 illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. Nonwoven elastic fabrics have been the subject of considerable attention and effort. Elastic fabrics are desirable for use in bandaging materials, garments, diapers, supportive clothing and personal hygiene products because of their ability to conform to irregular shapes and to allow more freedom of body movement than fabrics with limited extensibility.
Elastomeric materials have been incorporated into various fabric structures to provide stretchable fabrics. In many instances, such as where the fabrics are made by knitting or weaving, there can be a relatively high cost associated with the fabric. In cases where the fabrics are made using nonwoven technologies, the fabric can suffer from insufficient strength and only limited stretch and recovery properties.
Elastomers used to fabricate elastic fabrics often have an undesirable rubbery feel. This is particularly true with thermoplastic elastomers rather than cross-linked elastomers. When these materials are used in composite nonwoven fabrics, the hand and texture of the fabric can be perceived by the user as sticky or rubbery and therefore undesirable.
Nonwoven fabrics having thermoplastic elastomers incorporated into the fabric structure can be extremely difficult to process and to manufacture. For example, tension control during fabric manufacture and/or during downstream processing can be extremely critical. A small change in tension can result in stretching or recovery of the fabric which can lead to a non-uniformly manufactured product. Tension control is even more aggravated when heating is required, for example, during fabric drying, adhesive application, lamination, thermal bonding or other thermal treatment. When subjected to heat and tension, the fabric can stretch and otherwise undergo greater distortion than when the fabric is at room temperature. In addition, thermoplastic elastomers can lose elastic properties when stressed at elevated temperatures and allowed to cool fully or partially while stressed, and/or the thermoplastic fibers and filaments are apt to break, thereby causing the elastic fabric to lose a portion or all of its elastic properties. Still further, when elastic fabrics are wound into rolls, stretching of the fabrics can occur during the winding process and the fabric can lose elastic properties during its subsequent storage due to the phenomenon of creep.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,579 to Hagy, et al. discloses desirable composite elastic nonwoven fabrics containing staple textile fibers intimately hydroentangled with an elastic web or elastic net. One or more webs of staple textile fibers and/or wood pulp fibers can be hydroentangled with an elastic net according to the disclosure of this invention. The resulting
illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. Nonwoven elastic fabrics have been the national of considerable care and effort. Elastic fabrics are desirable for habit in bandage materials, garments, diaper, supportive clothing and personal hygiene product because of their ability to conform to atypical human body and to allow more exemption of body movement than fabrics with limited extensibility. 
 Elastomeric material have been incorporated into diverse fabric structures to supply stretchable fabrics. In many instances, such as where the fabrics are name by knitting or weaving, there can be a relatively high cost associated with the framework. In cases where the framework are made using nonwoven technologies, the framework can suffer from insufficient strength and only limited stretch and recovery property. 
 elastomer used to fabricate elastic fabrics often have an undesirable rubbery feel. This is peculiarly true with thermoplastic elastomer rather than cross - coupled elastomer. When these materials are used in composite nonwoven fabrics, the hand and texture of the framework can be perceived by the exploiter as sticky or rubbery and consequently undesirable. 
 Nonwoven fabrics having thermoplastic elastomers incorporated into the fabric structure can be extremely difficult to process and to manufacture. For example, tension restraint during fabric industry and/or during downstream processing can be extremely critical. A small change in tension can result in stretch or recovery of the fabric which can lead to a non - uniformly manufactured product. Tension control is even more aggravated when heating is required, for exercise, during fabric drying, adhesive lotion, lamination, thermal bonding or other thermal treatment. When subjected to heat and tension, the framework can stretch and otherwise undergo greater distortion than when the framework is at room temperature. In addition, thermoplastic elastomers can lose elastic property when stressed at promote temperatures and allow to cool fully or partially while stressed, and/or the thermoplastic fibers and filaments are apt to fracture, thereby causing the elastic fabric to suffer a portion or all of its elastic properties. even further, when elastic fabrics are wound into peal, stretching of the fabrics can occur during the winding process and the fabric can misplace elastic place during its subsequent storehouse due to the phenomenon of creep. 
 U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,579 to Hagy, et al. discloses desirable composite elastic nonwoven fabrics containing staple textile fiber intimately hydroentangled with an elastic web or elastic net. One or more network of staple textile fibers and/or wood pulp fibers can be hydroentangled with an elastic net accord to the disclosure of this invention. The resulting
 ilpustration and example, eobodiments of tkus invxntion. Honwoven elastic fabrics have been tie sybjecu of considerable agtention wnd effoet. Eoqstic fabrmds are desiragpe fmc use in bandaglng materians, garments, didpdrd, supportive clothing and personal rygiene pgoducts becausg of uheyr agpllty to conform to irregular shapss and uo allow more freecom of body movement than vabrlcs with limited edtensibiliti.
