How to Choose the Right Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric for Your Application

---

Choosing the right spunbond nonwoven fabric is not simply a matter of selecting a GSM and asking for the lowest price.

Two rolls of 50 GSM spunbond fabric can behave very differently if they have different raw materials, bonding structures, additives, fiber characteristics, or production controls. Likewise, a fabric that works well for shopping bags may be unsuitable for agricultural covers, hygiene products, medical packaging, or furniture applications.

For buyers, the better approach is to start with the end application and work backward toward the material specification.

This guide explains how to choose spunbond nonwoven fabric according to application requirements, including GSM, tensile strength, elongation, softness, air permeability, hydrophilicity, water resistance, UV resistance, width, color, raw material, and roll configuration.

---

1. Start With the Application, Not the GSM

The first question when selecting spunbond fabric should be:

What will the fabric actually do in the finished product?

Different applications place different demands on the material.

For example:

Application	Main Requirement	Typical Material Consideration
Shopping bags	Strength, stiffness, printability	Medium to high GSM
Baby diapers	Softness, uniformity, skin-contact performance	Fine fibers, controlled bonding
Medical gowns	Strength, barrier performance	Appropriate structure/treatment
Agricultural covers	Breathability, UV resistance, lightweight protection	Low to medium GSM
Mattress fabric	Strength, flexibility, appearance	Medium GSM
Packaging	Tear resistance, appearance, dimensional stability	Medium GSM
Furniture	Strength, coverage, appearance	Medium to high GSM
Geotextile applications	Mechanical performance, durability	Higher GSM
Shoe covers	Lightweight, cost efficiency	Low GSM
Plant covers	Air permeability, light transmission, UV resistance	Low to medium GSM

This is why there is no single answer to the question of which spunbond fabric is “best.”

The correct material depends on the job it needs to perform.

---

2. Build the Specification From the End Product

A practical way to choose spunbond nonwoven fabric is to divide the specification into six levels:

Application → Function → Performance → Structure → Processing → Commercial requirements

For example, consider a reusable shopping bag.

The buyer may start with:

Application: reusable shopping bag

Then identify the required functions:

• carry weight

• maintain bag shape

• withstand repeated handling

• accept printing

• provide an acceptable appearance

Those functions lead to measurable specifications:

• GSM

• MD/CD tensile strength

• elongation

• tear strength

• thickness

• width

• color

• surface uniformity

The final RFQ can therefore become much more precise.

Instead of:

“Please quote 60 GSM spunbond.”

A stronger request would be:

“Please quote 60 GSM virgin PP spunbond fabric, 160 cm width, black, suitable for reusable shopping bags, with specified MD/CD tensile requirements and roll length.”

This gives the supplier much more information about what you actually need.

---

3. Choose the Right GSM

GSM, or grams per square meter, is one of the most important specifications when you choose spunbond nonwoven fabric.

However, GSM should not be treated as a direct substitute for strength.

A higher GSM generally means more material per square meter, but actual performance also depends on:

• polymer quality

• fiber diameter

• web formation

• bonding conditions

• production line configuration

• additives

• fabric structure

• MD/CD orientation

A practical GSM reference

The following ranges are broad commercial references rather than universal specifications:

GSM Range	Typical Characteristics	Common Applications
8–15 GSM	Very lightweight	Hygiene components, lightweight covers
15–25 GSM	Lightweight	Diaper components, shoe covers, protective applications
25–40 GSM	Light to medium	Medical, hygiene, agriculture
40–60 GSM	Medium	Bags, packaging, furniture
60–100 GSM	Medium to heavy	Reusable bags, construction, furniture
100+ GSM	Heavy-duty	Specialized industrial and structural applications

The actual range required depends on the product.

For example, a 20 GSM fabric may be appropriate for one application but completely inadequate for a load-bearing reusable bag.

GSM affects more than strength

Increasing GSM can also affect:

• thickness

• opacity

• stiffness

• air permeability

• material consumption

• cost per square meter

• drape

• handling characteristics

Therefore, don't simply tell a supplier:

“I need the strongest possible fabric.”

Define the required performance first.

---

4. Check Raw Material: Virgin PP or Recycled PP?

Polypropylene is widely used for spunbond nonwoven fabric because it combines low density, chemical resistance, processability, and cost efficiency.

