A sheet-shaped object which is thin and, despite this, has a surface that is dense and is soft to the touch and which has practicable strength and a process for producing the sheet-shaped object are disclosed. This sheet-shaped object comprises ultrafine fibers having an average single-fiber diameter of 0.1-7 μm and a polymeric elastomer comprising a polyurethane as a major component, wherein when a layer extending from one surface to a depth of 50% of the thickness is referred to as layer (A) and a layer extending from the other surface to a depth of 50% of the thickness is referred to as layer (B), then the ratio of the density of fibers (A′) in the layer (A) to the density of fibers (B′) in the layer (B) satisfies the following expression (a) and the ratio of the density of the polymeric elastomer comprising a polyurethane as a major component (A″) in the layer (A) to the density thereof (B″) in the layer (B) satisfies the following expression (b). The sheet-shaped object as a whole has a density of 0.2-0.6 g/cm.sup.3. 1>(A′)/(B′)≧0.5 (a) 1>(A″)/(B″)≧0.6 (b).

A fiber formed from a thermoplastic composition that contains a thermoplastic starch and an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester is provided. The copolyester enhances the strength of the starch-containing fibers and facilitates the ability of the starch to be melt processed. Due to its relatively low melting point, the copolyester may also be extruded with the thermoplastic starch at a temperature low enough to avoid substantial removal of the moisture in the starch. Furthermore, the copolyester is also modified with an alcohol to contain one or more hydroxyalkyl or alkyl terminal groups. By selectively controlling the conditions of the alcoholysis reaction (e.g., alcohol and copolymer concentrations, temperature, etc.), the resulting modified aliphatic-aromatic copolyester may have a relatively low molecular weight. Such low molecular weight polymers have the combination of a higher melt flow index and lower apparent viscosity, which is useful in a variety of fiber forming applications, such as meltblowing nonwoven webs.

Nonwoven fibrous webs including randomly oriented discrete fibers defining a multiplicity of non-hollow projections extending from a major surface of the nonwoven fibrous web (as considered without the projections), and a plurality of substantially planar land areas formed between each adjoining projection in a plane defined by and substantially parallel with the major surface. In some exemplary embodiments, the randomly oriented discrete fibers include multi-component fibers having at least a first region having a first melting temperature and a second region having a second melting temperature, wherein the first melting temperature is less than the second melting temperature. At least a portion of the oriented discrete fibers are bonded together at a plurality of intersection points with the first region of the multi-component fibers. In certain embodiments, the patterned air-laid nonwoven fibrous webs include particulates. Methods of making and using such patterned air-laid nonwoven fibrous webs are also disclosed.

The invention refers to a process for the preparation of a microfibrous non-woven fabric based on polyester or polyamide microfibers immersed in a polyurethane matrix, and having a thickness equal to or less than 0.65 mm, a flat or slightly mottled appearance and a nap length of less than 350 μm. The non-woven fabric is used for the preparation of coverings for consumer goods, particularly for the preparation of covers and cases for electronic products.

To prepare a shaped product comprising a thermal adhesive fiber under moisture and having a fiber aggregate nonwoven structure. In the shaped product, the thermal adhesive fibers under moisture are melted to bond to fibers constituting the fiber aggregate nonwoven structure and the bonded fiber ratio is not more than 85%. The shaped product has an apparent density of 0.05 to 0.7 g/cm.sup.3, a maximum bending stress of not less than 0.05 MPa in at least one direction, and a bending stress of not less than ⅕ of the maximum bending stress at 1.5 times as large as the bending deflection at the maximum bending stress. The moistenable-thermal adhesive fiber may be a sheath-core form conjugated fiber comprising a sheath part comprising an ethylene-vinyl alcohol-series copolymer and a core part comprising a polyester-series resin. Such a shaped product can be used for a building board or the like since the shaped product has a high bending stress although the product is light and has a low density.

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. A tensile strength of the cellulose fiber measured in accordance with JIS L 1015:2010 8.7.2 is 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, a content ratio by mass of the thermoplastic resin fiber and the cellulose fiber (thermoplastic resin fiber/cellulose fiber) is 0.23 to 1.50, and a density of the nonwoven fabric for skin care products is 0.08 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.16 g/cm.sup.3.

Fibrous structures, for example sanitary tissue products, containing a plurality of filaments that employ one or more filament-forming materials, such as one or more hydroxyl polymers, and one or more hueing agents, present within the filaments such that the fibrous structures exhibit a Whiteness Index of greater than 72 as measured according to the Whiteness Index Test Method described herein.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a nonwoven web may be manufactured by a process that includes forming a bicomponent fiber and forming the bicomponent fiber into the nonwoven web. The bicomponent fiber may comprise one or more primary polymer regions and two or more secondary polymer regions. The primary polymer regions may comprise polyethylene. The secondary polymer regions may comprise polypropylene, polyester, or polyamide. The primary polymer regions may comprise at least 2.5 wt. % of polypropylene, polyester, or polyamide, or the secondary polymer regions may comprise at least 2.5 wt. % of polyethylene, or both.

A sheet material includes a polymeric elastomer and a fiber-entangled body including, as a constituent element, a nonwoven fabric including ultrafine fibers having an average single fiber diameter of 1.0 μm or more and 10.0 μm or less. The ultrafine fibers include a polyester-based resin including a black pigment (a.sub.1). The black pigment (a.sub.1) has an average particle diameter of 0.05 μm or more and 0.20 μm or less and has a coefficient of variation (CV) of the average particle diameter of 75% or less. The polymeric elastomer includes a polyurethane including a black pigment (b). The sheet material has a nap coverage of 70% or more and 100% or less on a surface having a nap.

Disclosed is a napped artificial leather including: an artificial leather base material that includes a non-woven fabric of polyester fibers having a Young's modulus of 1 to 6 GPa, an average fiber-toughness of 8 to 40 cN.Math.%, and a crystallinity of 35% or less, and an elastic polymer, the artificial leather base material having, on at least one surface thereof, a napped surface on which the polyester fibers are napped. Also disclosed are polyester fibers having a Young's modulus of 1 to 6 GPa, an average fiber-toughness of 8 to 40 cN.Math.%, and a crystallinity of 35% or less, and a non-woven fabric including the polyester fibers.