Patent ID: 8709191

Claim:
A method of forming a nonwoven composite having latent elasticity, the method comprising: forming an elastic film that contains a base layer positioned adjacent to a skin layer, wherein the base layer is formed from an elastomeric composition and the skin layer is formed from a thermoplastic composition, wherein about 55 wt. % or more of the polymer content of the elastomeric composition is constituted by at least one substantially amorphous elastomer and about 10 wt. % or more of the polymer content of the thermoplastic composition is constituted by at least one semi-crystalline propylene/α-olefin copolymer; stretching the elastic film in the machine direction at a stretch ratio from about 1.5 to about 7.0 without applying external heat, thereby forming a stretched elastic film; allowing the stretched elastic film to relax to achieve a relaxation percentage of about 10% or more; and laminating a nonwoven web facing to the relaxed elastic film, wherein the composite exhibits a heat shrinkage of about 40% or ore after being heated in water at 160° F. for 30 seconds to 1 minute.