Raw Materials

The three categories of raw materials used to produce a nonwoven fabric are:
* Fibers
* Binders
* Additives

Fibers
Fibers are the basic units of a nonwoven structure. Consequently, much of the utility properties and performance of a nonwoven is due to the fibers used. A fiber has been defined as any substance, natural or manmade, with a high length-to-width ratio and with suitable characteristics for being processed into a fabric.

A wide range of fiber types, both synthetic and natural, has been employed in the production of nonwoven products. It is very likely that every fiber known to mankind has been used in a nonwoven structure at one time or another. However, commercially important nonwoven fabrics have been limited to relatively few fiber types, in view of the large that are available.

The dominant fibers include polypropylene, polyester and rayon. Between them these three fiber types made up a substantial part of the overall nonwoven market for fibers. In Western Europe, for example, the three siteing for nearly 70% of staple fiber consumption by the nonwovens industry.

Binders
For many years, almost all nonwovens required a chemical binder in order to provide any measure of structural integrity. In addition, the binder was called upon to contribute and convey numerous properties that were necessary for the effective performance of the fabric.

In the very early stages of nonwoven development, different types of natural resins and glues were used to bond nonwovens. Later on, synthetic binders were developed to meet the structural and performance requirements of nonwoven fabrics.

Adding a latex binder can be a cost-effective way of consolidating a fiber web and achieving specific properties. It often results that adding a latex binder can be done at a lower cost than using a special binder fiber. In many cases, there can be a combination of chemical binder with mechanical and thermal bonding techniques, affording the finished fabric properties that would be impossible to achieve otherwise. Furthermore binder systems can accept pigments and dyes, so they can often help in adding colour to nonwoven fabrics.

Additives
Many non-fibrous materials are used in the manufacture, bonding and finishing of nonwoven webs. Many of these are applied in one form or another to the preformed web usually after bonding and as a secondary process.
Additive materials which are properly classified as raw materials are those added to the fibre or filament structure during web laydown and might include thermally active powders and absorbents.