This material seems tobe a fabric

Non-woven fabric is an industrialproduct suitable for many different uses in any field. This material seems tobe a fabric, but its manufacture is obtained through different processes. Inparticular, the fibres of this fabric are arranged or crossed in layers andunited through thermal or adhesives processes, such as needle punching, resinor heat fixing.The needle punching is a process carried out with the aid of needles, which,with their vertical movement, allow the vertical penetration and compactness ofthe fibres, thanks to the overlapping of several veil layers. On the otherhand, the impregnation with resin highlights the brightness and colours of thefabric and gives it a polyester blend fabric three dimensional effect. Another type of process iscalled spun bonded: here the non-woven fabric derives from polymers consistingof continuous filaments of a series of dies, with points of intersectionswelded by presses.

The production of the non-woven fabric occurs through the use of synthetic ornatural fibres, such as cotton, wool or felt, and polyester resins; thereforethe result product is water resistant and impervious to high and lowtemperatures, but very soft.The non-woven fabric can be found within the most diverse industrial products,especially among the disposable items. For example, if the non-woven fabriccomes from the paper milling, it will be used for disposable table-cloths,napkins and the like, or it will be employed in the production of fabrics fordusting or cleaning. We find the use of this material even in the building (toset ceilings or as a substrate for building), in the field of furniture: sofas,armchairs or chairs, in medical clothes, for instance gowns, caps and shoecovers, in the beauty centres (covers for beds or slippers), in the sector ofagriculture (sheets for the protection of plants, flowers or trees), in theclothing (straps for clothes), in industry in general, but especially in thefield of packaging, (as the Omet tissue convertingbranch does), in the photography (backdrop photos), as well as in the sport field(in the competition ring for the hurdles jumping).

As described above, the use of non-woven fabric occurs in many disparatefields, even in the manufacturing of baby nappies, incontinence products orsanitary pads, in packaging, in the filtration of gases and liquids, forexample in the mechanism of the vacuum cleaner, but also for the permeabilityand resistance to the infiltration, for the protection from viruses andbacteria and the neutralization of the odours, to make the products breathable.Moreover, its use also appears in the lining of houses and roofs as insulationmaterial. A further feature of the non-woven involves the waste containment,because the non-woven material prevents the chemical contamination of the soiland the thermal insulation. Moreover, the manufacturing of underlay andcurtains makes use of the non-woven fabric.The use of this material has enabled many innovations in all fields mentionedabove, in both domestic and industrial sector; for example it has made softerand more comfortable nappies for children, allowing the development of the pantnappies which enable the children to run and move freely.