But buyers should clarify whether the material is:

• virgin PP

• recycled PP

• a blend

• another polymer system

Virgin PP

Virgin polypropylene is often selected when buyers require:

• stable appearance

• consistent processing

• predictable mechanical properties

• controlled odor

• demanding hygiene applications

• tight production consistency

Recycled PP

Recycled material may be attractive when:

• cost is a major consideration

• the application has less demanding performance requirements

• sustainability requirements permit it

• the buyer has an approved recycled-material specification

However, recycled material should not automatically be treated as equivalent to virgin PP.

If consistency is important, ask the supplier to clearly identify the raw material source and provide samples from actual production.

---

5. Match Strength to the Application

When buyers choose spunbond nonwoven fabric, tensile strength is often more meaningful than GSM alone.

Tensile performance is normally evaluated in both:

• MD — machine direction

• CD — cross direction

This distinction matters because spunbond production can create directional differences in mechanical performance.

For applications such as bags, packaging, furniture, and industrial products, ask for both MD and CD tensile values.

Example specification framework

Property	Example Requirement
GSM	60 GSM
Width	160 cm
MD tensile	Buyer-defined
CD tensile	Buyer-defined
MD elongation	Buyer-defined
CD elongation	Buyer-defined
Tear strength	Buyer-defined
Color	Pantone/reference sample
Raw material	Virgin PP
Roll length	Buyer-defined

The exact numbers should come from your finished-product requirements rather than copied from another application.

---

6. Don't Ignore Elongation

Tensile strength tells you how much force the fabric can withstand.

Elongation tells you how much the material stretches before breaking.

These properties work together.

A fabric with high tensile strength but unsuitable elongation may not behave correctly during:

• bag production

• sewing

• converting

• forming

• stretching

• mechanical processing

For products that undergo repeated deformation, elongation can be especially important.

When comparing suppliers, therefore, don't compare only:

“60 GSM”

Compare:

60 GSM + MD/CD tensile + MD/CD elongation

This creates a much more useful technical comparison.

---

7. Decide Whether You Need Softness or Stiffness

Not every spunbond application requires maximum strength.

Some applications prioritize softness and comfort, while others need body and stiffness.

Applications where softness may matter

• diapers

• sanitary products

• personal-care products

• medical garments

• skin-contact components

Applications where stiffness may matter

• shopping bags

• packaging

• certain agricultural products

• protective covers

• some industrial applications

Bonding conditions and fiber characteristics can significantly influence the balance between softness and mechanical performance.

This is one reason why a supplier's technical capability matters.

A fabric can meet the nominal GSM requirement and still feel completely different from another supplier's material.

---

8. Hydrophilic or Hydrophobic?

Water behavior is another important decision.

Hydrophilic spunbond

Hydrophilic fabric is designed to promote wetting and liquid absorption/spreading across the surface.

It may be useful for applications involving:

• liquid distribution

• hygiene products

• absorbent product components

• certain filtration or fluid-handling applications

Hydrophobic spunbond

Hydrophobic fabric resists wetting and is commonly considered for applications where water repellency is useful.

Examples include:

• agricultural covers

• protective covers

• certain medical products

• packaging

• outdoor applications

But there is an important distinction:

Hydrophobic does not automatically mean waterproof.

If your application requires true water resistance, you may need:

• higher fabric density

• hydrophobic treatment

• coating

• film lamination

• multilayer construction

The correct choice depends on the actual water-resistance requirement.

---

9. Consider Air Permeability

Air permeability becomes important when the fabric needs to allow air to pass through.

Applications may include:

• agricultural crop covers

• plant covers

• hygiene products

• breathable protective materials

• selected filtration-related applications

A very dense fabric may provide greater coverage but reduce airflow.

Conversely, a highly open structure may provide excellent breathability but insufficient protection.

Therefore, don't ask simply:

“Is the fabric breathable?”

Ask for a measurable air-permeability specification when airflow is important.

---

10. UV Resistance Matters for Outdoor Applications

Standard PP spunbond should not automatically be considered suitable for long-term outdoor exposure.

Ultraviolet radiation can gradually degrade polypropylene and reduce mechanical performance.

