Clean dry facing needled composite

A facing material suitable for use in diapers and sanitary napkins, comprising:

• a fibrous top layer for engaging body fluid, said fibrous top layer comprising a plurality of hydrophobic fibers having a denier of about 3 or greater;
• a generally opaque polymeric middle layer which substantially hides body fluids contained below the middle layer having a thickness of from about 0.0002 to 0.002 inch;
• and a bottom layer capable of generating a greater capillary pressure than said fibrous top layer, said polymeric middle layer comprising apertures therethrough whereby a portion of said fibers of said fibrous top layer are disposed through said apertures and into said bottom layer for providing fluid transfer from said fibrous top layer into said bottom layer.

A method of preparing a facing material suitable for use in diapers and sanitary napkins, comprising:

• (a) providing a tri-layered flexible composite including a fibrous top layer comprising a hydrophobic surface for engaging body fluid, a middle layer and a bottom layer having a capillary structure for drawing body fluid, said middle layer having sufficient opacity to prevent observation of menstrual fluid contained within said bottom layer;
• and
• (b) perforating said composite to provide a plurality of apertures through said middle layer and to dispose a portion of said fibrous top layer downward through said apertures for communicating with said bottom layer and for providing fluid transfer from said fibrous top layer into said bottom layer.

A facing material suitable for use in diapers and sanitary napkins, comprising:

• a top layer comprising a plurality of hydrophobic fibers for engaging a body fluid;
• a generally opaque apertured layer that substantially hides body fluids contained below the apertured layer, at least a portion of the fibers of said top layer extending downward through said apertured layer for providing for fluid transfer from said top layer through said apertured layer.