Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric Buying Guide: What Should You Check Before Ordering?

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Before You Order Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric

Buying spunbond nonwoven fabric may look straightforward.

A buyer specifies a GSM, width and color, receives several quotations, compares the prices and places an order.

In practice, this process can create problems.

Two rolls described as 50 GSM PP spunbond can perform differently because of differences in:

• Raw material

• Filament structure

• Bonding

• GSM tolerance

• Tensile strength

• Thickness

• Treatment

• Width

• Production consistency

The lowest price can also become expensive if the fabric causes problems during converting or production.

This spunbond nonwoven fabric buying guide provides a practical checklist for evaluating the product before placing an order.

The basic purchasing process can be summarized as:

Application → Specification → Supplier → Sample → Testing → Quotation → Order → Inspection

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1. Start With the Final Application

The first specification should not be GSM.

It should be the end use.

Spunbond nonwoven fabric is used in very different applications.

Application	Typical Purchasing Priorities
Reusable bags	Strength, tear resistance, printing, sewing
Baby diapers	Softness, uniformity, hydrophilic treatment
Sanitary products	Softness, surface quality, treatment
Agriculture	GSM, UV resistance, air permeability
Medical products	Barrier system, uniformity, cleanliness
Furniture	Strength, coverage, handling
Construction	Strength, separation, dimensional stability
Packaging	Strength, appearance, cost
Geotextiles	Tensile, puncture, permeability, filtration

The same 50 GSM fabric may be appropriate for one application but unsuitable for another.

Before contacting suppliers, define:

What will this fabric actually do in the final product?

That answer determines the specifications that matter.

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2. Define the Material

For PP spunbond, confirm exactly what polymer is being proposed.

Ask the supplier whether the product uses:

• Virgin PP

• Recycled PP

• A specified recycled content

• A combination of materials

For demanding applications, also ask whether the raw material specification is controlled between production batches.

Virgin vs recycled PP

Factor	Virgin PP	Recycled PP
Raw-material consistency	Generally higher	Depends on feedstock
Appearance consistency	Generally easier to control	May vary
Mechanical consistency	Generally predictable	Depends on recycling process
Cost	Usually higher	Potentially lower
Recycled-content positioning	Limited	Possible
Application suitability	Broad	Depends on specification

The important point is not that one material is always better.

The important point is whether the proposed material can consistently meet your required specification.

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3. Confirm the GSM

GSM means grams per square meter.

It is one of the most important specifications when buying spunbond nonwoven fabric.

However, buyers should specify not only the target GSM but also the acceptable tolerance.

For example:

Target GSM: 50 GSM
Acceptable tolerance: ± agreed range

Do not assume that every supplier interprets “50 GSM” in exactly the same way.

Why GSM matters

GSM influences:

• Material consumption

• Weight

• Cost per square meter

• Thickness

• Coverage

• General strength

• Product handling

But GSM does not completely determine performance.

A 50 GSM fabric with a different structure or production process may have different tensile and tear properties.

Therefore:

GSM = important specification, not complete specification.

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4. Check Tensile Strength in Both Directions

One of the most important points in this spunbond nonwoven fabric buying guide is to check tensile strength in both:

• Machine Direction (MD)

• Cross Direction (CD)

The fabric is produced continuously in the machine direction, so MD and CD performance may differ.

A supplier may describe a fabric as “high strength” while providing no actual numbers.

For technical purchasing, request the measured values.

Property	Supplier Specification
MD tensile strength	—
CD tensile strength	—
MD elongation	—
CD elongation	—

The appropriate values depend on the application.

A bag manufacturer, for example, may need different strength characteristics from a hygiene-material converter.

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5. Do Not Ignore Elongation

Tensile strength tells you how much force the material can withstand before breaking.

Elongation tells you how much it stretches before failure.

These properties should be considered together.

For example, a fabric with relatively high tensile strength but unsuitable elongation may not behave as expected during:

• Sewing

• Cutting

• Bag forming

• Lamination

• Stretching

• Installation

For this reason, a complete technical specification should include both strength and elongation where they are relevant to the application.

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6. Check Tear Strength

Tensile strength and tear strength are not the same thing.

A material can have good tensile strength but still tear relatively easily after a cut or puncture has started.

Tear resistance can be particularly important for:

• Shopping bags

• Packaging

• Agricultural covers

• Furniture covers

• Construction protection

• Heavy-duty industrial products

Ask the supplier which tear test method is being used when comparing data from different manufacturers.

Test methods matter because numbers obtained using different methods may not be directly comparable.

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7. Check Thickness

Thickness can affect:

• Handling

• Coverage

• Cushioning

• Appearance

• Lamination

• Product construction

However, thickness should not be used as a substitute for GSM.

Two fabrics can have similar GSM but different thickness because of differences in structure and bonding.

