How Nonwoven Fabric Is Made

How Nonwoven Fabric Is Made

An inside look at how the soft, durable, high-performance fabric in wet wipes is engineered - and why different manufacturing methods affect strength, softness, and flushability.

1. What Is Nonwoven Fabric?

“Nonwoven” fabric is a type of material made by bonding fibers together-rather than weaving or knitting them. This allows manufacturers to design fabric with specific properties such as:

• softness,
• strength,
• absorbency,
• dispersibility (for flushable wipes),
• cost efficiency.

Nearly all wet wipes use nonwoven fabrics because they can be engineered exactly for cleaning performance.

2. What Fibers Are Used?

Nonwoven fabrics may be made from:

• Plant-based fibers (wood pulp, cellulose, cotton, viscose)
• Synthetic fibers (polyester, polypropylene)
• Blends combining both types

Flushable wipes focus on plant-based fibers because they disperse and break apart in water.

3. Three Main Steps of Nonwoven Manufacturing

Nonwoven fabric is created through three major stages:

1. Fiber Preparation

Fibers are opened, cleaned, and mixed. For flushable wipes, wood pulp and cellulose are processed into soft, dispersible strands.

2. Web Formation

Fibers are arranged into a loose sheet called a “web.” This can be done by:

• Air-laid - fibers are blown into place using air.
• Wet-laid - fibers are suspended in water and drained onto a screen (similar to paper making).
• Carding - fibers are combed and layered mechanically.

Each method creates a different feel and strength level in the final fabric.

3. Bonding

This is the step that turns a loose web into a strong, usable fabric. Bonding can be done by:

• Hydroentangling (Spunlace) - high-pressure water jets twist fibers together.
  This is the most common method for wipes.
• Chemical bonding - adhesives or binders hold fibers together (not used for flushable wipes).
• Thermal bonding - heat melts part of synthetic fibers to fuse them (not flushable-friendly).

Flushable wipes depend heavily on spunlace hydroentangling because it allows strength during use while still enabling dispersibility.

4. Spunlace: The Gold Standard for Wipes

Spunlace (or hydroentangled) fabric is created by blasting water jets through layers of fibers to twist and interlock them.

Advantages include:

• soft handfeel,
• high absorbency,
• good wet strength,
• plastic-free (when using pure cellulose or viscose),
• excellent dispersibility when engineered correctly.

Plushwipes uses high-quality spunlace with premium plant-based fibers to deliver comfort and break down like toilet paper - third-party slosh box tested.

5. Flushable vs. Non-Flushable Nonwovens

Non-flushable wipes use:

• synthetic fibers (polyester, polypropylene),
• thermal bonding techniques,
• strong, plastic-heavy webs.

Flushable wipes use:

• pure plant-based fibers,
• wet-laid or air-laid technology,
• spunlace bonding (water-jet).

These materials break apart easily in water, helping them pass GD4 and IWSFG tests.

6. How Nonwoven Quality Affects Performance

The manufacturing method impacts:

• softness - more hydroentangling = softer fabric
• strength - longer fibers = stronger wet performance
• absorbency - more pulp = higher absorbency
• dispersibility - pure cellulose = best breakup
• handfeel - premium pulps (e.g., Lenzing fibers) feel smoother

This is why two wipes can look similar but feel completely different.

7. Key Takeaways

• Nonwoven fabric is engineered, not woven or knitted.
• Plant-based fibers create the best flushable fabrics.
• Spunlace (hydroentangling) is the gold standard for soft, durable wipes.
• Fiber choice and bonding method determine softness, strength, and dispersibility.
• High-quality flushable wipes use cellulose-rich webs designed to break apart quickly in water.

Understanding how nonwoven fabric is made reveals why premium wipes feel better, perform better, and disperse safely in plumbing systems.