Nonwoven fabric for buffing applications

A method of making a nonwoven fabric for buffing applications, comprising the steps of:

• providing a precursor web comprising polyester staple length fibers;
• pre-entangling said precursor web on a foraminous forming surface;
• providing a three-dimensional image transfer device having an array of three-dimensional surface elements;
• positioning said precursor web on said image transfer device, and hydroentangling said precursor web to form an imaged nonwoven fabric having a pattern of apertures therein;
• and
• applying a polymeric binder composition to said imaged fabric, said binder composition comprising a melamine polymeric compound, said resultant fabric having combined tensile strength of at least about 800 grams/ounce of fabric.

A nonwoven fabric for buffing applications comprising:

• a fibrous matrix comprising staple length fibers,
• said fibrous matrix being hydroentangled into a nonwoven fabric,
• said nonwoven fabric has an image imparted thereto by a three-dimensional image transfer device having an array of three-dimensional surface elements,
• said image imparting the ability of the nonwoven fabric to retain compounds applied thereto.