spunlaid

Spunlaid is a term used in nonwoven fabric production to describe a family of fabrics formed by a process that combines spinning and laying of fibers into a web. The term is not universally standardized and can vary by region and manufacturer; it is sometimes used interchangeably with, or confused with, other processes such as spunbond, meltblown, or drylaid.

In a typical spunlaid process, a polymer melt is extruded through a spinneret to form continuous filaments, which are carried by air to a moving collection surface where they are deposited as a web. The deposited web may be oriented randomly or with some degree of alignment, and is subsequently bonded by thermal, mechanical, or chemical means to create a coherent fabric. The resulting material often features a combination of porosity, uniform fiber distribution, and configurable strength and softness, depending on the polymer and bonding method used.

Applications of spunlaid fabrics include filtration media, medical and hygiene products (such as disposable gowns, masks, and wipes), wipes for consumer and industrial use, and certain geotextile and absorbent product components. Because the terminology around nonwoven production is not consistently standardized, some suppliers may label fabrics as spunlaid even when the underlying process is more accurately described by adjacent terms such as spunbond, meltblown, or spunlace.

See also: nonwoven fabrics, spunbond, meltblown, spunlace.