Loop material for hook-and-loop fastening system

A method of preparing a loop material suitable for use in a hook-and- loop fastening system, the method comprising:

• providing a carded web having a first side and a second side, wherein the carded web:
• has a basis weight of from about 15 to about 140 grams per square meter and a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 15 mm;
• and
• is comprised of fibers having a denier per filament greater than 2, with from 100 to about 50 percent by weight of the fibers being thermoplastic polymer fibers and from about 50 to 100 percent by weight of the fibers being bicomponent thermoplastic polymer fibers, in which the first component has a melting point which is at least about 50.degree. C. lower than the melting point of the second component;
• through air bonding the carded web at a temperature sufficient to form a plurality of interfiber bonds between the first component of the bicomponent thermoplastic polymer fibers and adjacent fibers;
• and
• applying a binder to the bonded carded web at a level of from about 10 to about 50 percent by weight, based on the weight of the bonded carded web, under conditions sufficient to provide less latex binder at the second side than at the first side and an amount of binder at the first side which is sufficient to permit multiple attachments of the first side of the first layer to and releases from the hooks without significant distortion of the fibers at the first side.

A loop material suitable for use in a hook-and-loop fastening system, the loop material comprising a first layer having a first side and a second side, and a second layer having a first side and a second side;

• wherein:
• the first layer is a bonded carded web which:
• has a basis weight of from about 15 to about 140 grams per square meter and a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 15 mm;
• is comprised of fibers having a denier per filament greater than 2, with from 100 to 0 percent by weight of the fibers being thermoplastic polymer fibers and from 0 to 100 percent by weight of the fibers being bicomponent thermoplastic polymer fibers, in which the first component has a melting point which is at least about 50.degree. C. lower than the melting point of the second component;
• has a plurality of interfiber bonds;
• and
• contains a binder at a level of from about 10 to about 50 percent by weight, based on the weight of the bonded carded web, in which the amount of binder at the second side is less than the amount of binder at the first side and the amount of binder at the first side is sufficient to permit multiple attachments of the first side of the first layer to and releases from the hooks without significant distortion of the fibers at the first side;
• and
• the second layer comprises a nonwoven web comprised of fibers having a denier per filament no greater than about 2 and a basis weight of at least about 15 grams per square meter, with the first side of the second layer being bonded adjacent to and contiguous with the second side of the first layer.

A method of preparing a loop material suitable for use in a hook-and-loop fastening system, the method comprising:

• providing a first layer which is a carded web having a first side and a second side, wherein the carded web:
• has a basis weight of from about 15 to about 140 grams per square meter and a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 15 mm;
• and
• is comprised of fibers having a denier per filament greater than 2, with from 100 to about 50 percent by weight of the fibers being thermoplastic polymer fibers and from about 50 to 100 percent by weight of the fibers being bicomponent thermoplastic polymer fibers, in which the first component has a melting point which is at least about 50.degree. C. lower than the melting point of the second component;
• providing a second layer having a first side and a second side, the second layer comprising a carded web comprised of fibers having a denier per filament no greater than about 2 and a basis weight of at least about 15 grams per square meter, with from about 50 to 100 percent by weight of the fibers being bicomponent thermoplastic polymer fibers, in which the first component has a melting point which is at least about 50.degree. C. lower than the melting point of the second component;
• placing the first side of the second layer adjacent to and contiguous with the second side of the first layer;
• through air bonding the first and second layers at a temperature sufficient to form a plurality of interfiber bonds between the first component of the bicomponent thermoplastic polymer fibers present in both layers and adjacent fibers in and between both layers;
• and
• applying a binder to the first side of the first layer at a level of from about 10 to about 50 percent by weight, based on the weight of the first layer, under conditions sufficient to provide less latex binder at the second side than at the first side and an amount of binder at the first side which is sufficient to permit multiple attachments of the first side of the first layer to and releases from the hooks without significant distortion of the fibers at the first side.