What is polypropylene nonwoven fabric?
Non-woven polypropylene (due to its application also referred to as medical or technical non-woven fabric) is a flat non-woven material with characteristic properties. Due to the use of spunbond or meltblown technology, it becomes soft, resistant to stretching, tearing, and is breathable and permeable to water vapor. The material is lightweight, easy to sew and cut, and can be glued or welded to other materials.
Types of medical nonwovens
Waterproof nonwovens - laminates
The group of waterproof nonwovens includes breathable and protective laminates. They consist of a non-woven fabric and a layer that protects against the penetration of water and other fluids (including blood under pressure). Thanks to the non-dusting non-woven layer, no fine pollen remains on the equipment, and any spilled liquids will be absorbed into it.
Breathable nonwovens
Breathable nonwovens are materials that allow air to flow - without an additional waterproof layer. They can be produced with the use of spunbond and meltblown technologies or both technologies simultaneously in SMS nonwovens.
Spunbond nonwoven fabric is a classic polypropylene nonwoven fabric with basic protective properties. It works by itself in protective clothing, but it is perfect for combining with other materials and nonwovens.
Meltblown nonwoven fabric is a special type of medical nonwoven fabric which, thanks to the production technology, has filtering properties. For this type of material, a so-called BFE coefficient is determined, which indicates the level of bacterial filtration. For example: the meltblown filter fleece available from Bermed has an index of 99.6%, which means that it practically does not allow the entry of microorganisms.
The SMS non-woven fabric is made of three layers of fibers: spunbond, meltblown and spunbond. This structure ensures not only excellent strength, but also good air permeability with a high level of bacterial filtration.
The use of non-woven polypropylene
Polypropylene nonwovens are popular in many industries. Their lightness and durability are useful in many products, from small masks to large elements protecting furniture.
The medical, dental and cosmetic industries use polypropylene nonwovens. They use different types of nonwovens, which, depending on their properties, can be used in:
- medical and disposable clothing (aprons, coveralls, safety shoes, caps, bathrobes);
- as protective elements in treatment and cosmetic rooms (drapes, underlays, sheets, covers for cables for medical devices and the operating field).
Polypropylene nonwovens also used in the clothing, footwear, leathercraft (advertising bags, suitcases, covers), construction (roofing membranes, drainage), agriculture (agrotextiles with UV stabilizer), upholstery and furniture industries. As you can see, there can be many applications, but it should be remembered that they depend on the appropriate choice of basis weight.
Why is the right choice of grammage important?
The functional properties of a non-woven fabric result from its grammage and can be very different depending on its thickness. Depending on the needs, we should choose the basis weight of the nonwoven fabric differently. Our offer includes both thin and thicker materials, in the range from 8 g / m2 to 150 g / m2. To choose the right nonwoven fabric for your needs, follow a few tips:
- Non-woven fabric with a low basis weight is very soft, its appearance resembles a fabric, but it can pilling. It will work in hygienic articles such as sanitary napkins and diapers.
- Nonwovens with grammages in the range of 15-35 g / m2 also belong to the group of thin materials - they work well in some hygiene and protective articles. They can be used for the production of masks, shoe covers or hygienic towels.
- 35-50 g / m2 - nonwovens with this grammage are slightly thicker, but not stiff. Among them you will find SMS non-woven fabric (40 g / m2) for the production of medical clothing: sweatshirts, trousers and protective skirts. Medium grammage nonwovens can also be used for thin aprons.
- Nonwovens above 50g / m2 are quite thick, but soft enough to be used as medical nonwovens. They are suitable, for example, for the production of protective aprons, and laminated nonwovens for drapes and coveralls.
- The 75 g / m2 nonwovens belong to the group of technical nonwovens. They can be used to create padding between the upholstery and the filling of furniture, quilting upholstery fabrics, attaching to the back walls of furniture.
- Nonwovens above 100 g / m2 are stiffer, resistant to pilling and have a plastic feel. Their higher grammage can be used as stiffening in handbags or wallets.
