Woven Vs. Non-Woven Fabrics

Woven Vs. Non-Woven Fabrics

Developed over many years, fabric is an engineered substrate used throughout a variety of applications ranging from aerospace, consumer, military and industrial applications. Fabrics are designed and constructed to meet the requirements of different applications; however, all fabrics fall into one of two categories: woven or non-woven.

Woven Fabrics

Woven fabrics are the most traditional fabrics constructed by weaving yarns together typically at 90° angles. The vertical fibers are called “warp” threads, while “weft” threads weave through the warp threads along the horizontal width of the textile. Woven fabrics can be created from a wide variety of materials and are most commonly used in clothing and various industrial applications.

Advantages of Woven Fiber

Woven materials are usually the most cost-effective textile for a variety of applications. These fabrics can be finished or treated with substances to give them attributes like waterproofing and breathability. They are also readily available and easy to source from a robust and wide-ranging supply chain. Woven fiber comes in a variety of weave types, and custom constructions can be easily engineered to suit various needs. Additionally, woven fabrics provide a wide range of high-performing physical characteristics.

Some industrial applications for woven fabrics include, but are not limited to:

• Composite material components (for example, aircraft internal / external reinforcement)

• Filtration membranes and materials for chemical processing applications

• Automotive applications (for example, insulation or sound absorption)

• Oxidized fuel cell components

• PPE and uniforms for military personnel, divers, firefighters, law enforcement, etc.

• Strong safety harnesses and seat belts for recreational, automotive, and aerospace applications

• Upholstery materials for furniture

• Medical fabrics

• Consumer fabrics

Non-Woven Fabrics

Non-woven fabrics are textiles that have been created through a process of bonding fibers together, either by some kind of chemical adhesion, mechanical or heat treatment, or a combination of those. There is no weaving or manual construction involved. Although woven fabrics are usually stronger because of how they are constructed, non-woven fabric can be strengthened by bonding multiple layers or adding support backing.

Advantages of Non-Woven Fiber

Non-woven fabrics are often more cost-effective and can be manufactured more quickly. The many advantages of non-woven fibers include resiliency, enhanced absorbency, improved washability, and bacterial protection. Non-woven fabrics can also be tailored to enhance certain features such as liquid repellency, impact resistance, flame retardancy, electrical insulation, and thermal insulation. Additionally, these soft and flexible fabrics offer improved filtering and sterility.

The versatility of non-woven fabrics makes them suitable for a wide array of industrial applications, including:

• Aerospace applications (such as exterior tiles on spacecraft)

• Acoustic insulation

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  Thermal insulation

• Fire retardant mattresses and other fire-retardant materials

• High-temperature industrial filters

• Puncture and cut-resistant materials

• Synthetic and composite materials for industrial use

• Welding protection

• Wall coverings

• Trunk liners and vehicle seats

JPS Composite Materials Industrial Fabric

Although woven and non-woven materials have several key differences, they are both suitable for a wide variety of industrial uses. At JPS Composite Materials, we are an industry leader in manufacturing high-durability quartz, fiberglass, para-aramid, and specialty woven composite reinforcement fabrics. Our top-quality products serve a diverse range of applications, from satellites to surfboards. For more information, or for help determining the right fabric for your needs, contact us today.

Use of Nonwovens for Apparel Making

Harking back in the apparel industry, the firstobservation would be the innovations that have changed the world of textile inlast decade or so. Despite gallantly making progress in the right direction,the apparel industry is not ready to rest on its laurels. With each passingday, there are innovations being reported from the industry and theseinnovations are being accepted and appreciated by the customers worldwide. Theapparel industry faced the challenges undaunted and the result of this isintroduction of newer fabrics that have managed to change the way the apparelindustry functions.

In order to improve the performance of the fabric, theapparel industry has whole-heartedly accepted the nonwoven fabrics. Thenonwoven fabrics are web structures that are bonded together throughintertwined fibre or filaments mechanically, thermally, or chemically. Nonwovenfabrics include fabrics that are not woven or knitted such as felt and suchfabrics do not require converting the fibres to yarn. In most of the cases,nonwoven materials are densified or reinforced by backing in order to strengthenthem. Nonwovens have also become an alternative to polyurethane foam. Usually,a certain percentage of recycled fabrics and oil-based materials are used innonwoven fabrics and the quantity of these depends upon the strength the fabricneeds. Nonwoven fabrics are considered eco-friendly, as these can be recycledafter use, the prerequisite being the proper treatment and facilities.

There are different processes of making the nonwovenfabric. The wet laid nonwoven fabrics account for the largest portion of thenonwoven fabric industry. The production process of wet laid nonwoven fabricsis similar to that of producing a paper. Staple fibres, water and other rawmaterials are made into slurry, which is similar to pulp. The liquid is thenremoved, and the remaining substance is dried in an oven. The final residue ismade into several products including apparel, medical packs and filters. Thissection of the nonwoven industry has seen rise in demand, primarily at the costof another nonwoven category, spunbonded nonwoven fabrics.

Spunbonded nonwoven fabrics are generally strong anddurable and are primarily used for the manufacture of medical and hygieneproducts, automotive and furniture applications, and geotextile and roofingmarkets. These fabrics are manufactured by melting and spinning polymers, theyare then cooled and bonded into the final fabric. Another process is cardednonwoven fabrics, which are made from staple fibres that are carded, sometimesreferred to as combed, prior to heating and bonding. Final products that usecarded nonwoven fabrics include wipes, hygiene products and filters. In thepressed or needled felts are fabricated by hooking and entangling fibres, whichare then compressed to form the fabric. These fabrics are primarily used in thefurniture, filtering and automotive industries.

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