Is Cotton A Non-woven Fabric?

Feb 11, 2025

Cotton itself is not non-woven fabric, but cotton can be used as raw material to make non-woven fabric.

 

The difference between cotton and non-woven fabric:

cotton

Cotton is a natural fiber derived from the seed fiber of the cotton plant. It is usually used in traditional textile processes and is made into textiles (such as cotton cloth, towels, etc.) through steps such as spinning and weaving. Cotton is characterized by its softness, breathability, and good moisture absorption.

Non-woven fabric

Non-woven fabric is a fiber material that is not made through traditional textile processes. It directly combines fibers through physical, chemical, or mechanical methods to form a fiber mesh structure. The raw materials of non-woven fabric can be natural fibers (such as cotton), synthetic fibers (such as polypropylene, polyester), or a mixture of both.

 

Application of cotton in non-woven fabric:

Cotton can be used as one of the raw materials for non-woven fabrics, especially in applications that require the characteristics of natural fibers. For example:

1. Water-jet non-woven fabric. Cotton fibers can be made into soft and absorbent non-woven fabric through the water-jet process, which is often used in wet wipes and medical dressings.

2. Mixed non-woven fabrics. Cotton can be mixed with synthetic fibers to produce non-woven fabrics that combine the comfort of natural fibers with the strength of synthetic fibers.

 

Cotton is a natural fiber, while non-woven fabric is a manufacturing process. Cotton can be used as a raw material for nonwoven fabric, but cotton itself is not non-woven fabric. There are many types of raw materials and processes for nonwoven fabric, and cotton is just one of them.