PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a nonwoven fabric that can easily ensure characteristics required for a nonwoven fabric used in a final product and has an improved processability.SOLUTION: Provided is a method for producing a nonwoven fabric in which a compression-heating process is performed to a fiber web containing a thermal fusion fiber that exhibits a thermal fusing property by heating, a hydrophilic fiber that does not have a thermal fusing property, and a latent crimpable fiber that is spirally crimped by heating. In the compression-heating process, a nonwoven fabric is produced by heating the fiber web at a temperature equal to or higher than a thermal fusion start temperature at which the thermal fusion fiber exhibits a thermal fusing property and lower than a crimp development temperature of the crimpable fiber, while compressing the fiber web in the thickness direction. The thickness of the nonwoven fabric thus produced is restored by heating at a temperature equal to or higher than the crimp development temperature of the crimpable fiber.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】最終製品に使用される不織布に求められる特性を確保しやすく、且つ、不織布の加工性を向上させることを目的とする。【解決手段】加熱により熱融着性を発揮する熱融着繊維と、熱融着性を有さない親水性繊維と、加熱されることで螺旋状に捲縮される潜在型の捲縮繊維とを含有する繊維ウェブに対して、圧縮加熱工程を施す。圧縮加熱工程では、繊維ウェブをその厚み方向において圧縮しながら、前記熱融着繊維が熱融着性を発揮する熱融着開始温度以上、捲縮繊維の捲縮発現温度未満の温度で加熱して不織布を製造する。このように製造された不織布は、捲縮繊維の捲縮発現温度以上の温度で加熱することで、厚みが復元される。【選択図】なし
