Nonwoven fabrics including (i) continuous fibers and (ii) a blend of staple fibers comprising polyester staple fibers, bicomponent staple fibers, microfiber staple fibers, and wettable staple fibers, in which the continuous fibers are mechanically entangled with the blend of staple fibers. The continuous fibers and the blend of staple fibers may be mechanically entangled via a hydroentangling process.

A process for foam forming webs is disclosed. The foam formed webs can be used as wiping products, such as industrial wipers, food service wipers, and the like. The web contains a mixture of cellulosic fibers and longer, strength building fibers. The web is foam formed and then subjected to one or more hydroentangling steps. After hydroentangling, the web is dried in a non-compressive manner.

The invention relates to a filter material for a smoking product, comprising a nonwoven material, wherein the nonwoven material is hydro-entangled, the hydro-entangled nonwoven material contains min. 50% and max. 90% wood cellulose fibres, min. 10% and max. 50% fibres from regenerated cellulose and less than 30% non-natural polymers, in relation to the mass of the hydro-entangled nonwoven material, and together the amount of wood cellulose fibres and fibres from regenerated cellulose make up at least 70% of the mass of the hydro-entangled nonwoven material, and the hydro-entangled nonwoven material has a density of min 100 kg/m.sup.3 and max. 300 kg/m.sup.3 and a thickness of min. 100 μm and max. 1000 μm. The invention also relates to a segment with the filter material, a smoking product and a production method.

Provided is a composite nonwoven fabric including: a silk region that contains crimped silk fibers as a main component; and a synthetic fiber nonwoven fabric region that contains polyolefin resin-containing synthetic fibers as a main component.

A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.

A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.

A method of forming a hydro-patterned nonwoven web including the steps of forming a nonwoven batt comprising continuous spunmelt fibers, calender bonding the nonwoven batt to form a thermobonded precursor nonwoven web with a bond pattern that defines bond impressions and unbonded areas between the individual bond impressions, and hydraulically treating the thermobonded precursor nonwoven by a plurality of steps of water injection as the thermobonded nonwoven web passes over a screen. The bond pattern has specific features that provide advantages in terms of mechanical properties and visual appearance of the final nonwoven product.

A method of forming an apertured hydro-patterned nonwoven web including the steps of forming a nonwoven batt comprising continuous spunmelt fibers, calender bonding the nonwoven batt to form a fully bonded precursor nonwoven web with a regular bond pattern that defines individual bond impressions and unbonded areas between the individual bond impressions, the regular bond pattern having a percentage bond area of 10% to 25%, and hydraulically imparting the fully bonded precursor nonwoven web with a plurality of apertures, the step of hydraulically imparting comprising hydraulically treating the fully bonded precursor nonwoven web by a plurality of steps of water injection as the fully bonded nonwoven web passes over a plurality of pins.

A composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) and a process (100, 101, 102) for the production of the composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) are shown, wherein the composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) comprises at least one spunbonded nonwoven (8, 54, 64), which exhibits essentially continuous regenerated cellulosic filaments (4, 55, 65) deposited in a random orientation, and at least one layer (52, 62) of biobased biodegradable short fibers (14, 53, 63). So as to provide a fully biodegradable composite nonwoven fabric of the initially mentioned type, which exhibits a high stability and tensile strength as well as good absorption properties and haptic properties and, in addition, can be produced in a cost-efficient way, it is suggested that the composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) has at least one mixing area (56, 66) in which the filaments (4, 55, 65) of the spunbonded nonwoven (8, 54, 64) and the short fibers (14, 53, 63) are present in a state of physical interconnection.

A composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) and a process (100, 101, 102) for the production of the composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) are shown, wherein the composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) comprises at least one spunbonded nonwoven (8, 54, 64), which exhibits essentially continuous regenerated cellulosic filaments (4, 55, 65) deposited in a random orientation, and at least one layer (52, 62) of biobased biodegradable short fibers (14, 53, 63). So as to provide a fully biodegradable composite nonwoven fabric of the initially mentioned type, which exhibits a high stability and tensile strength as well as good absorption properties and haptic properties and, in addition, can be produced in a cost-efficient way, it is suggested that the composite nonwoven fabric (1, 51, 61) has at least one mixing area (56, 66) in which the filaments (4, 55, 65) of the spunbonded nonwoven (8, 54, 64) and the short fibers (14, 53, 63) are present in a state of physical interconnection.