Patent ID: 7938921

Claim:
A method of forming a nonwoven composite having latent elasticity, the method comprising: forming an elastic strand layer comprising a plurality of strands in the form of filaments laminated to a meltblown web, wherein the meltblown web contains a single-site catalyzed semi-crystalline polyolefin and the filaments contain a thermoplastic elastomer, the single-site catalyzed semi-crystalline polyolefin having a density of from about 0.85 to about 0.87 grams per cubic centimeter and comprising at least 70 weight percent of the polymer content of the meltblown web; stretching the elastic strand layer in the machine direction at a stretch ratio from about 2.0 to about 8.0, thereby forming a stretched elastic strand layer; allowing the stretched elastic strand layer to relax to achieve a relaxation percentage of about 10% or more; and laminating a nonwoven web facing to the relaxed elastic strand layer to form a generally inelastic composite that exhibits a percent strain of about 50% or less when subjected to a load in the machine direction of 2000 grams-force per 3 inches wide, wherein the composite is capable of being heat activated to form an elastic composite.