At Technical Absorbents, we have been manufacturing and supplying super absorbent fibres (SAF™) for over 30 years and more recently expanding into the production of absorbent fabrics. Our absorbent materials can be found in products across the globe, but what exactly are super absorbents and what fabrics can we make from our fibres. We aim to answer that question in this helpful article. We will also be talking about how to choose the right super absorbent material for your product range or application.
At Technical Absorbents, we have a wide range of absorbent fibres and fabrics ready to trial – you can browse available samples here. We also have a development team dedicated to collaborating with customers to engineer bespoke absorbent materials to meet their specific needs. Our expert team is on hand to discuss your requirements. Get in touch today at +44 (0)1472 245200 or by email at info@exploresaf.com.
So, what are superabsorbents?
Simply put, superabsorbents are materials that have been specifically designed to absorb large volumes of liquids. They are used across a variety of industries including medical, filtration, food packaging, hygiene and structural waterproofing. Sometimes the end goal is simple water capture and retention, sometimes it can be water-blocking. In some cases, customer wants to wash and reuse an absorbent material. If there is a need to capture and manage an aqueous fluid, super absorbents are a great solution. If you are developing a product that requires absorbency, contact us to have a more detailed discussion.
What Super Absorbent Fabrics can we make?
We manufacture a wide range of superabsorbent fabrics – all containing its super absorbent fibre technology. Each has its own unique benefits and some are more suited to specific applications than others. Here are some of the options:
Airlaid Absorbent Fabrics
These popular nonwoven fabrics are known for being soft and absorbent due to their cellulosic content. All of our Airlaid Nonwovens also contain our Super Absorbent Fibres (SAF™) and so ideal for use in disposable hygiene products, medical dressings and other wound care/medical products that require high levels of absorbency, filtration and food packaging.
The airlaid manufacturing process involves fibres being randomly dispersed by a fast-moving air stream. They are then condensed onto a moving screen and bonded to create the finished fabric. Additional laminate layers can be added to one or both sides if required to provide extra strength or functionality.
We can achieve absorbent Airlaid nonwovens with up to 60% SAF™ and have a catalogue of fabrics readily available to sample – you can browse these below. Bespoke fabrics can also be manufactured if required. You can browse our Super Absorbent airlaid non-woven fabrics here: Airlaid Nonwoven Fabrics.
Needlepunch Absorbent Fabrics
These felt-like fabrics (often referred to as needlefelt fabrics) are well known for their versatility. They can be produced containing a wide range of fibre types, e.g. Polyester, Polypropylene, Viscose etc. We also add SAF™ into the blend to make them superabsorbent. Such fabrics are used in a wide range of applications, from filtration and structural waterproofing, to medical and hygiene.
They are manufactured using the needle punching process, which interlocks the fibres together. This form of bonding provides a great deal of flexibility, and, as a result, such fabrics can be designed to offer high levels of strength and integrity or to be soft and lofty. If required, these fabrics can also be thermally bonded – with or without laminates – to provide extra strength or functionality.
We can achieve absorbent needlefelt fabrics with up to 80% SAF™ content and have a catalogue of fabrics readily available to sample – you can browse these below. Bespoke fabrics can also be manufactured if required. You can browse our Super Absorbent needle punch and needle felt fabrics here Needlepunch Nonwoven Fabric
Woven Super Absorbent Fabrics
These specialist absorbent fabrics are made by weaving our Super Absorbent SAF™ spun yarns to create unique superabsorbent net structures. They are ideal for use in applications that require a more complex, breathable and flexible absorbent material, e.g. medical dressings.
Our Absorbent Woven Fabrics have been engineered to produce extremely high levels of absorbency and retention – even under load. They provide an extremely strong, lightweight absorbent solution and wicking is made possible by incorporating others fibres in the spun yarns. Net sizes can vary to meet requirements and laminates, e.g. PES nonwoven can also be added on either side.
We can achieve absorbent woven fabrics with varying levels of SAF™ content and have a catalogue of fabrics readily available to sample – you can browse these below. Bespoke fabrics can also be manufactured if required. You can browse our Absorbent Woven Fabrics here Absorbent Woven Fabrics
Thermobond Super Absorbent Fabrics
Our range of Superabsorbent Thermobond Nonwovens are ideal for use in applications that require a lightweight, conformable and highly absorbent solution – a fabric capable of absorbing many times its own weight in liquid and locking it away. They are often selected for use as an absorbent core in ultra-thin disposable hygiene products and medical dressings, or even as a water-blocking tape in cable applications.
