To provide a nonwoven fabric which becomes suitably bulky when water is absorbed.SOLUTION: A nonwoven fabric contains a thermally fusible fiber and a water-absorbing shrinkable fiber, and bonding between the fibers is made by the fusion force of the thermally fusible fiber. The nonwoven fabric has a first fiber layer containing the water-absorbing shrinkable fiber and a second fiber layer containing no water-absorbing shrinkable fiber, which is laminated on the first fiber layer. The water-absorbing shrinkable fiber has a fiber length of 20 to 100 mm, and is contained in an amount of 20 mass% or more relative to the total mass of the nonwoven fabric. The first fiber layer has a water-absorbing shrinkable fiber content of 50 mass% or more and 90 mass% or less, and a thermally fusible fiber content of 10 mass% or more and 50 mass% or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None【課題】吸水時に好適に嵩高くなる不織布を提供する。【解決手段】不織布は、熱融着性繊維と吸水収縮性繊維とを含有し、熱融着性繊維の融着力によって繊維間結合して成る。吸水収縮性繊維を含有する第１繊維層と、第１繊維層に積層され、吸水収縮性繊維を含有しない第２繊維層とを有し、吸水収縮性繊維は、繊維長が２０～１００ｍｍであり、不織布全質量に対して２０質量％以上含有されている。第１繊維層は、吸水収縮性繊維の含有率が５０質量％以上９０質量％以下で、かつ熱融着性繊維の含有率が１０質量％以上５０質量％以下である。【選択図】なし
