Method of making apertured film fabrics

A process for the preparation of an apertured thermoplastic film by a single-sided embossing method comprising the steps of:

• (a) extruding in the machine direction, a film from a molten thermoplastic polymer including polymers selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene copolymers, linear low density polyethylene, very low density polyethylene, ultra low density polyethylene and blends thereof;
• (b) passing the molten extruded film in the machine direction through the nip of two metal rollers, one of said rollers having a substantially smooth surface and the other of said rollers including a plurality of discrete, raised projections disposed in a pattern, with each of said projections terminating in a sharp distal end, said distal ends of said projections being separated from each other and being completely surrounded by continuous, surface regions located proximally of said distal ends;
• (c) applying sufficient pressure at the nip for causing a plurality of small apertures to be formed in the extruded film in substantially the same pattern as the pattern of discrete, raised projections of said other of said rollers;
• (d) orienting said apertured film in both the cross-machine direction and in the machine-direction to increase the open area of said apertures, said oriented film, with the apertures formed therein, being substantially planar and being free of continuous strand-like sections disposed in different planes;
• and
• (e) embossing the oriented film on at least one surface with a plurality of raised members spaced closer to each other than the spaces between the apertures in the oriented film to thereby provide a matte-type finish on said at least one surface.