If the fabric will be exposed to sunlight, discuss:

• UV stabilizer/additive system

• expected exposure period

• climate

• color

• GSM

• required retained strength

• accelerated UV testing where appropriate

This is particularly important for:

• agricultural crop covers

• weed-control fabrics

• plant covers

• landscaping

• outdoor protective materials

A useful RFQ question is:

“What UV stabilization system is available, and what test data can you provide for the intended exposure?”

---

11. Width Is a Cost and Production Variable

Width is often treated as a simple purchasing specification, but it can have a significant effect on production efficiency.

Suppose a bag manufacturer needs a finished width that matches a particular cutting pattern.

Choosing the correct parent-roll width can reduce:

• edge waste

• slitting

• cutting losses

• production time

• material consumption

Therefore, before ordering, calculate:

Finished product width → cutting layout → parent-roll width

This can sometimes save more money than negotiating a small reduction in price per kilogram.

---

12. Choose Color Based on the Final Product

Color requirements should be clarified before production.

For commercial products, buyers may specify:

• standard color

• Pantone reference

• physical color sample

• RGB/CMYK reference for design purposes

• customer-approved master sample

For repeated orders, keeping an approved physical or digital color standard can help reduce batch-to-batch differences.

For black or dark-colored fabrics, ask about color consistency between production batches if appearance is commercially important.

---

13. Decide Whether You Need Special Treatment

Standard spunbond fabric may be sufficient for simple applications.

More demanding applications may require additional properties.

Possible treatments or modifications include:

• hydrophilic treatment

• hydrophobic treatment

• UV stabilization

• antistatic treatment

• flame-retardant treatment

• antibacterial treatment

• color customization

• coating

• film lamination

• printing

However, every additional treatment can influence:

• cost

• processing

• appearance

• physical properties

• regulatory requirements

Don't request every available treatment.

Specify only the properties your finished product actually needs.

---

14. Use the Application to Set Priorities

Different applications should use different selection priorities.

For reusable shopping bags

Prioritize:

1. tensile strength

2. tear resistance

3. stiffness

4. printability

5. GSM

6. color consistency

7. width

For agricultural crop covers

Prioritize:

1. UV resistance

2. air permeability

3. GSM

4. light transmission

5. strength

6. width

7. water behavior

For hygiene products

Prioritize:

1. softness

2. uniformity

3. wetting behavior

4. tensile performance

5. cleanliness

6. production consistency

7. roll quality

For medical protective products

Prioritize:

1. required barrier performance

2. tensile strength

3. uniformity

4. cleanliness

5. treatment/lamination requirements

6. applicable compliance requirements

7. production consistency

The important principle is:

The highest-priority property changes with the application.

---

15. Don't Compare Suppliers by Price per Kilogram Alone

This is one of the most common purchasing mistakes.

Imagine two suppliers quote:

Supplier	Price/kg	GSM	Width	Material
Supplier A	$1.50	50 GSM	160 cm	Virgin PP
Supplier B	$1.45	55 GSM	160 cm	Virgin PP

Supplier B appears cheaper.

But the actual material cost per square meter depends on GSM.

A simple calculation is:

Cost per m² = GSM ÷ 1000 × Price per kg

For example:

50 GSM at $1.50/kg:

0.05 × $1.50 = $0.075/m²

55 GSM at $1.45/kg:

0.055 × $1.45 = $0.07975/m²

So the lower price per kilogram does not necessarily mean a lower cost per square meter.

For converted products, the better comparison may be:

Cost per finished product = fabric consumption × fabric cost + conversion cost + waste

---

16. Request a Technical Data Sheet

Before placing a large order, ask the supplier for a technical data sheet whenever possible.

A useful TDS may include:

Parameter	Why It Matters
GSM	Material consumption
Thickness	Product structure
MD tensile	Machine-direction strength
CD tensile	Cross-direction strength
MD elongation	Stretch behavior
CD elongation	Stretch behavior
Tear strength	Damage resistance
Air permeability	Breathability
Water behavior	Application suitability
Width	Production compatibility
Roll length	Logistics and production planning
Raw material	Quality consistency
Treatment	Functional performance

Don't compare suppliers until their specifications are presented in the same format.

---

17. Always Test a Production Sample

A specification sheet is not a substitute for physical testing.

