Method for producing materials having z-direction fibers and folds

A method for producing a material having z-direction folds comprising:

• conveying continuous fibers on a first moving surface from the first moving surface to a second moving surface, the second moving surface traveling at a slower speed than the first moving surface, resulting in formation of a material having a plurality of z-direction folds on both surfaces of the material;
• forming a bas material of a layer of substantially continuous fibers into a nonwoven web in a first configuration with the z-direction folds forming regularly shaped ridges occurring with regular periodicity in one of a machine or cross machine direction;
• lightly fixing the ridges in the first configuration;
• breaking the fixing of the ridges and resetting the ridges to a second predetermined configuration;
• and
• fixing the ridge in the second configuration.