Patent ID: 7331091

Claim:
A method of producing a patterned and/or apertured nonwoven material comprising forming a web of continuous filaments on a forming member, the continuous filaments being free from each other without any thermal or adhesive bonds therebetween; applying a wet- or foam formed fiber dispersion containing natural fibers and/or synthetic or regenerated staple fibers on top of said continuous filaments, thus forming a fibrous web containing said continuous filaments and said natural fibers and/or staple fibers; and subsequently hydroentangling the fibrous web, the web during hydroentangling being supported by a first entangling member, wherein the fibrous web is hydroentangled, from the side on which the natural fibers and/or staple fibers are applied, in two hydroentangling stations disposed one after the other, and between said hydroentangling stations is transferred from said first entangling member to a second entangling member, said first entangling member has a mesh value of at least 20 mesh/cm and the second entangling member has a mesh value of no more than 15 mesh/cm, and after the second hydroentangling station, drying the web without additional hydroentangling.