Spunlace nonwoven fabric, manufactured to order
Carded staple fibres hydroentangled into a soft, lofty, cloth-like fabric.
- Polymers and fibres
- Viscose · PET · Cotton · Tencel · PP · PLA · Blends of the above
- Construction
- Parallel-laid carded web, hydroentangled · Cross-lapped carded web, hydroentangled
- Specify
- Basis weight (GSM), width, colour, treatment and finish, to order. Minimum order: one 40-foot container.
Properties
- Soft, cloth-like hand
- High absorbency
- Low lint
- Good drape
- High wet strength
- Binder-free bonding
Applications
- Wet wipes
- Dry household wipes
- Workplace and industrial wipes
- Automotive headliners
- Interior trims, seating, moulded parts, trunk liners
- Wound care tapes and bandages
- Gauze
- Artificial leather backing
- Towels
- Curtains and wall coverings
- Shoe and bag linings
- Scratch-free, breathable technical packaging
Technical notes
Spunlace, or hydroentangled nonwoven, is made by carding staple fibres into a web and then bonding that web with rows of fine, high-pressure water jets. The jets drive fibres through the web and around one another until the structure holds together mechanically. No binder and no thermal bonding are involved, which is why spunlace keeps the softness, absorbency and drape of the fibre it is made from.
The fibre choice sets the character of the fabric. Viscose and cotton give absorbency and a natural hand; PET adds strength and dimensional stability; Tencel brings a smooth, cool surface; polypropylene gives chemical resistance and low cost; PLA offers a bio-based alternative. Most commercial spunlace is a blend, and we manufacture to the blend ratio you specify.
The way the carded web is laid sets its strength profile. Parallel-laid webs orient fibres along the machine direction for maximum tensile strength in that direction. Cross-lapped webs fold the carded web across the line so strength is balanced between machine and cross direction, which suits products that are stretched or converted in both axes.
Spunlace is the standard substrate for wet and dry wipes because it is soft, lint-free and strong when wet. The same properties carry it into medical and hygiene products, automotive interiors, coated and laminated composites, and technical packaging where a scratch-free, breathable wrap is needed.
We manufacture spunlace to order. Send us the basis weight, width, fibre blend, laying method and any finish or treatment, together with the end use, and we will quote the specification delivered.