These highly absorbent slimline fabrics, provide superior strength and durability compared to some other nonwoven technologies. This is a result of the thermal bonding process that uses heat to melt the outer layer of the fibres, creating a strong and reliable bond between them. They are typically produced using fibres such as Polyester, Polypropylene, Rayon etc. All of our Thermobond Nonwovens also contain our Super Absorbent Fibres.
We can achieve thermally bonded materials with up to 80% SAF™ and have a catalogue of fabrics readily available to sample – you can browse these below. Bespoke fabrics can also be manufactured if required. Browse our Thermobond Super Absorbent Fabrics here or order a sample Thermobond Nonwovens
Washable Super Absorbent Fabrics
This is an example of one of our specialist superabsorbent fabric ranges, developed to meet the needs of customers who are looking to produce reusable absorbent products. Currently these fabrics are in demand from the reusable period, incontinence and evaporative cooling markets – where they are used as a highly absorbent core – but can be used wherever there is a need to absorb, wash and re-use.
The fabrics have been manufactured using the carded needlepunch process, but highly engineered with an innovative Super Absorbent Fibre (SAF™) grade and additional layers to enhance durability. This ensures that they withstand laundering.* As with our disposable options, these fabrics are soft and flexible and capable of absorbing many times their own weight in liquid and locking it away.
We can achieve washable materials with up to 30% SAF™ content and have a catalogue of fabrics readily available to sample – you can browse these below. Bespoke fabrics can also be manufactured if required. You can shop our Washable Super Absorbent Fabrics here Washable Superabsorbent Fabric
Choosing The Right Fabric For Your Industry
As mentioned above, every industry is different and each product has unique requirements. If you need help finding the right Super Absorbent then reach out to the Technical Absorbents team. Get in touch at +44 (0)1472 245200 or by email at info@exploresaf.com. The information below is only to be used as a simple guide.
Wound care/medical absorbent fabrics
For wound care/medical dressing applications, we suggest starting by looking at absorbent fabrics similar to our absorbent fabric type 2091 (Airlaid Nonwoven Fabric: 2091). This is a 180gsm, thermally bonded nonwoven material, highly absorbent and boasting excellent levels of liquid retention. This product is already popular within the medical industry which makes it an excellent starting point.
Airlaid Absorbent Fabric Suggestions
If a more slimline airlaid absorbent fabric is required, we would recommend our absorbent fabric type 2351 (Airlaid Nonwoven Fabric: 2351). This absorbent fabric is only 70gsm and yet still provides excellent absorbency and retention. It is currently the thinnest fabric in our high-absorbency airlaid range.
If a bulker absorbent airlaid fabric is needed for applications such as filtration (water removal), we would suggest looking at our absorbent fabric types 2644 (Airlaid Nonwoven Fabric: 2644) and 2654 (Airlaid Nonwoven Fabric: 2654). These two heavier-weight superabsorbent airlaid fabrics offer higher rates of absorbency than other products within this category.
Needlepunch Absorbent Fabric Suggestions
We can also offer a wide range of needlefelt materials from our needlepunch nonwoven line. We provide bespoke slimline options right the way through to much bulkier fabrics. Technical Absorbents can help you to determine the correct fabric for your desired application. At Technical Absorbents. we can manufacture needlefelt fabrics from 100gsm up to 1,000gsm if required. The thinnest currently available is 190gsm. This is fabric type 7002 (Needlepunch Nonwoven: 7002) and is a blend of Super Absorbent Fibre and Polyester.
Our heaviest fabric currently is type 7004 (Needlepunch Nonwoven: 7004) which is 570gsm. This is an option for applications that require very high levels of absorbency, but do not require a fabric with a great deal of strength and integrity.
Thanks For Reading!
We hope you have found this page informative and gained an overview of the complexities of Super Absorbent Fabrics, Fibres and Yarns. If you require any further information on our products you can find our FAQ’s here. Or, simply browse our range of off-the-shelf samples to trial here: Samples If you can’t find the product that you are looking for, or simply just need some help, reach out to a member of our team today!
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