When possible, evaluate a production sample for:

• GSM

• thickness

• tensile strength

• elongation

• tear resistance

• air permeability

• water behavior

• softness

• stiffness

• color

• surface uniformity

• roll winding

• odor

• converting performance

For industrial buyers, it is often useful to test the fabric using the same machine and production conditions used for the finished product.

A fabric can look good in a laboratory test but behave differently during actual converting.

---

18. The Supplier Should Understand Your Application

A good spunbond supplier should not only answer:

“What GSM do you need?”

A more useful supplier conversation starts with:

“What are you making with the fabric?”

Once the supplier understands the application, they can discuss:

• GSM

• raw material

• bonding

• width

• treatment

• color

• tensile requirements

• roll specifications

• packaging

• MOQ

• production capacity

This can be especially valuable for buyers who are ordering a new material for the first time.

---

19. A Simple Decision Tree for Choosing Spunbond Fabric

You can use the following decision process before sending an RFQ.

Step 1 — Define the product

What are you manufacturing?

Bag → Medical product → Hygiene product → Agriculture → Furniture → Packaging → Other

Step 2 — Identify the main performance requirement

Do you primarily need:

• strength?

• softness?

• breathability?

• water resistance?

• UV resistance?

• stiffness?

• printability?

• low cost?

Step 3 — Set the material structure

Determine:

• polymer

• virgin/recycled

• GSM

• bonding structure

• treatment

Step 4 — Set dimensions

Specify:

• width

• roll diameter if relevant

• roll length

• core size

• winding direction

Step 5 — Set quality requirements

Specify:

• GSM tolerance

• tensile requirements

• elongation

• color tolerance

• appearance

• packaging

Step 6 — Test

Approve a sample before moving to bulk production.

Step 7 — Lock the specification

Once the sample is approved, keep the specification unchanged for repeat orders unless both parties agree to a revision.

---

20. Example: Choosing Fabric for a Reusable Shopping Bag

Consider a buyer producing reusable nonwoven bags.

The buyer needs:

• good carrying strength

• reasonable stiffness

• attractive appearance

• four-color printing

• competitive cost

• stable supply

Instead of searching only for:

“60 GSM spunbond”

the buyer should define:

Material: PP spunbond
Raw material: Virgin PP
GSM: approximately 60 GSM
Width: according to bag construction
Color: customized
Strength: based on bag load requirement
Surface: suitable for printing
Roll: standardized roll length and core
Quality: approved sample required

The supplier can then recommend whether 50, 60, 70, or another GSM is more appropriate.

The final specification should be based on the bag's actual load and production process rather than an arbitrary GSM number.

---

21. Example: Choosing Fabric for Agricultural Crop Covers

Agricultural buyers have a different set of priorities.

A crop cover may need:

• sunlight transmission

• air permeability

• protection from wind

• adequate mechanical strength

• UV stabilization

• appropriate water behavior

• low weight

In this case, simply increasing GSM may not produce the best result.

A heavier fabric can provide greater material coverage, but the buyer must also consider:

• sunlight transmission

• airflow

• crop microclimate

• installation method

• expected service life

For outdoor applications, UV stabilization can be more important than simply increasing fabric weight.

---

22. Example: Choosing Fabric for Hygiene Applications

Hygiene products require a different selection logic.

For applications such as diapers and sanitary products, buyers may prioritize:

• softness

• uniform surface

• controlled wetting behavior

• tensile performance

• cleanliness

• consistent GSM

• stable roll quality

The material should be evaluated not only as a fabric but as a component within a converting system.

The fabric may pass a basic tensile test but still be unsuitable if it does not perform correctly on the buyer's production line.

This is why sample trials are especially important for hygiene materials.

---

23. Common Mistakes When Selecting Spunbond Fabric

Mistake 1: Choosing only by GSM

GSM does not describe the complete performance of a nonwoven fabric.

Mistake 2: Choosing only by price/kg

A lower price per kilogram does not automatically mean lower cost per finished product.

Mistake 3: Ignoring MD/CD differences

Directional strength can affect converting and finished-product performance.

Mistake 4: Assuming hydrophobic means waterproof

Water repellency and waterproof construction are not identical.

Mistake 5: Ignoring UV exposure

Outdoor applications require consideration of UV degradation.

Mistake 6: Approving a sample that was not produced under normal conditions

A laboratory