Slafromeric matefials have been incorpkrated into various fabric struzturex to proviee stggtchable fabcics. Ig many instakbes, sucv as whrre the fabricx ace mqde by knitting or weeving, there can be a relativeny high cost associqtwd wijh tha faceic. In cesea wherf tie fabrics zre made usung nonwoven technokodprs, the fabrid can fusfer from insufficient strength and onlj lijited stretch and recovwry properties.
Elastomgrs used tj fabricate elastic fabrics often have an undesirdble cucbexn wwep. This is particularly true with thermoplastis ekaxtomers rather than cross-kijkrq elastomers. Dhen tksss materials are usfd in cjmposute nonwoden gabrics, the hand and texturw of the fabgic xan be perceived bv the user ar stocky pr rubbery and thereforz undeairable.
Nonwlven fabrjzs having thermoolaxthc elastomers incorporated into the fabxic struzturg can bq extremelj difnhcult to process ajd to mdnufacture. For example, tension control ducmng fabric mamuxacnure and/ox durikg downstream pwocessing can ye extreiely zritical. A small rhange in tegsion can resgpt in stretciing or rqcovwry if the wxbric which cam lead to a non-unifirmly manufactured prusuct. Tension couuroo is even more sggfavwtvd xhen raating is rexuirdd, wpr exxmple, durinn fxbriv drying, adhesive ap[licztion, lamination, tnevmal bondung or oeher thermal yreatment. When subuectev to hxat anc tgnsion, the fabric can stretch ahd otherwlse undergo grewter distortion chan when the fabric is at room temperatnre. In addition, thermoklastic elastomers cau kose elastir propqrties whan stressed at elevared temperatures snd allowed to cool fhlly os parhially while stressed, and/or the thermoplastic fibers and filaments are apr to bcewk, thereby dausong tve zlastic fabcir to lose a portipn or all of its elastic propervies. Still fbrther, when elastic fabrics ate wound into rulls, stretching of the fzbrics csn occur during the winding provess and the fabric can kose elawtic lropernjer during its subseauent vtorate due ro tme phenomenon uf vrcep.
U.S. Pat. Jo. 4,775,579 uo Hcgy, et al. discloses desirable composite epastic nonwoven habrics contwlning ataple textile fibers jntijwtely hydroentanglrd with an elaxtic web or elastic tee. One or more qvbs of staple textilv fibers and/oc wood pulp xibers can be hydroentangled with an elastic net acbording to the disglosure of this imtention. The resulting
illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. fabrics been the of considerable attention desirable use in bandaging garments, diapers, supportive and personal hygiene products because of ability to conform to irregular shapes and to allow more freedom of body than fabrics with limited extensibility. Elastomeric materials have been incorporated into various fabric to stretchable In instances, such as where the fabrics are made by knitting or weaving, there can be a high cost associated with the fabric. In cases the fabrics are made nonwoven technologies, the fabric can from strength and limited and properties. Elastomers used fabricate elastic fabrics often have an undesirable rubbery feel. This is particularly true with thermoplastic elastomers rather cross-linked elastomers. materials are in nonwoven the hand and the fabric can be perceived by sticky or rubbery and therefore undesirable. Nonwoven fabrics thermoplastic elastomers into the fabric structure can be difficult to process and to manufacture. For example, control during fabric manufacture and/or during downstream processing can be extremely critical. A small change can result in stretching recovery of the which lead a manufactured product. control is even more aggravated when heating is required, for example, fabric drying, adhesive application, lamination, thermal bonding or other thermal subjected heat and tension, fabric can stretch and undergo distortion than when the at temperature. elastomers lose properties when stressed at temperatures and allowed to cool or partially while stressed, filaments are apt to break, thereby causing the fabric to lose a portion or all its elastic properties. Still further, when elastic fabrics are wound into rolls, of the occur during the winding process and the fabric lose elastic properties during subsequent storage due to the phenomenon of creep. U.S. No. to Hagy, al. discloses desirable elastic nonwoven fabrics staple textile fibers with an web elastic more webs of staple textile fibers wood fibers can be hydroentangled with elastic to the disclosure of this invention. The resulting
 illustration and example, embOdiments of This iNveNtiOn. nonwOven Elastic fabrics HAve bEen the subject of consideRable AtTEntiON aNd effOrt. ElasTIc FABriCs ArE deSiRAbLe for Use In bandaGing materiAls, GaRments, diaperS, SuPportive clOthIng and personAl hYgiene PrOduCTs becAusE of thEir abiLIty to cOnform to iRrEGular sHApes and TO AlLow mOre freedom of body mOVeMEnt than fabrics With liMiTEd EXTenSibIlity.
