Method for treating a nonwoven material , namely for bulking a nonwoven material , comprising the following steps: - providing a web-like nonwoven material having a web plane , a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction , wherein the nonwoven material has, in the transverse direction , a first effective transverse extension Q1, a first thickness D1, and a first weight per unit area FG1, in each case within the first effective transverse extension Q1, - conveying the nonwoven material in a machine direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the web-like nonwoven material , - wherein the nonwoven material is a thermobonded non-woven material which is carded in the longitudinal direction and machine direction and which, as a result of the thermobonding, has a plurality of fusion bonds between fibers of the nonwoven material , - feeding the nonwoven material to a stretching station , - stretching the nonwoven material in the stretching station in the transverse direction , orthogonal to the machine direction , and in the web plane , such that at least some of the fusion bonds are broken and detached, - wherein a second effective transverse extension Q2, and a second thickness D2 and a second weight per unit area FG2, in each case within the second effective transverse extension Q2, are formed in the nonwoven material as a result of the stretching and after removal of a measure effecting the stretching, - wherein the second effective transverse extension Q2 is greater than the first effective transverse extension Q1, - wherein the second weight per unit area FG2 is smaller than the first weight per unit area FG1, wherein the second thickness D2 is greater than the first thickness D1. - providing a web-like nonwoven material having a web plane , a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction , wherein the nonwoven material has, in the transverse direction , a first effective transverse extension Q1, a first thickness D1, and a first weight per unit area FG1, in each case within the first effective transverse extension Q1, - conveying the nonwoven material in a machine direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the web-like nonwoven material , - wherein the nonwoven material is a thermobonded non-woven material which is carded in the longitudinal direction and machine direction and which, as a result of the thermobonding, has a plurality of fusion bonds between fibers of the nonwoven material , - feeding the nonwoven material to a stretching station , - stretching the nonwoven material in the stretching station in the transverse direction , orthogonal to the machine direction , and in the web plane , such that at least some of the fusion bonds are broken and detached, - wherein a second effective transverse extension Q2, and a second thickness D2 and a second weight per unit area FG2, in each case within the second effective transverse extension Q2, are formed in the nonwoven material as a result of the stretching and after removal of a measure effecting the stretching, - wherein the second effective transverse extension Q2 is greater than the first effective transverse extension Q1, - wherein the second weight per unit area FG2 is smaller than the first weight per unit area FG1, <EOS>