Spunlace

Definition and Overview

Spunlace is a nonwoven fabric made by spraying high-pressure water jets onto a web in which fibers have been spread thinly and evenly, entangling the fibers three-dimensionally to form the material. Unlike woven fabrics, there is no process of interlacing warp and weft yarns, and unlike knits, there is no process of forming stitches.

Common raw materials include cotton, rayon, polyester, and pulp-derived fibers, and both single-material and multi-material blends are used. Depending on the material composition, fabric weight, and finishing, strength, absorbency, and hand feel can vary greatly.

Texture and Performance

Because the fibers are entangled by water flow, it is generally soft and easy to achieve a supple, fabric-like hand. The surface is relatively flat, but depending on the pattern of the support material used during production, it may have a textured, perforated, or grid-like appearance.

Absorbency depends on the base fibers. Those containing cotton or rayon are well suited for absorbent applications, while those containing polyester tend to provide better strength and shape stability. Water resistance, elasticity, and heat resistance are not determined by being spunlace alone.

• Check the softness and feel against the skin.
• Confirm the required absorbency, breathability, and strength through the material composition and fabric weight.
• Embossing and whether or not the material is perforated change the appearance and wiping performance.

Main Applications

Its softness, absorbency, and disposability make it suitable for hygiene products, cosmetic sheets, cleaning sheets, and materials for medical and nursing-care fields. Depending on the application, it may be laminated with film or other nonwoven fabrics to add functionality.

In apparel, it may be used for disposable protective clothing or auxiliary materials. As a general garment outer material, it differs from woven fabrics and knits in durability, drape, edge handling, and sewing suitability, so use should be limited and carefully considered. It is selected based on hygiene and required functions rather than seasonality.

Selection and Handling Precautions

When selecting, confirm the raw material, blend ratio, fabric weight, thickness, absorbency, tensile strength, wet strength, linting, and whether any finishing has been applied, according to the intended use. For skin-contact applications, it is necessary to confirm not only the hand feel but also any requirements related to irritation and how it is handled under care labeling rules.

Some grades change in strength and dimensions when wet, and resistance to shrinkage and distortion after washing is not uniform. When used in products that are washed repeatedly, carry out washing tests under conditions close to actual use, and determine the care instructions based on product specifications and test results.

Cut edges are less likely to fray than woven fabrics, but in thin materials stretching, waviness, or tearing may occur due to pulling or machine feeding during sewing. Reduce the load on seams and adjust needles, thread, feed conditions, and seam allowances through prototypes.

Differences from Similar Terms

Nonwoven fabric is the general term for sheet materials made without weaving or knitting. Spunlace is one type of nonwoven fabric, indicating a manufacturing method that bonds fibers by hydroentanglement.

Spunbond is a nonwoven fabric made by directly forming spun continuous filaments into a sheet and bonding it with heat or other means, and it differs from spunlace in fiber form and bonding method. Meltblown is a nonwoven fabric often used for filtration, taking advantage of its ultrafine fibers. Needle punch differs in that fibers are entangled with needles.

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