Patent ID: 6992028

Claim:
A nonwoven fabric comprising: a first composite layer, said first composite layer comprising from about 50% to about 90% by weight non-thermoplastic absorbent staple fibers and from about 10% to about 50% by weight thermoplastic fibers, wherein a preponderance of the fibers at a first outer surface of the first composite layer comprise non-thermoplastic absorbent staple fibers, and further wherein a preponderance of the fibers at a second outer surface of the first composite layer comprise thermoplastic fibers, a second composite layer, said second composite layer comprising from about 50% to about 90% by weight non-thermoplastic absorbent staple fibers and from about 10% to about 50% by weight thermoplastic fibers, wherein a preponderance of the fibers at a first outer surface of the second composite layer comprise non-thermoplastic absorbent staple fibers, and further wherein a preponderance of the fibers at a second outer surface of the second composite layer comprise thermoplastic fibers, and further wherein said second outer surface of the second composite layer is adjacent said second outer surface of the first composite layer, and, bonded regions wherein a portion of said thermoplastic fibers of the first composite layer are fused to a portion of said thermoplastic fibers of the second composite layer, and further wherein said bonded regions have a plurality of contiguous voids.