The softness and delicacy you feel when you open a pack of wet wipes and wipe your skin comes from the unique process of wet non-woven fabric; When you lay geotextile to reinforce the roadbed, the toughness and wear resistance are the specialties of dry non-woven fabric. Both “non-woven manufacturing” and wet and dry methods have taken two completely different technological paths. There is no absolute superiority or inferiority between them, only the choice of “adaptation or not” – today we will break down the core differences between these two technologies and see how to choose in different scenarios.
Core logic: essential differences from the perspective of “networking methods”
Whether wet or dry, the core of non-woven fabric is “fiber networking+reinforcement molding”, but the “networking logic” of the two is fundamentally different, which can be called a showdown between “water as a medium” and “mechanical combing.”
Wet method: using water as the “dispatcher” to allow fibers to naturally return to their original position
As we mentioned before, the core of wet process is “dispersing water medium into a net”: fiber raw materials (especially short fibers) are first fully dispersed in water to form a uniform suspension slurry, and then through a “papermaking” process similar to papermaking, the fibers are evenly spread on the mesh curtain with the water flow, and finally dehydrated, reinforced, and dried to form a shape.
Key features: Relying on the fluidity of water to achieve disordered dispersion of fibers, the web forming process is more “gentle”, and the fibers do not need to withstand strong mechanical pulling.
Dry method: using machinery as a “comb” to arrange fibers in an orderly manner
The dry method completely separates from the aqueous medium and directly combs the fibers into a web through mechanical force, mainly divided into two technical routes:
Sorting into a net: The fiber clusters are repeatedly combed through the needle cloth of a carding machine, pulled into a single fiber state, and then cross laid or parallel laid to form a fiber net. Finally, they are reinforced by thermal bonding, needle punching, and other methods (such as commonly used needle punched geotextiles).
Airflow networking: Using airflow to blow short fibers onto a mesh curtain, and relying on the diffusion effect of airflow to form a disordered fiber network (such as the early stage process of the meltblown layer of a mask, which belongs to the extension of airflow networking).
Key feature: Relying on mechanical force or airflow to achieve fiber web formation, with high web formation efficiency, but fibers are easily affected by mechanical effects on their arrangement.
Multidimensional PK: A Comprehensive Battle of Technology, Performance, and Cost
Choosing which technological path is essentially a comprehensive consideration of “performance requirements, cost budget, and production scenarios”. We compare from six core dimensions, making it clear at a glance:
Raw material adaptability
Wet non-woven fabric is good at short fibers (such as wood pulp and short synthetic fibers, with a length of 3-10mm), and has low requirements for fiber length. Recycled short fibers can be used. Dry non-woven fabric prefers long fibers (length 25-100mm), and requires high uniformity of fiber length when combed into a net. Short fibers are prone to produce flying fluff.
Product performance
Wet non-woven fabric has good uniformity: fibers are arranged in a disorderly manner without obvious directionality High softness: The fibers are naturally dispersed and there is no mechanical hard pull Strong liquid absorption: The structure is loose and the gaps are uniform. Dry laid non-woven fabric has high strength: long fibers are tightly interwoven, and longitudinal strength is prominent (parallel laid mesh products) Good stiffness: easy to form after hot bonding Controllable breathability: Needle punching/melt spraying process can adjust porosity.
Production efficiency
Wet non-woven fabric has strong continuous production capacity, and high-end equipment can reach speeds of over 300m/min. However, it requires a water treatment system and a longer process. The speed of combing dry non-woven fabric into a net is generally 50-150m/min, and the speed of air flow into a net can exceed 200m/min. The process is short and the start stop is flexible.
Production cost
Wet non-woven fabric equipment has a high initial investment (water treatment system), high water and electricity consumption, but low raw material costs (short fibers/regenerated fibers can be used). Dry non-woven fabric equipment has low initial investment and low energy consumption, but the cost of long fiber raw materials is higher than that of short fibers.
Environmental characteristics
Wet non-woven fabric wastewater treatment has high pressure, but it is easy to develop biodegradable products (such as wood pulp wet fab). Dry non-woven fabric has no wastewater pollution, but some thermal bonding processes require adhesives with weak degradability.
