Nonwoven fabric and process for forming the same

A nonwoven fabric comprising a plurality of polypropylene-containing fibers that form a nonwoven web, which fibers in addition contain a slip agent, the web has a side which is provided with an alternating pattern which consists of individualized bonded areas which are in the form of rod-shaped patterns which are arranged in the cross direction of the web, wherein the rods each in their length direction form an angle of 90° with the machine direction of the web, and the rods are arranged in such a way that in the machine direction of the web no uninterrupted regions exist along the web while in the cross direction of the web the arrangement of the rods defines a plurality of uninterrupted regions that extend continuously along the web, the alternating pattern of individualized bonded areas defines a non-bonded area.

A process for forming a nonwoven fabric comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a nonwoven web of polypropylene-containing fibers that in addition contain a slip agent;
• and
• (b) feeding the nonwoven web into a nip defined between oppositely positioned first and second rolls, whereby at least one of the rolls has a patterned outer surface to apply a bonding pattern to the first nonwoven web, whereby the bonding pattern comprises an alternating pattern which consists of individualized bonded areas which are in the form of rod-shaped patterns arranged in the cross direction of the web, wherein the rods each in their length direction form an angle of 90° with the machine direction of the web, and the rods are arranged in such a way that in the machine direction of the web no uninterrupted regions exist along the web while in the cross direction of the web the arrangement of the rods defines a plurality of uninterrupted regions that extend continuously along the web, the alternating pattern of individualized bonded areas defines a non-bonded area.

A calender nip for imparting a bonding pattern to a nonwoven web, the nip comprising two oppositely positioned first and second rolls, whereby at least one of the rolls has a patterned outer surface to apply a bonding pattern to the first nonwoven web, the outer surface comprising a plurality of alternating rows of raised surfaces that extend in a cross direction of the roll, each row of raised surfaces consisting of individual raised surface having a rod shape that extends in the cross direction of the roll, wherein the rods each in their length direction form an angle of 90° with the machine direction of the roll, and the rods are arranged in such a way that in the machine direction of the roll no uninterrupted regions exist along the roll while in the cross direction of the web the arrangement of the rods defines a plurality of uninterrupted regions that extend continuously in the cross direction of the roll.