Nonwoven construction adhesive
Hygiene products benefit from nonwoven construction adhesive systems
The largest, and fastest growing, user of nonwoven materials is the hygiene products industry, which means that it also consumes the most nonwoven construction adhesive systems. The materials and adhesives are common in products like baby diapers, adult incontinence products, children’s swim and training pants as well as feminine hygiene pads and shields. The purpose of the nonwoven hygiene construction adhesive solutions is to bond together the different layers of the nonwoven materials.
Most of the hygiene products are subject to mass production at low cost. The high production and reduced costs are made possible by hygiene adhesive solutions. Even though each product uses only a small amount of adhesive (4%, 1 to 1.5 g in an average baby diaper), the hygiene construction adhesive systems really make a difference. Not only do they efficiently bond components together but also guarantee fit, retention, breathability, absorption and comfortable feel.
Nonwoven hygiene construction adhesive requirements
The non woven adhesive market is currently confronted by several requirements that derive from several sources. Consumer and brand needs as well as different local and international rules and regulations affect the formulations of adhesives for nonwoven materials. Generally, one should be looking for a nonwoven construction adhesive that meets the following requirements.
Fast and easy to apply
Depending on the required efficiency of the production, the hygiene adhesive solutions must be easy to apply and fast curing in order to keep up with the high paced production. For example an average diaper manufacturer makes between 800 and 1000 baby diapers per minute.
Maintaining product reliability and quality
As the nonwoven construction adhesive bonds together the layers of the hygiene products, it is crucial that the quality of the products does not suffer. Better yet, one should opt for adhesives for nonwoven materials that promote product reliability.
Increased sustainability
One of the most important criteria for hygiene construction adhesives is that it results in products that are environmentally friendly enough to satisfy the consumers´and brand´s needs as well as meeting local and international regulations. The hygiene products that use non woven materials are disposable and therefore, not always considered the most sustainable. However, the nonwoven adhesive market is striving towards hygiene adhesive solutions that result in less waste, can be recycled or even composted. One of the greatest innovations is biodegradability of hot melt adhesives. These are already used in the packaging industry, and about to make an entry in the sector of hygiene products.
Choosing the best hygiene adhesive solution
The choice of adhesive for non woven materials in hygiene products basically comes down to two factors: the required bond strength between layers and effectiveness of elastic bonding. The latter is measured by elastic creep tests and the former by peel strength tests. The poor choice of adhesive can lead to for instance leakages and skin irritation. To avoid any inconvenience, contact us and let our experts find the best hygiene adhesive solutions that meet the requirements of your product needs.
Technologies that make up nonwoven construction adhesives
Traditionally, nonwoven construction adhesive systems can be based on two technologies which are waterborne systems and hot melt adhesives. The former have the advantage of being free of all harmful substances. They also have minimum risk to cause skin irritation. The downside is that water based adhesives tend to need a rather long time to dry.
However, the most reliable and comfortable hygiene products such as diapers, incontinence products, medical wound care products and feminine hygiene pads and shields currently use thermoplastic hot melt systems. These are plastic like 100% solid adhesives which take a liquid form when heated, hence the name hot melt. In general, hot melt adhesives for nonwoven materials allow for high production efficiency, low costs and extreme product reliability.
Advantages of the right adhesive for nonwoven materials
Once the nonwoven construction adhesive is carefully chosen, it can have a great impact on the quality and reliability of the finished products. The adhesive makes sure the nonwoven material remains elastic, seams are flexible and absorption properties are not disturbed. Additionally, ever-improving adhesives allow for thinner products with increased comfort and softness. All in all, thanks to hygiene construction adhesives, diapers, pads and incontinence products:
- Stay in place
- Are easy to remove
- Allow for movement
- Are discreet and do not show
- Feel soft and are comfortable to wear
- Result in less waste
Find the best hygiene adhesive solutions
Are you starting a new project and looking for suitable adhesives for nonwoven materials? Or do you wish to challenge your current adhesive supplier and look for an alternative? Whatever the case, our experts are always happy to assist in finding the most suitable and sustainable nonwoven hygiene construction adhesive that meets the product-specific requirements and results in outstanding finished products. Hit the contact button below and get more information.