For critical applications, check:

GSM + thickness + strength

rather than any one measurement alone.

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8. Confirm the Width

Width is often overlooked during initial purchasing.

For example:

50 GSM × 1.60 m

is not necessarily equivalent to:

50 GSM × 1.55 m

if your converting equipment or final product requires a specific width.

Confirm:

• Finished width

• Width tolerance

• Edge quality

• Maximum usable width

• Slitting options

For automated converting lines, width consistency can directly affect production efficiency.

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9. Check the Color and Color Consistency

If you are purchasing colored spunbond, confirm:

• Color standard

• Color code or sample

• Color tolerance

• Whether the same color must be maintained between orders

Color can be especially important for:

• Shopping bags

• Agricultural products

• Medical products

• Furniture covers

• Branded packaging

Do not rely only on names such as:

“Red”

or

“Dark blue.”

Use a physical color standard or agreed color reference where appearance is commercially important.

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10. Decide Whether You Need a Special Treatment

Spunbond fabric can be modified according to the application.

Possible treatments include:

• Hydrophilic

• Hydrophobic

• UV stabilization

• Antistatic

• Flame-retardant or other specialized treatments where technically appropriate

• Antibacterial treatment where specifically required

Not every treatment is needed for every application.

Example

For agriculture:

UV stabilization may be important.

For hygiene products:

Hydrophilic treatment may be important.

For outdoor protective materials:

Water repellency may be useful.

For general packaging:

A standard fabric may be sufficient.

Do not pay for a treatment simply because it appears on a supplier's product list.

Define the actual function you need.

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11. Be Careful With the Word “Waterproof”

This is an important distinction when buying spunbond.

Standard PP spunbond nonwoven fabric is porous.

It is therefore not automatically waterproof.

A supplier may offer:

• Hydrophobic spunbond

• Water-repellent spunbond

• Coated spunbond

• Laminated spunbond

• Film-laminated nonwoven

• Waterproof composite material

These are different products.

If your final application requires a waterproof barrier, specify the required barrier performance rather than simply asking for “waterproof spunbond.”

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12. Determine Whether UV Resistance Is Required

Outdoor exposure can cause polypropylene to degrade over time.

If your fabric will remain outdoors, tell the supplier:

• Expected exposure period

• Approximate geographic climate

• Expected service life

• Required UV stabilization

• Required testing

For example, agricultural covers may remain exposed to sunlight for an entire growing season.

A standard indoor-grade spunbond specification may not be appropriate for that application.

Do not accept “UV resistant” as a complete specification without asking what treatment and testing support that claim.

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13. Evaluate Air Permeability When It Matters

Air permeability can be important in:

• Agricultural covers

• Hygiene materials

• Filtration-related applications

• Insulation systems

• Certain protective products

A fabric that is too dense may restrict airflow.

A fabric that is too open may not provide the required protection or separation.

If airflow matters to your application, request an actual air-permeability value and the relevant test method.

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14. Check Surface Uniformity

Before ordering a large quantity, inspect the fabric for:

• Thin spots

• Holes

• Foreign particles

• Uneven bonding

• Uneven color

• Excessive wrinkles

• Surface contamination

This is particularly important when the fabric will be:

• Printed

• Laminated

• Coated

• Sewn

• Converted automatically

A technically correct average GSM does not guarantee a visually or structurally uniform roll.

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15. Ask About Roll Specifications

The fabric itself is only part of the order.

You also need to define how it will be supplied.

Confirm:

• Roll width

• Roll length

• Roll weight

• Roll diameter

• Core diameter

• Maximum roll weight

• Packaging method

• Pallet requirements

For example, a converting factory may have a maximum roll weight that its equipment can safely handle.

If the supplier chooses a roll configuration without checking this, the fabric may be technically correct but operationally inconvenient.

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16. Calculate Material Consumption

Before comparing prices, estimate how much fabric your final product actually consumes.

For area-based purchasing:

Material cost per m² ≈ GSM ÷ 1000 × price per kg

Example:

If:

• GSM = 60

• Price = US$1.50/kg

Then:

60 ÷ 1000 × US$1.50 = US$0.09/m²

If your production process requires 10,000 m²:

10,000 × US$0.09 = US$900

This calculation is only a starting point.

You should also account for:

• Cutting waste

• Sewing waste

• Printing waste

• Production losses

• Defective material

• Packaging

• Freight

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17. Compare Suppliers on Equivalent Specifications

Suppose you receive three quotations:

Supplier	GSM	Width	Material	Price/kg
A	50	1.60 m	Virgin PP	US$1.40
B	50	1.60 m	Virgin PP	US$1.35
C	50	1.55 m	Recycled PP	US$1.20

It would be incorrect to conclude immediately that Supplier C is the cheapest equivalent product.

The specifications are different.

