Nonwovens are a model material for the fashion industry. Used for many decades in hidden, support functions, such as interlinings and components of shoes and bags, today young designers are using nonwovens as a creative and versatile new material.
The elegance, style and function of clothes depend largely on the presence and performance of interlinings. Nonwovens are ideally suited for interlinings as they offer substantial advantages over traditional fabrics and indeed count for some two thirds of the interlining market. The success of nonwovens is due to their versatility and the ability to engineer many different properties into them, such as shape-retention, adaptation to the characteristics of the out fabric and lightness in weight.
Today, the global retail sector is fascinated with the prospect of incorporating nonwoven fabrics in fashion, sports and outdoor performance apparel as a means of providing something “different” to current woven and knitted apparel.
Some examples of where nonwovens are used:
Interlinings (fronts of overcoats, collars, facings, waistbands, lapels etc)
Disposable underwear
Shoe components (Shoelace eyelet reinforcement, Athletic shoe & sandal reinforcement, inner sole lining
Bag components
Bonding agent
Composition and (wash) care labels
The advantages of using nonwovens:
Dimensional stability (even in high temperature e.g. clothes dryer cycle)
Easy to slit, die-cut, sew, seam, glue, laminate and trim, without fraying
Light weight
Ease-of-use
Improved adhesion
Softness
Easily to add scent, anti-static, and softener treatments
Non-ravelling edges
Colour stability
High tear, breaking, puncture and abrasion resistance
Stretchability
Strength
Chemically inert
Main technologies used:
Chemically bonded
Thermobonded
Needlepunched
Hydro-entangled
Spunlaid
