Methods for producing through-fluid bonded nonwoven webs

A method of creating a soft and lofty continuous fiber nonwoven web, the method comprising:

• providing a first molten polymer and a second molten polymer to a spinneret defining a plurality of orifices, wherein the first molten polymer has a first melting temperature, wherein the second molten polymer has a second melting temperature, and wherein the first melting temperature is in the range of about 10 degrees C. to about 180 degrees C. different than the second melting temperature;
• flowing a fluid intermediate the spinneret and a moving porous member, wherein the moving porous member is positioned below the spinneret;
• using the fluid to draw or push the first and second molten polymer components, in a direction that is toward the moving porous member, through at least some of the plurality of orifices to form a plurality of individual continuous fiber strands;
• depositing the continuous fiber strands onto the moving porous member at a first location to produce an intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web;
• varying, in at least two different machine direction zones, a vacuum force applied to the moving porous member and to the intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web downstream of the first location and downstream of a vacuum box under the first location;
• varying, in at least two different cross-machine direction zones, a vacuum force applied to the moving porous member;
• through-fluid bonding the web to produce a continuous fiber nonwoven web;
• after the through-fluid bonding step, conveying the continuous fiber nonwoven web over a distance without further through-fluid bonding;
• and
• second through-fluid bonding the continuous fiber nonwoven web.