Wet wipes are a daily necessity for convenience and hygiene. But depending on the quality of the nonwoven fabric used, wipes can feel flimsy and fall apart when wiping. Spunlace fabric provides the perfect wipe substrate – durable when wet yet gentle on skin. Let’s examine why spunlace makes ideal wet wipe material.
What is Spunlace Fabric?
Spunlace or hydroentangled nonwoven fabric uses fine, directed water jets to entangle fibers together. This creates a strong, patterned bonding without glues or thermal bonding needed in other nonwovens. The resulting fabric feels soft and cottony while remaining highly durable when saturated.
Benefits of Spunlace Fabric for Wet Wipes
The hydroentangled structure of spunlace nonwoven fabric for wet wipes offers important functionality for wet wipe performance:
- Durability Wet – The strong fiber bonding prevents tearing or shredding when soaked through. Wipes maintain integrity.
- Absorbency – The entangled fiber matrix rapidly absorbs and retains liquids within the wipe.
- Smooth Texture – Hydroentangling eliminates thick bond points that irritate skin. Spunlace feels smooth, not gritty.
- Strength – Spunlaced fabrics are significantly stronger than thermally-bonded nonwovens of similar weight.
- Pure Composition – No chemical binders are present. Ideal for sensitive skin contact.
- Flushability – Properly engineered spunlace fabrics can fully disperse when flushed.
- Enhanced Softness – Fabric softeners or lotions penetrate efficiently into the finer fiber structure.
Material Options
Spunlace’s nonwoven versatility allows tailoring wipes for different applications:
- Rayon/Lyocell – Viscose-based fibers provide soft, absorbent, flushable wipes. Most common.
- Poliestere – Durable and abrasion-resistant wipe material. Maintains wet strength.
- Natural Fibers – Gentle cotton, bamboo, hemp blends suitable for sensitive skin.
- Synthetics – Polypropylene adds scrubbing power. Nylon boosts durability.
- Bicomponent – Mixed fibers provide balanced properties like strength and softness.
The ideal wipe substrate combines absorbency, strength, purity and skin-feel – qualities that spunlace nonwovens provide. Next time you grab a wet wipe, appreciate the advanced engineering that makes it conveniently clean!