Glossary

The terms that appear on a specification, explained in the order they affect a decision — and what to do to verify each one.

Absorbency Absorbency: How much liquid a web takes up, and how quickly.
Aperture pattern Aperture pattern: The hole pattern formed into a web by the screen or drum during entanglement.
Basis weight Basis weight (GSM): The mass of a nonwoven per unit area, stated in grams per square metre.
Binder Binder: A chemical agent used to glue fibres together in some nonwovens.
Carding Carding: The step that opens and aligns staple fibre into a web before bonding.
Dispersibility Dispersibility: The ability of a web to break apart in water, as distinct from biodegradability.
Fibre blend Fibre blend: The ratio of fibre types in the web, usually viscose and polyester.
Fold format Fold format: How a towel is folded or interleaved for dispensing.
Hydroentanglement Hydroentanglement (spunlace): Bonding a fibre web with high-pressure water jets instead of adhesive.
Linting Linting: Loose fibre shed from a web during use.
Material declaration Material declaration: A written statement of what a product is made of, issued for a specific construction.
Minimum order quantity MOQ: The smallest quantity a production run can be scheduled at.
Roll width Roll width: The width of a jumbo roll supplied for downstream conversion.
Shelf life Shelf life: How long a packed product keeps its properties in storage.
Tensile strength Tensile strength: The load a web carries before it breaks, in a stated direction.
Wet strength Wet strength: How much load a saturated web carries before it tears.