Types, processing techniques, and application scenarios of elastic nonwoven fabrics for hygiene materials
| Serial No. | Products Name | Processing Technology | Application Scenarios | Product Performance Specifications |
| 1 | Four-sided elastic nonwoven fabric | A large amount of elastic material is added to the single-component PP nonwoven fabric material. | Face mask, elastic ear loops | The processing technology is simple, and the product is four-sided elastic, which is not conducive to high-speed online unwinding. |
| 2 | Transverse elastic coated composite nonwoven fabric | An elastic film is coated between two layers of single-component nonwoven fabric. | Disposable diapers and period pants with elastic side panels | Low production volume, poor air permeability, some film-like noise, low cost is its advantage. |
| 3 | Spandex composite elastic nonwoven fabric | The fabric consists of two layers of single-component nonwoven fabric with spandex filaments spaced apart in between. It can be produced online or offline. | Disposable diapers, period pants with elastic waistbands, elastic side panels | The produced products have poor breathability and a strong constricting feeling. Offline products are not conducive to high-speed online unwinding. Depending on the application, both horizontal and vertical elastic can be produced. Currently, a comprehensive balance between efficiency and cost is needed. |
| 4 | Perforated breathable elastic membrane composite nonwoven fabric | Two layers of single-component nonwoven fabric with an elastic perforated membrane ultrasonically bonded in between. | Disposable diapers, period pants with elastic waistbands, elastic side panels | The product has very low production efficiency, high cost, and good air permeability, which is not conducive to high-speed online unwinding and limits its widespread application. |
| 5 | Two-component activated magic elastic nonwoven fabric | By combining fibers with different structural layers in two components—either as a core and sheath or arranged side-by-side—the product gains implicit elasticity. | Disposable diapers, period pants with elastic waistbands, elastic side panels | Before activation, the product facilitates high-speed unwinding; after activation, it delivers elasticity, and the delicate, fluffy texture of the two-component blend is fully utilized for breathability. Each fiber is given elasticity, providing excellent coverage and a memory-like elasticity, effectively ensuring privacy. |
| 6 | Partially elastic non-woven fabric | Between two layers of single-component nonwoven fabric, a layer of elastic film is locally coated or bonded with hot melt adhesive. | Left and right tabs for adult diapers, left and right tabs for baby pants | Excellent heat bonding, high production efficiency, adjustable waist length, and improved wearing comfort. |
1. What are four-sided elastic nonwoven fabric and transverse elastic coated composite nonwoven fabric?
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Four-sided elastic nonwoven fabric
is a type of nonwoven fabric formed by incorporating a large amount of elastic material into a single-component spunbond nonwoven material using a spunbond process. Each fiber possesses elasticity.
Product CD/MD Flexibility Available Simultaneously
➢ Advantages: Simple processing; can be produced on ordinary spunbond nonwoven equipment using only raw materials and processes; low R&D investment; high output.
➢ Disadvantages: Four-sided elasticity is not conducive to high-speed online unwinding; high cost; rapid material degradation; poor breathability, etc.
➢ Applications: Face masks, elastic ear loops in face masks, bandage dressings, etc.
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Transverse elastic coated composite nonwoven fabric
is made by depositing an elastic film between two layers of spunbond nonwoven fabric using a lamination process. The transverse shrinkage of the nonwoven fabric imparts transverse elasticity to the product.
Product Only CD is flexible.
➢ Advantages: Simple processing; can be produced on lamination equipment using only raw materials and a lamination stretching process; high elasticity ratio and elastic recovery rate; adaptable to high-speed production lines; low cost.
➢ Disadvantages: Poor breathability, poor comfort, strong plastic film feel, low output, cannot produce low-grammage fabrics, etc.
➢ Applications: Waistband patches, hand warmers, and elastic waistband patches for diapers, etc.
2. What are spandex composite elastic nonwoven fabric and perforated breathable elastic membrane composite nonwoven fabric?
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Spandex composite elastic nonwoven fabric
is made by laminating two layers of nonwoven fabric with spandex elastic fibers spaced at regular intervals between them using a hot melt adhesive process. Depending on the application, the lamination can be done online or offline.
The product is MD flexibility available or CD flexibility available
➢ Advantages: Simple processing, one-step process and online lamination with equipment, high production efficiency, and minimal waste; high resilience and recovery rate.
➢ Disadvantages: Poor hand feel, with a gauze-like texture; due to the even distribution of spandex elastic bands, it leaves severe marks; poor comfort and privacy; poor breathability; low efficiency in offline product processing, etc.
➢ Applications: Diapers, menstrual pants with elastic waistbands, elastic side panels, and disposable underwear, etc.
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Perforated breathable elastic membrane composite nonwoven fabric
is produced using an ultrasonic lamination process. An elastic membrane is sandwiched between two layers of nonwoven fabric, and the lamination is performed simultaneously with ultrasonic waves, which perforate the elastic membrane. This process can only be done offline.
Product Only MD is flexible.
➢ Advantages: Good breathability; high elasticity and recovery rate.
➢ Disadvantages: Poor hand feel, with a gauze-like texture; poor breathability; low offline processing efficiency and high production costs.
➢ Applications: Diapers, menstrual pants, elastic waistbands, etc.
3. What is two-component activated magic elastic nonwoven fabric ?
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Two-component activated magic elastic nonwoven fabric
is manufactured using a two-component nonwoven fabric processing technology. Through at least three layers of two-component equipment, each layer of the product is composed of a nonwoven fabric with a different fiber structure and different materials, resulting in invisible elasticity. Activation can be performed online or offline, depending on the application requirements.
The product can activate CD elasticity according to application needs; it can also activate MD elasticity; and it can even activate elasticity by combining CD and MD. CD/MD can be activated different elasticity ratios and rebound forces depending on the application requirements.
➢ Advantages: Before elastic activation, the Magic Elastic is indistinguishable from ordinary non-woven fabric, ensuring high-speed production for downstream applications, improving production efficiency, and reducing waste. After elastic activation, the product is soft, fluffy, and breathable, leaving no marks or feeling when worn, ensuring privacy. Its resilience and recovery rate have a memory function, leaving no marks and providing excellent coverage.
➢ Disadvantages: Poor public awareness of the new material; activation equipment is a bottleneck for application; high investment in two-component equipment; low processing efficiency of products activated offline.
➢ Applications: Diapers, elastic waistbands for menstrual pants, medical fever-reducing patches, medical bandages, elastic linings for clothing, and disposable underwear, etc.
4. What is the Partially elastic non-woven fabric ?
Partially Elastic nonwoven fabric is a nonwoven fabric that uses a transverse elastic composite process to give the product transverse elasticity according to the application requirements.
