Abstract: A hydroentangled composite fabric is made by subjecting a spunbonded base web material of continuous man-made filaments to stretching in the cross direction at least 5 percent of its original dimension but less than the cross direction elongation of the material under ambient temperature conditions at the time of stretching. The base web material in its cross-stretched condition is stabilized to provide a prestretched base web material substantially free from cross direction tensioning. A covering layer of fluid dispersible fibers, preferably in the form of one or more wet-laid wood pulp fibrous webs, is applied to one surface of the relaxed prestretched base web to form a multilayer structure and the multilayer structure is subjected to hydroentanglement while in its relaxed condition to embed the covering fibers in the spunbonded base layer and affix the fiber layer to one surface of the prestretched base material.

Abstract: A new bonding agent for fibrous substrates used to reinforce food casing is formulated by dissolving cellulose carbamate and an alkaline curing resin in a dilute caustic solution in such a manner that the ratio of carbamate to resin is greater than 1:1 by weight. The preferred resin is a polymeric reaction product of epichlorohydrin and a polyamide. The bonded substrate contains up to 10% by weight of the bonding agent and exhibits a porosity that is not significantly less than that of the base web and a caustic tensile strength greater than 300 grams per 25 millimeters. Casings made from the substrate can use the casing films employed heretofore or a carbamate-resin film formulation.

Abstract: An alloyed cellulosic fiber containing an alkali metal salt or ammonium salt of a copolymer or terpolymer of acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid and an aliphatic ester of at least one of the acids is prepared by a process wherein the copolymer or terpolymer is mixed with a viscose solution and the mixture is extruded through a spinneret into a conventional spin bath and processed into staple fibers which are adapted to be used in absorbent articles and the like. The alloyed cellulosic fiber of the invention has increased fluid absorbency characteristics over the fibers of the same cellulose composition without the alloying material. An unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic acid such as maleic acid or anhydride may be incorporated in the copolymer or terpolymer. Also, a copolymer or terpolymer of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid and an aliphatic ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid may contain radicals obtained from acryloamidoalkane sulfonic acid or an unsaturated phosphorous acid.