A nonwoven web made up of continuous fibers that include a polymer component, the web being bonded by a bond pattern including spaced apart closed figures arranged in a repeating pattern, the web having an abrasion rating of 3 or higher and an average HOM of less than 6 grams.

A nonwoven web made up of continuous fibers that include a polymer component, the web being bonded by a bond pattern including spaced apart closed figures arranged in a repeating pattern, the web having an abrasion rating of 3 or higher and an average HOM of less than 6 grams.

Provided is a sheet for an absorbent article including a nonwoven fabric containing cellulose-based fibers in an amount of more than 90% by mass, the nonwoven fabric being formed by entangling fibers, wherein the nonwoven fabric includes a plurality of first entanglement portions spaced apart from each other and a plurality of second entanglement portions spaced apart from each other, each of the first entanglement portions has a regular pattern formed by a plurality of regions having a high fiber density (hereinafter referred to as high-density regions) and a plurality of regions having a low fiber density (hereinafter referred to as low-density regions).

Provided is a sheet for an absorbent article including a nonwoven fabric containing cellulose-based fibers in an amount of more than 90% by mass, the nonwoven fabric being formed by entangling fibers, wherein the nonwoven fabric includes a plurality of first entanglement portions spaced apart from each other and a plurality of second entanglement portions spaced apart from each other, each of the first entanglement portions has a regular pattern formed by a plurality of regions having a high fiber density (hereinafter referred to as high-density regions) and a plurality of regions having a low fiber density (hereinafter referred to as low-density regions).

A method for hydroforming a spun bonded nonwoven web includes applying a plurality of pressurized liquid jets onto an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web having an original loft while the web passes over a forming structure. A plurality of spun bonded fibers in the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web are reoriented from a closely packed substantially horizontal orientation to a more loosely packed orientation with greater vertical spacing between the fibers to produce a hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than the original loft of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web has a surface with a plurality of protuberances in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of apertures in the forming structure.

A method for hydroforming a composite precursor material includes forming a composite precursor material comprising an original spun bonded nonwoven web and a polymer film layer. The method also includes applying a plurality of pressurized liquid jets onto an outer surface of the original spun bonded nonwoven web while the composite precursor material passes over a forming structure to push and reorient a plurality of spun bonded fibers from a closely packed substantially horizontal orientation to a more loosely packed orientation with greater vertical spacing between the fibers to produce a hydroformed composite material comprising an expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than the original loft of the original spun bonded nonwoven web, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web.

A method of manufacturing zoned webs can include providing a substrate and transferring the substrate in a machine direction. The method can include modifying the substrate to include a plurality of lanes to provide a modified substrate. The plurality of lanes can include a first lane and a second lane. The first lane can include a first zone and a second zone. The first zone can include an open area greater than an open area of the second zone. The second lane can include a third zone and a fourth zone. The third zone can include an open area greater than an open area of the fourth zone. The first lane and the second lane can be formed such that the first zone in the first lane is staggered in the machine direction from the third zone in the second lane. The method can also include slitting the modified substrate between adjacent lanes in the plurality of lanes to provide zoned webs.

A method of manufacturing zoned webs can include providing a substrate and transferring the substrate in a machine direction. The method can include modifying the substrate to include a plurality of lanes to provide a modified substrate. The plurality of lanes can include a first lane and a second lane. The first lane can include a first zone and a second zone. The first zone can include an open area greater than an open area of the second zone. The second lane can include a third zone and a fourth zone. The third zone can include an open area greater than an open area of the fourth zone. The first lane and the second lane can be formed such that the first zone in the first lane is staggered in the machine direction from the third zone in the second lane. The method can also include slitting the modified substrate between adjacent lanes in the plurality of lanes to provide zoned webs.

The present invention relates to a process for making a fibrous web comprising a plurality of first areas comprising hydroentangled fibers, the first areas being discrete in a machine direction and/or a counter-machine direction, the process comprises subjecting a fibrous web to a hydroentanglement process directing water jets from a water injection means on to the fibrous web, and blocking at least one of the water jets from the water injection means discontinuously using a first blocking member positioned between the water injection means and the fibrous web wherein the first blocking member comprises at least one aperture, or at least one recess on its surface, and is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to a z-direction.

The present invention relates to a process and an apparatus for making a fibrous web comprising a plurality of first areas comprising hydroentangled fibers, the first areas being discrete in a machine direction and/or a counter-machine direction, wherein the process comprises subjecting a fibrous web to a first hydroentanglement process directing water jets from a water injection means comprising a plurality of orifices on to the fibrous web; blocking at least one water jet from the water injection means discontinuously by use of a first blocking member positioned between the water injection means and the fibrous web.