non-wovenadj.n.
/nɒnˈwəʊvn/, U.S. /nɑnˈwoʊv(ə)n/ A. adj.
Of a fabric, textile, paper, etc.: made by a means other than weaving, knitting, or spinning a yarn, such as the chemical bonding or physical entangling of fibres.
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [adjective] > non-woven
textile1852
non-woven1945
1945 Forbes 15 Oct. 16/2 The new non-spun and non-woven cloth will be cheaper..because it requires much less of the basic fiber to cover a given area.
1959 A. J. Hall Standard Handbk. Textiles iii. 156 Non-woven fabrics can never entirely take the place of woven or knitted fabrics.
1991 Public Wks. Oct. 37/2 (advt.) Our full line of tough, polypropylene nonwoven geotextiles help the world's leading hazardous waste disposal companies comply with the EPA.
1998 Textile Month June 14/3 The fabrics are now based on an array of substrates..in both woven and non-woven form.
B. n.
A non-woven material.
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > non-woven
non-woven1961
1961 New Scientist 20 Apr. 115/2 The methods are seen as a means of up-grading such ordinary fabrics as..non-wovens.
1973 Times 28 Aug. 17/7 That other branch of the disposable paper industry, nonwovens, is being addressed in the same optimistic tones.
1991 BBA Group PLC Ann. Rep. 1990 13/2 Close cooperation..continues, notably in high temperature technology, elastomers and non-wovens.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1945