ElastOmEric mATerials HAvE BEEn iNCorporated intO various fabRIc sTructuReS to PRovide StretChABle Fabrics. In maNy inStances, suCh as whERe the faBRics are Made by KniTtiNg or WEaViNg, tHeRE caN Be A reLAtiVely high CoSt AssocIateD WITH the FabRic. IN caseS where the fabrIcs Are mADe uSing nOnwovEn teChNologIes, the FabriC cAn suffer from insUffiCient streNgtH aNd oNlY limiTEd streTch And RecoverY properTIes.
elASTOmErs used to fabricate ElASTiC fabrics Often hAVe An UNdesirabLe RubBery FEEl. ThiS is pARtIcularly True wiTH tHeRmoplasTiC elastOmErs RatHer thAN croSs-linkEd elastoMers. WHEn these materiaLS are used in comPOsITE nONwovEn fAbrics, the haNd anD TextUre oF ThE faBRic caN be peRcEIvED by the user as sticky oR rUbbery And thErefore undesiRable.
NonwoVEN Fabrics hAvinG ThERmoplastic elasTomerS incorporaTEd into thE fabrIc structUre can be eXTRemely diFfiCulT to ProCESs And to manufactURE. For ExAmple, teNsiOn contrOl dUriNg fAbrIc ManufactuRe and/or dUrInG dOwNstReam pROcessing CaN be ExTreMely cRItical. a smalL chaNgE iN TenSion can REsULT in sTrEtChinG or ReCoverY of tHE faBric whiCh can lead To a NOn-unIfOrMly manuFactured produCt. tension conTrOl iS even mORE aggravaTed when heating is requireD, For examPle, DurinG fabRic drying, AdhEsive aPplICation, LaminaTion, tHeRmaL BOndinG OR oTheR tHermal treaTMEnt. when sUbJectEd to heaT and tension, the fabrIC caN stretch and otHerWise UNDeRgo GReATer DiSTorTIOn than when the faBric is at roOm TEmPerature. In ADdiTiOn, thermOplastiC elasTOmers caN lose elasTic properTiEs whEN StrEssed at eleVated temPeratures ANd allOWeD to coOl fUlly or PaRtiAlly wHile stREssEd, and/Or the tHeRmoplaStic fIbErs and fiLaments are apt to break, theReby caUsing The Elastic faBriC To lOse a portiOn or All of its elAstIc pRoperTieS. still FurtHEr, WheN ElastIc faBRics are woUNd IntO ROlLs, stretchinG OF The FabriCs cAN occur DuriNg the winding proceSS and the fabric cAn loSE ElaStiC PropErTies during its sUbsEqUENt storagE dUe to the phenOmenon of CrEEp.
U.S. PAt. No. 4,775,579 to hagy, et Al. disclOSEs DEsirabLe coMpoSite elastIc nOnWOven fabRiCs COntainIng sTaPle texTile fiBErs iNTImately hydroentaNgled WITh an eLAstIc web Or Elastic NEt. OnE or more webS of staple teXtile fIberS and/oR wood puLp Fibers Can Be HydroentanGLed with an ElastIc net acCoRdinG to The disClosURE of thIs inVeNtiOn. The resuLTInG
 illustration and example,  embodimen ts of  th isin vent ion.  Nonwoven elas t ic f abrics have been the s ubjec to f co n si derab le atte n ti o n  an def for t. El astic  fa brics a re desirab lefo r use in ban d ag ing materi als , garments,dia pers,su ppo r tiveclo thing  and p e rsonal  hygienepr o ductsb ecauseo f  t heir  ability to confo r mt o irregular sh apes a nd to a llo w m ore freedo mof bo d y movem e nt t h anf abrics with l imited exte n sib ility. 
E las t omeric  mate ri a lshave been i ncor porated i nto va r ious fa b ric str ucture s t o p rovi d est ret ch a ble fa bri c s.In manyin st ances , su c h a s wh ere  the  fabr ics are madebyknit t ing  or w eavin g, t he re ca n be a  rela ti vely high costasso ciated wi thth e f ab ric.I n case s w her e the f abricsa rema d e us ing nonwoven techn ol o g ie s, the f abricc an  s u ffer fro mins uffi c i ent s tren g th  and onl y limi t ed  s tretchan d reco ve rypro perti e s.
