Abstract: A sheet material including a strainable network formed in the surface of the sheet material. The strainable network includes first network areas and second network areas, the first network areas substantially surrounding the second network areas. The second network areas include geometrically deformable elements, and the first network areas define substantially unformed portions of the sheet material surrounding the second network areas. The deformable elements are geometrically deformable in plural directions generally parallel to the plane of the sheet material to provide the sheet material with a stretchable elastic-like characteristic in response to elongation forces applied to the sheet material in plural directions.

Abstract: A method of forming flexible bags from a continuous web is disclosed. The method includes introducing a continuous web of sheet material and passing it through a process whereby the flexible bag is formed having elastic-like behavior. The continuous web is processed into a continuous web having at least two regions that are visually distinct. A sheet material is introduced having one portion of the sheet material overlapping another portion of the sheet material. The sheet material is formed into a strainable network. The strainable network includes a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions. The first regions are substantially un-deformed and the second regions are formed into disengageable pleat elements. As the overlapped portions of the sheet material are formed they engage each other at the pleat elements. The pleat elements of each overlapped portion become engaged within each other and resist disengagement because of the frictional forces of the sheet material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to film web substrates and more particularly to such web substrates wherein the inherent elongation properties of a given web material are modified. An exemplary web material is formed from first and second precursor webs. A first side of the web material is formed from the first precursor web and integral extensions of the second precursor web that extend through the first precursor web.