Process for producing polyvinyl alcohol articles

A polyvinyl alcohol article comprising:

• a first outer surface;
• a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol article is made by:
• subjecting a polyvinyl alcohol material to heat and pressure conditions sufficient to cause one of the first or second outer surfaces coalesce and have a reduced surface porosity relative to the polyvinyl alcohol material.

A polyvinyl alcohol fabric having an outer surface with reduced porosity relative to a starting polyvinyl alcohol fabric, the polyvinyl alcohol fabric prepared by the process of:

• applying heat and pressure to a staring polyvinyl alcohol fabric by a pair of opposed calendar rollers to cause one of the fabric outer surfaces to coalesce and have a reduced porosity relative to the staring polyvinyl alcohol fabric;
• and
• subjecting the polyvinyl alcohol fabric to a cooling process in a manner that does not change the reduced porosity of the one fabric outer surface.

A method of making polyvinyl alcohol fabric having at least one surface that is coalesced and has a reduced porosity, the method comprising the steps of:

• running an initial polyvinyl alcohol fabric through a pair of calendar rollers to heat at least one outer surface of the initial polyvinyl alcohol to cause fibers on such outer surface to coalesce and provide a reduced porosity relative to the initial polyvinyl alcohol fabric;
• and
• cooling the initial polyvinyl alcohol fabric in a manner the preserves the reduced porosity of the at least one outer surface.