Button Mad, from Facebook, asked if spunbonded fabric is the same as non woven fabric. The answer to that is ...yes... and no...
There are a lot of similarities between the two. Both are made from man made fibres, using an industrial process, not a loom, so they have similar properties. They don't fray. They don't have a bias edge, or a 'right way up', for that matter. They come in a variety of different weights. They can be coloured in a variety of different ways, too, and heat distressed, though with differing results (try it and see...).
The main difference between the two types of fabric, though, is their method of manufacture. I have already described how spunbonded fabrics are made; basically, the fibres are floated on air and zapped with heat, resulting in a semi transparent mesh type fabric. It is made for use in industry, and is therefore very strong, and resistant to heat. Non woven fabrics are made in a variety of different ways, sometimes using heat, but more often using chemicals or solvents. Whilst the lightest of them are undeniably semi transparent, their strength and their heat resistance will vary.
I use both, but the texture of lutradur and zeelon for me is the clinching factor; it is an interesting fabric in itself, whilst non wovens tend to be uniform in structure; think of interfacing, for example. I hope that answers the question.. if you want more details, just ask in the box...
PS Transparency is not necessarily a feature of non woven 'cloth'; felt is a non woven, and wool felt is certainly the odd man out; it needs heat, soap and friction to felt, or a felting needle/machine.
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