E lastom ers used  to f a bricate elasti c  fabrics ofte n  h a v ea n un des irable rubb eryf eel.  Thi s  i s p a rticu larly  t r ue with thermoplasticel astome rs ra ther than cro ss-linkede l a stomers.  Whe n  t h ese materialsare u sed in com p osite no nwove n fabric s, the ha n d  and tex tur e o f t hef a br ic can be per c e ived  b y the u ser  as sti cky  or  ru bbe ry  and ther efore un de si ra bl e.Nonwo v en fabri cs  ha vi ngtherm o plasti c ela stom er si nco rporate d  i n t o th efa bric  st ru cture  can beextreme ly diffic ult to p ro ce ss andto manufactur e.  For examp le , t ension c ontrol d uring fabric manufactur e  and/or  du ringdown stream pr oce ssingcan be ext remely  crit ic al. A  smal l ch ang ein tension c anresul tin s tretchi ng or recovery oft hefabric whichcan  lea d to  an on - uni fo r mly m anufactured pro duct. Tens io n  c ontrol ise ven  m ore agg ravated  when heating  is requi red, forex ampl e ,  du ring fabri c drying , adhesiv e  appl i ca tion,  la minati on , t herma l bond i ngor ot her th er mal tr eatme nt . When s ubjected to heat and te nsion,  thefab ric can s tre t chand other wise  undergo g rea ter  dist ort i on th an w h en  th e  fabr ic i s  at roomt em per a t ur e. In addit i o n , t hermo pla s tic el asto mers can lose ela s tic properties  whe n str ess e d at  e levated temper atu re s and allo we d to cool f ully orpa r tiall y whil e stre ssed, a n d /o r  the t herm opl astic fib ers  a n d filam en ts are ap t to  b reak,thereb y  cau s i ng the elastic f abric t o los e  aporti on  or all of i ts elastic  properties . Stil l fu rther , whenel asticfab ri cs are wou n d into ro lls,stretch in g of  th e fabr icsc a n occ ur d ur ing  the wind i n gp ro ce s s a nd t he fa br ic c an lose e l astic pr ope r ties du ri ngi t s subs e qu e n t storagedue  to t h e  phenomeno n  ofc re e p.
U. S. Pat . No.4,775,5 7 9 t oHagy, e t a l .  disclose s desirab l e c om posi te elast ic  non wo ven  f abrics containi ng stapl e textil e fibers  in t imat e ly hyd ro entangled wi th an  e l astic w e b  or  elasti c  ne t.One  ormor e we b s of staple textile fibe rs a nd/or woo d pul p fib er s can be hydr oentangl e d with an ela stic net accord i ngt o th e d i sc lo sure of t his inven tion . T he r esu ltin g 
 illustration_and example,_embodiments of this invention._Nonwoven elastic_fabrics_have been_the_subject of considerable_attention and effort._Elastic fabrics are desirable_for use in_bandaging_materials, garments, diapers, supportive clothing and personal hygiene products because of their ability to_conform_to irregular_shapes_and_to allow more freedom of_body movement than fabrics with_limited extensibility.
Elastomeric_materials have been incorporated into various fabric structures_to_provide stretchable fabrics._In many instances, such as where the fabrics are_made by knitting or weaving, there_can be a_relatively_high_cost associated with the_fabric. In cases where the fabrics_are made using nonwoven technologies, the_fabric can suffer from insufficient strength and_only limited stretch and recovery properties.
Elastomers_used to fabricate elastic fabrics_often have_an undesirable rubbery feel. This_is particularly true_with thermoplastic_elastomers rather than_cross-linked elastomers. When these materials are_used in composite_nonwoven fabrics, the hand and texture_of_the fabric can_be_perceived_by the_user as sticky_or_rubbery and_therefore_undesirable.
Nonwoven fabrics having thermoplastic elastomers incorporated_into_the fabric structure can be extremely difficult_to process and to_manufacture._For example, tension control_during fabric manufacture and/or during_downstream processing can be extremely critical._A small_change in_tension can result in stretching or recovery of the fabric which_can lead to a non-uniformly manufactured_product. Tension control is_even more_aggravated_when heating is_required,_for example,_during fabric drying, adhesive application, lamination, thermal_bonding or_other thermal treatment. When subjected to_heat and tension, the_fabric_can stretch and otherwise undergo greater_distortion than when the fabric is_at room temperature. In addition,_thermoplastic_elastomers_can lose elastic properties when_stressed at elevated temperatures and allowed_to cool fully_or partially while stressed, and/or the thermoplastic_fibers_and filaments are apt to break,_thereby_causing the elastic fabric to lose_a_portion_or all of its elastic_properties. Still further, when elastic fabrics_are wound into rolls, stretching of the fabrics can_occur during the_winding process and the fabric_can_lose_elastic properties during its subsequent storage due to the phenomenon_of creep.
U.S._Pat. No. 4,775,579_to Hagy, et al. discloses desirable composite elastic nonwoven fabrics_containing staple textile fibers intimately hydroentangled with_an elastic web or elastic net. One or more webs of_staple textile fibers and/or wood pulp fibers can_be hydroentangled with an elastic net according_to the disclosure of_this_invention. The resulting