NOVEL COMPOSITE WEB
A multilayered nonwoven composite web (10) particularly useful as a substitute for a woven web such as a textile web, and having improved liquid wicking and retention properties comprising a first layer (12) of fibrous material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic meltblown man-made fibers, thermoplastic spunbonded man-made fibers, thermoplastic man-made staple fibers and combinations thereof, this first layer being light weight, and a second layer (14) of cellulosic-based fibers, preferably cotton fibers, the first and second layers being thermally bonded (16) together over about 5 to 75% of the surface area of the web to form a coherent web having an air permeability of between about 25 and about 37 ft<3>/min/ft<2>. In a preferred embodiment, the composite web includes at least a third layer of thermoplastic man-made fibers and the layer of cellulose-based fibers is sandwiched between the two layers of thermoplastic man-made fibers.