Typical defects
Wet non-woven fabric has low wet strength (easily damaged before reinforcement), and its production is greatly affected by water quality. Dry non-woven fabric has poor uniformity (especially when combed into a net) and low utilization of short fibers.
Case evidence: How do performance differences affect applications?
In the field of hygiene products, wet wipes and cotton pads are preferred for wet methods – because their softness and liquid absorption far exceed dry methods, and their uniformity is not easy to shed fibers; The outer leak proof fabric of diapers is made of dry needle punched fabric, which utilizes its high strength and stiffness to prevent side leakage.
In the field of filtration, the inner skin friendly layer of the mask is made using a wet method (soft and skin friendly), the middle melt blown layer is made using a dry air flow to form a mesh (efficient filtration), and the outer waterproof fabric is made using a dry heat bonding method (tough and wear-resistant) – the three work together to achieve “comfort+protection”.
Industrial field: dry needle punched geotextile – high-strength interwoven long fibers that can withstand roadbed pressure; And the wet selection method for battery separators – a uniform pore structure can ensure ion conductivity efficiency.
Decision logic: 3 steps to determine whether to choose wet or dry method
There is no ‘best’ technology, only the ‘right’ choice. Based on actual needs, judge according to the following 3 steps:
Step 1: Clarify the core performance requirements
If softness, liquid absorption, and uniformity are required (such as hygiene products, medical dressings) – wet method is preferred;
If high strength, stiffness, and easy formability are required (such as geotextiles and packaging materials) – dry method is preferred;
If efficient filtration and breathability are required (such as air filters, tea bags), dry melt spraying/needle punching is more suitable.
Step 2: Calculate costs and production capacity
If the raw materials are mainly regenerated short fibers and wood pulp, and the production capacity demand is high (annual output exceeds 10000 tons) – wet process is more cost-effective (the cost advantage of raw materials can cover equipment investment);
If it is for small batch and multi variety production (such as customized industrial filter cloth) – dry method is more flexible (equipment start stop is convenient, and production change is fast).
Step 3: Consider environmental protection and policy requirements
If in regions with strict “dual carbon” policies (such as the European Union, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai), and the product needs to be biodegradable (such as disposable tableware packaging) – wet biodegradable materials are more likely to meet standards;
If the production site is short of water or the cost of wastewater treatment is high (such as in the arid northwest region), the advantage of dry methods without wastewater is more obvious.
Future trend: Technology integration is the ultimate direction
Nowadays, the boundary between “wet method vs dry method” is becoming blurred, and the integration of “wet method+dry method” has become a new trend:
For example, “wet water needling+dry combing” composite fabric – using wet method to ensure uniformity, and then using dry needle punching to enhance strength, can be used for high-end medical protective clothing;
Another example is “dry air flow networking+wet impregnation” – after forming a fiber web through air flow networking, functional agents (such as antibacterial agents) are impregnated with wet impregnation to achieve “efficient production+functionalization”.
In addition, the shortcomings of the two in environmental protection are also complementary: the wet method reduces wastewater discharge through a “reclaimed water recovery system”, and the dry method develops “bio based adhesives” to enhance degradability – both with the ultimate goal of “high performance+low pollution”.
The debate over the technological path of wet and dry nonwoven fabrics, from “water as a medium” to “mechanical combing”, is essentially a battle of “matching material characteristics with scene requirements”. When making a choice, there is no need to be fixated on the “technical level”, but to focus on the “essence of demand” – just like choosing wet method for wet wipes and dry method for geotextiles, seemingly different choices ultimately point to “making materials better serve life”.
What “wet/dry non-woven fabric” products have you come into contact with in your work or life? Welcome to share your user experience in the comment section and explore the secrets behind the technology together!
Dongguan Liansheng Non woven Technology Co., Ltd. was established in May 2020. It is a large-scale non-woven fabric production enterprise integrating research and development, production, and sales. It can produce various colors of PP spunbond non-woven fabrics with a width of less than 3.2 meters from 9 grams to 300 grams.
Post time: Sep-04-2025