An alumina fiber aggregate that is formed of alumina short fibers and has been subjected to needling treatment, wherein the alumina short fibers have an average fiber diameter of 6.0 μm or more and 10.0 μm or less and a specific surface area of 0.2 m.sup.2/g or more and 1.0 m.sup.2/g or less, and a residual percentage (%) of high-temperature-cycle opened gap pressure of the alumina fiber aggregate is 45% or more. A value obtained by subtracting twice the standard error of a length-weighted geometric mean diameter of fiber diameters of the alumina short fibers from the length-weighted geometric mean diameter is 6.0 μm or more. A proportion of alumina short fibers having a fiber diameter of more than 10.0 μm is preferably 5.0% or less on a number basis.

A method of manufacturing an article may include positioning a first textile sheet against a second textile sheet and reciprocating a single needle of an embroidery machine through the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet, the needle forcing fibers of the second textile sheet through the first textile sheet. The fibers may have terminal ends extending outward of an exterior side of the first textile sheet through which the fibers are forced. A method may include forcing fibers from a second side to an opposite side of a single textile sheet to create a pattern of the fibers on the opposite side. Various articles such as footwear uppers may be manufactured according to the method.

A method of manufacturing an article may include positioning a first textile sheet against a second textile sheet and reciprocating a single needle of an embroidery machine through the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet, the needle forcing fibers of the second textile sheet through the first textile sheet. The fibers may have terminal ends extending outward of an exterior side of the first textile sheet through which the fibers are forced. A method may include forcing fibers from a second side to an opposite side of a single textile sheet to create a pattern of the fibers on the opposite side. Various articles such as footwear uppers may be manufactured according to the method.

A method of manufacturing an article may include positioning a first textile sheet against a second textile sheet and reciprocating a single needle of an embroidery machine through the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet, the needle forcing fibers of the second textile sheet through the first textile sheet. The fibers may have terminal ends extending outward of an exterior side of the first textile sheet through which the fibers are forced. A method may include forcing fibers from a second side to an opposite side of a single textile sheet to create a pattern of the fibers on the opposite side. Various articles such as footwear uppers may be manufactured according to the method.

An alumina fiber aggregate that is formed of alumina short fibers and has been subjected to needling treatment, wherein the alumina short fibers have an average fiber diameter of 6.0 m or more and 10.0 m or less and a specific surface area of 0.2 m.sup.2/g or more and 1.0 m.sup.2/g or less, and a residual percentage (%) of high-temperature-cycle opened gap pressure of the alumina fiber aggregate is 45% or more. A value obtained by subtracting twice the standard error of a length-weighted geometric mean diameter of fiber diameters of the alumina short fibers from the length-weighted geometric mean diameter is 6.0 m or more. A proportion of alumina short fibers having a fiber diameter of more than 10.0 m is preferably 5.0% or less on a number basis.

Provided herein are an automotive interior material and a method for manufacturing the same. The automotive interior material is capable of allowing high rigidity and weight reduction to be implemented and allowing a bracket, a skin material, and other accessories to be easily attached to a surface of the automotive interior material, using a thermosetting resin and a multi-layered felt layer configured with a first felt layer made of a first material containing a natural fiber and a synthetic fiber, and a second felt layer attached on top of the first felt layer and made of a second material which contains a natural fiber and a synthetic fiber and is different from the first material in at least one of a component and a composition.

Provided herein are an automotive interior material and a method for manufacturing the same. The automotive interior material is capable of allowing high rigidity and weight reduction to be implemented and allowing a bracket, a skin material, and other accessories to be easily attached to a surface of the automotive interior material, using a thermosetting resin and a multi-layered felt layer configured with a first felt layer made of a first material containing a natural fiber and a synthetic fiber, and a second felt layer attached on top of the first felt layer and made of a second material which contains a natural fiber and a synthetic fiber and is different from the first material in at least one of a component and a composition.

A long-fiber nonwoven fabric of the present invention contains a resin having a polyethylene terephthalate component of 99% or more. The long-fiber nonwoven fabric has a dry heat area shrinkage rate of 30% or more at 100 C. for 3 minutes, and constituent fibers of the long-fiber nonwoven fabric have a birefringence index (n) of 1010.sup.3 to 6010.sup.3 and a specific gravity of 1.335 to 1.340 g/cm.sup.3.

A three-dimensional object printer is configured to enable the density of material ejected by at least one printhead onto a rotating platen near its circumferential edge to be approximately the same as the density of the material ejected onto the rotating platen near the center of the platen.

Methods and systems are provided for a process to generate a nonwoven textile. In one example, the nonwoven textile may have layered, zonal properties resulting from entangling of two or more types of staple fibers through a merging region between the layers of staple fibers while maintaining distinct zones, each zone comprising a type of staple fiber. Furthermore, the process may include embedding a filament layer into the nonwoven textile via a continuous assembly line.