NOTES
2 The commonly used term"needlefelt" has given rise to some con- fusion since it restrictively associates needling with felting or felt-like products. In fact, needling(mechanical interlocking of fibres by specially designed needles or barbs) is a major bonding method of non- wovens in its own right and is frequently the only consolidation route for nonwovens ranging from medical/hygienic disposables to spun-laid geotextiles.