Substrate options compared
| Substrate | Softness / skin feel | Wet strength | Absorbency | Lint / particles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% viscose (rayon) spunlace | Highest | Moderate | Highest | Low |
| Viscose / polyester blend | High | High | Good | Low |
| Polyester spunlace | Medium | High | Moderate | Very low |
| PP spunbond | Lower | High | Low | Very low |
Fibre and substrate: what actually changes the wipe
For skin-contact wipes and prep pads the substrate is a design choice, not a commodity. 100% viscose (rayon) spunlace is the benchmark for softness and fluid uptake — ideal for sensitive-skin, paediatric and frequent-use products. Adding polyester raises wet strength and dimensional stability at some cost to softness. Grammage (GSM) sets thickness and fluid capacity; bonding method (hydroentanglement / spunlace vs thermal) sets strength and lint. We saturate ultra-soft viscose that many factories cannot run — see our note on soft/firm nonwoven tuning.
Sensitive web handling: why the line, not just the cloth, matters
A soft, low-grammage viscose web is hard to run: it stretches, fuzzes and tears under tension. Sensitive nonwoven web handling — controlled tension, gentle unwind, consolidation of the web before cutting (Verfestigung) — is what lets us cut ultra-soft material into any size from 65×30 mm to 300×300 mm without lint or edge fraying, at mass-production speed. This is a fully automated-line capability, not a hand operation; it is the difference between a spec sheet and a wipe that arrives clean and lint-free.
Saturation and bactericidal efficacy: the substrate is part of the test
The cloth is not neutral to performance. Fluid-to-cloth ratio, even distribution and fibre chemistry all affect how much active reaches the skin and stays there — which is exactly what residual bactericidal efficacy testing measures. An under-saturated or channelling web can fail efficacy even with the right formulation. We control saturation per lot and release against specification with COA, so the substrate and the fill are validated together, not separately.
Frequently asked questions
What nonwoven is best for skin-prep wipes?
For softness and absorbency, 100% viscose (rayon) spunlace is the benchmark; where wet strength matters more, a viscose/polyester blend is used. The right choice depends on skin sensitivity, fluid load and how the wipe is dispensed.
What is nonwoven web handling, and why does it matter?
Web handling is how the nonwoven roll is unwound, tensioned, consolidated and cut on the line. Soft, low-grammage viscose stretches and sheds lint if handled poorly; controlled, gentle web handling is what allows clean cutting into custom sizes without fraying.
Does the cloth affect bactericidal efficacy?
Yes. Saturation ratio, even fluid distribution and fibre chemistry influence how much active is delivered and retained, which residual bactericidal efficacy testing measures. Substrate and fill must be validated together.
Are your wipes lint-free?
Spunlace viscose and polyester substrates are low-lint; polyester-rich constructions are lowest. We control edge cutting and web handling to minimise particles, and can tune the construction to a lint specification for cleanroom or sensitive uses.
