a degree of orientation is suppressed, and a bulky and soft nonwoven fabric using the same. The thermo-fusible conjugate fibers have, as a first component, a polyester-based resin, and as a second component, an olefin-based resin having a melting point lower than a melting point of the first component, in which the degree of orientation in the polyester-based resin is 6.0 or less, and the degree of crystallinity therein is 20% or more. The conjugate fibers are preferably sheath-core conjugate fibers in which the first component is a core component and the second component is a sheath component.

Nonwoven materials having at least one layer comprising high core bicomponent fibers are provided. The nonwoven materials can have multiple layers and are suitable for use in a variety of applications, including in absorbent products. The nonwoven materials can have improved resiliency and strength and can retain their structure under wetted conditions and after tension and compression.

The present invention relates to an elastic nonwoven fabric comprising a nonwoven web that is made of a plurality of fibers, which fibers are bicomponent fibers which each comprise a first component and a second component, wherein the first component is present in an amount in the range of from 80-95% by weight and the second component is present in an amount in the range of from 5-20% by weight, both weights based on the total weight of each fiber; wherein the first component comprises an ethylene/-olefin copolymer and the second component comprises a low density polyethylene having a density in the range of from 0.90-0.95 g/cm.sup.3 (as determined with ASTM D792); wherein the first component and the second component both have a melt flow rate in the range of from 10-40 g/10 min (as determined by ASTM D1238 (190 C., 2.16 kg)); and wherein the nonwoven web comprises a side which is provided with a pattern of individualized bonded areas, wherein the surface of the bonded areas is in the range of 8-25%, based on the total surface of the side. The present invention further relates to a process for preparing the nonwoven fabric, and an article comprising the nonwoven fabric.

A nonwoven fabric, comprising thermoplastic fibers, a first surface side and a second surface side which is a surface side opposite to the first surface side, wherein the nonwoven fabric has outer surface fiber layers on the first surface side and the second surface side in which fibers are oriented in plane direction; and a plurality of connecting portions arranged between the outer surface fiber layer on the first surface side and the outer surface fiber layer on the second surface side, in which fibers are oriented in thickness direction of the nonwoven fabric; and part of the fibers is fused to each other between the outer surface fiber layer on the first surface side, the outer surface fiber layer on the second surface side, and the connecting portions.

A multi-component fiber including at least first and second components. In some cases, at least a portion of the first component is opaque and microporous, and the second component is different from the first component. In some cases, at least a portion of the second component can be seen through at least a portion of the first component. A fiber having an opaque, microporous region and a see-through region of lower porosity is also disclosed. Fibrous webs including such fibers are also disclosed. In some cases, the fibrous web has at least one first region where first portions of the multiple fibers are opaque and microporous and at least one second region where second portions of the multiple fibers form a see-through region of lower porosity. Articles and laminates including the fibrous webs are disclosed. Methods of making the fibers, fibrous webs, and articles are also disclosed.

Fibrous elements, such as filaments and/or fibers, and more particularly to fibrous elements that contain a fast wetting surfactant, fibrous structures made therefrom, and methods for making same are provided.

A non-woven fabric and a battery separator which have good handleability, high tensile strength and a thin thickness. The non-woven fabric is composed of a composite fiber of a core-sheath structure consisting of a core part and a sheath part covering the core part, wherein the core part of the composite fiber is formed of a first polyolefin-based resin, the sheath part of the composite fiber is formed of a second polyolefin-based resin having a melting point lower than that of the first polyolefin-based resin, a plurality of composite fibers are integrated by fusion-bonding the sheath parts each other, and the non-woven fabric has a basis weight of 3 g/m.sup.2 or more and an amount of strain, S, of 50 mm.sup.2 or less as calculated by a following formula (I)

S (mm.sup.2)=(MD.sub.1MD.sub.0)(CD.sub.0CD.sub.1)(I).

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.

A wound product and a method of manufacturing the wound product is provided. The wound product comprises a first layer comprising a plurality of splittable fibres. At least some of the plurality of splittable fibres are split longitudinally along at least part of their length, and at least some of the plurality of splittable fibres are entangled.

A method comprises exposing a particle coating disposed on a nonwoven fiber web comprising thermally-softenable fibers to pulsed electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 1000 nm. The particle coating comprises distinct particles that are not chemically bonded to each other, and are not retained in a binder material other than the thermally-softenable fibers. Also disclosed are nonwoven articles comprising a thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web having a particle coating disposed thereon. The particle coating comprises distinct particles that are not chemically bonded to each other and are not retained in a binder material other than the thermally-softenable nonwoven fiber web. The particle coating is at least 60 percent retained after a one minute immersion in isopropanol at 22 C.