Jan. 28, 2026
Many people may not be familiar with spunlace nonwoven fabric, yet they use numerous spunlace products every day, such as wet wipes. In this article, we provide a complete overview of spunlace nonwoven fabric and its key features.
Spunlace, also known as hydroentanglement, is a bonding process used to produce nonwoven fabrics from wet or dry fibrous webs. These webs can be prepared through carding, airlaying, or wet-laying methods, resulting in a bonded nonwoven fabric.
The process involves using fine, high-pressure jets of water that penetrate the fiber web. The water hits the conveyor belt (also called a “wire” in papermaking) and bounces back, causing the fibers to entangle and form a strong, cohesive fabric.
Spunlace nonwoven fabric is typically made from short staple fibers. The most commonly used fibers are viscose (38mm × 1.67 dtex) and polyester staple fibers (38mm × 1.56 dtex).
Sometimes polypropylene (PP) is also used in spunlace production.
Other raw materials include natural fibers such as cotton, tencel, chitin, and others. These fibers are plant- or animal-based and generally more expensive.
These fibers provide the foundation for spunlace nonwoven fabric, delivering the desired strength, softness, and functionality.
A spunlace production line consists of multiple machine components, including mixers, carding machines, water jets, and other equipment. Investing in a spunlace machine requires significant capital.
In China, most local spunlace machinery is supplied by Glory Tang, while in Europe, a well-known manufacturer is ANDRITZ. Technically, imported machines often deliver higher output and better fabric quality compared to local machines.
Currently, the majority of spunlace nonwoven fabric manufacturers are located in the US, Europe, and China, with additional production in Turkey, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. China, however, offers the most complete range of spunlace products and is the largest exporter by volume each year.
· Flexible entanglement: does not affect the original characteristics of the fiber and does not damage the fiber.
· Appearance is closer to traditional textiles than other nonwovens.
· High strength and low fluffiness.
· High moisture absorption and rapid moisture uptake.
· Good ventilation.
· Soft and maintains good shape.
· Available in various patterns.
· No adhesive reinforcement required; washable.
As mentioned before, producing spunlace fabric requires a significant investment. The production lines are very long and cover a large area.
Spunlace nonwoven fabric is an important type of nonwoven fabric (see “What is Nonwoven Fabric”). The spunlace process is a nonwoven manufacturing system that uses jets of water to entangle fibers, providing fabric integrity and strength.
With the development of spunlace nonwoven technology, wood pulp spunlace fabric has become one of the most significant types.
Wood pulp spunlace fabric is now widely used and can replace some standard spunlace fabrics. This type of fabric comes in two variations:
· Wood Pulp Polyester Nonwoven Fabric
· Wood Pulp Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabric
These wood pulp nonwoven fabrics are more cost-effective and are ideal materials for spunlace wipes.
Spunlace nonwoven fabric can be classified into two types based on the lapping machine used: Parallel Lapped Spunlace Fabric and Cross Lapped Spunlace Fabric.
The main difference between these two types is fabric strength. For example, consider a 40gsm 100% polyester spunlace fabric:
· Parallel Lapped Spunlace Fabric: It can easily tear along its vertical direction. This type is commonly used for wet wipes due to its easier tearability.
· Cross Lapped Spunlace Fabric: It is more resistant to tearing and cannot be torn in a straight line. Cross lapped spunlace is widely used for dry wiping cloths, leather substitutes, and other applications requiring stronger durability.
Spunlace nonwoven fabric is primarily used for wipes, including home, personal care, beauty, industrial, and medical wipes. Both dry and wet wipes are commonly made from spunlace fabric due to its softness, strength, and absorbency.
The medical sector is another major market for spunlace fabric. Applications include disposable surgical clothing, surgical drapes, surgical tablecloths, and surgical aprons. Spunlace fabrics are also used in wound care products such as bandages, gauze, and adhesive dressings (Band-Aids).
Spunlace fabric can be used in clothing, including linings, baby garments, training wear, carnival costumes, and various types of protective clothing.
Spunlace fabrics are also used for decorative purposes, such as car interiors, home interiors, and stage decorations.
These applications highlight the versatility of spunlace nonwoven fabric across multiple industries, from hygiene and healthcare to apparel and decoration.
Some customers have reported receiving low-quality or incorrect spunlace nonwoven fabric. How can you verify that the fabric you received meets the correct quality standards? While professional lab testing or third-party verification is possible, there is also a simple method you can use yourself.
The most important factor in spunlace fabric quality is its fiber composition. Viscose fibers are generally more expensive than polyester fibers and provide better absorbency, making the spunlace fabric higher quality for wiping applications.
A simple way to test the viscose-to-polyester ratio is by burning the fabric:
· Fabric with more polyester burns faster and forms a black residue that is difficult to extinguish.
· 100% viscose burns to gray ash without forming black residue.
The faster the burn and the more black residue, the higher the polyester content in the fabric.
As a professional spunlace nonwoven manufacturer, we produce a variety of spunlace fabrics to meet different customer requirements. Please contact us for inquiries or to request a quote for spunlace fabrics.
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