High strength hydroentangled nonwoven fabric

A composite nonwoven fabric comprising 15 to 25 weight percent of a bonded continuous filament web, wherein the bonded area is within the range of 5 to 25 percent, and 75 to 85 weight percent mixed fibers consisting essentially of 50 to 90 weight percent softwood paermaking fibers and 10 to 50 weight percent staple length fibers hydroentangled with one another.

A method of making a nonwoven fabric comprising cellulosic papermaking fibers, wood pulp and staple length fibers reinforced with a web of continuous filament fibers which comprises laminating a plurality of water laid webs containing 45 to 90 weight percent wood pulp and 55 to 10 weight percent staple length synthetic fibers basis the dry weight of the fibers, with a continuous filament synthetic fiber web, subjecting the resulting multi-layer web to hydroentanglement forming a composite web of entangled fibers, and drying said composite web to form said nonwoven fabric.