For many years, almost all nonwovens required a chemical binder in order to provide any measure of structural integrity. In addition, the binder was called upon to contribute and convey numerous properties that were necessary for the effective performance of the fabric.
In the very early stages of nonwoven development, different types of natural resins and glues were used to bond nonwovens. Later on, synthetic binders were developed to meet the structural and performance requirements of nonwoven fabrics.