Slit neck spunbond process and material

A process for preparing a plurality of necked material strips comprising the steps of:

• longitudinally slitting a neckable material into a plurality of neckable material strips, each neckable material strip having a prenecked width;
• longitudinally passing the plurality of neckable material strips between a first pair of nip rollers having a first surface velocity;
• moving the plurality of neckable material strips a longitudinal distance to a second pair of counter rotating nip rollers having a second surface velocity which is greater than the first surface velocity, the ratio of the longitudinal distance to second surface velocity remaining constant;
• and
• longitudinally passing the plurality of neckable material strips between the second pair of nip rollers, wherein each neckable material strip is necked to a necked width of less than about 70% of its prenecked width.

A process for preparing a necked SMS laminate comprising the steps of:

• transporting a neckable SMS laminate having a first width toward a first pair of counter rotating nip rollers having a first surface velocity;
• longitudinally slitting the SMS laminate into a plurality of laminate strips before the SMS laminate reaches the first pair of nip rollers;
• longitudinally passing the laminate strips between the first pair of nip rollers;
• moving the laminated strips a longitudinal distance to a second pair of counter rotating nip rollers having a second surface velocity which is greater than the first surface velocity;
• and
• longitudinally passing the laminate strips between the second pair of nip rollers to cause necking of the laminate strips between the first pair of nip rollers and the second pair of nip rollers;
• wherein the longitudinal distance is not greater than about 25% of the first width.

A process for preparing a necked material comprising the steps of:

• transporting a neckable nonwoven web having a first width toward a first transporting means having a first surface velocity;
• longitudinally slitting the nonwoven web into a plurality of nonwoven strips before the nonwoven web reaches the first transporting means;
• longitudinally passing the nonwoven strips through the first transporting means;
• moving the nonwoven strips a longitudinal distance to a second transporting means having a second surface velocity which is greater than the first surface velocity;
• and
• longitudinally passing the nonwoven strips through the second transporting means to cause necking of the nonwoven strips between the first transporting means and the second transporting means;
• wherein the longitudinal distance is not greater than about forty times a prenecked width of an individual nonwoven strip.