Before comparing prices, normalize:

1. GSM

2. Width

3. Raw material

4. Treatment

5. Performance

6. Quantity

7. Delivery terms

8. Packaging

Only then does price comparison become meaningful.

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18. Ask for Samples

Never rely entirely on photographs or technical descriptions when the material is important to your production.

Ask for a representative sample.

A useful sample evaluation includes:

Visual inspection

• Color

• Surface

• Uniformity

• Defects

Basic measurements

• GSM

• Thickness

• Width

Mechanical testing

• MD tensile

• CD tensile

• Tear strength

• Elongation

Production testing

Where possible, put the material through the actual converting process.

This can reveal problems that a laboratory test does not show.

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19. Test the Fabric in Your Actual Product

This is one of the most valuable steps before a large order.

Suppose you are producing reusable bags.

Do not stop at:

“The fabric looks good.”

Make an actual bag.

Check:

• Cutting

• Printing

• Sewing

• Handle strength

• Bag appearance

• Finished-product tensile performance

If the fabric is used for agriculture, test it under the expected environmental conditions.

If it is used for lamination, run it through the actual lamination process.

The final product is the real test.

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20. Understand MOQ

MOQ means Minimum Order Quantity.

Ask whether MOQ changes according to:

• GSM

• Color

• Width

• Treatment

• Customized specification

For example, a standard white fabric may have a lower MOQ than a customized color requiring a dedicated production run.

When testing a new supplier, a manageable trial quantity can be more valuable than negotiating a very low unit price.

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21. Check Production Lead Time

Ask the supplier to separate:

Sample lead time

from

Mass-production lead time

and

Shipping time

For example:

Sample: 5 days
Production: 15 days
Ocean freight: separate

This makes the total purchasing timeline easier to estimate.

Also ask whether lead time changes during:

• Peak seasons

• Holiday periods

• High-demand periods

• Raw-material shortages

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22. Verify Quality Control Before Ordering

Ask the supplier how it controls:

Raw materials

Are incoming materials checked?

Production

Are GSM and width monitored during production?

Finished fabric

Are rolls tested before shipment?

Packaging

Is the fabric protected against moisture and contamination?

A useful quality system should control:

Raw material → Production → Finished roll → Shipment

The important thing is not whether the supplier says “we have QC.”

Ask:

What do you inspect, how often do you inspect it, and what happens when a result is outside specification?

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23. Establish an Approved Specification

For a repeat order, avoid relying on vague descriptions such as:

“Same as previous order.”

Instead, create an agreed specification.

For example:

Item	Approved Specification
Material	Virgin PP
GSM	50 GSM
Width	1.60 m
Color	Approved sample
MD tensile	Agreed range
CD tensile	Agreed range
Treatment	Standard
Roll length	Agreed
Packaging	Export standard

This creates a common technical reference for both buyer and supplier.

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24. Understand Incoterms and Total Landed Cost

The factory price is not necessarily your final cost.

Depending on the transaction, consider:

• EXW

• FOB

• CIF

• Other agreed Incoterms

• Ocean freight

• Insurance

• Customs duties

• Destination charges

• Local transportation

When comparing two suppliers, make sure you are comparing equivalent delivery terms.

For example:

Supplier A: US$1.35/kg FOB

and

Supplier B: US$1.40/kg CIF

cannot be compared directly without calculating the relevant additional costs.

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25. Check Export Packaging

Nonwoven rolls can be affected by:

• Moisture

• Dust

• Compression

• Rough handling

• Improper container loading

Ask about:

• Inner packaging

• Outer packaging

• Plastic protection

• Pallets

• Container loading

• Shipping marks

If the fabric is going on a long international journey, packaging should be considered part of the product specification.

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26. Consider Pre-Shipment Inspection for Large Orders

For a high-value order or a new supplier, an inspection before shipment can provide additional control.

Possible checks include:

• Quantity

• GSM

• Width

• Color

• Appearance

• Packaging

• Random roll testing

• Product labeling

The inspection scope should be based on the risk and value of the order.

For a small trial shipment, extensive inspection may not be necessary.

For a large recurring supply contract, stronger controls may make more sense.

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27. Common Buying Mistakes

Mistake 1: Choosing only by price

The cheapest fabric is not necessarily the lowest-cost material after production losses and quality problems are considered.

Mistake 2: Specifying only GSM

GSM does not fully define performance.

Mistake 3: Ignoring MD/CD differences

A fabric can behave differently in the machine and cross directions.

Mistake 4: Treating hydrophobic fabric as waterproof

Water repellency and waterproof barrier performance are different.

Mistake 5: Skipping sample testing

A sample costs relatively little compared with a container of unsuitable material.

Mistake 6: Not documenting tolerances

“50 GSM” without an agreed tolerance can lead to different expectations.

Mistake 7: Not checking the final product

A fabric can pass basic tests but still perform poorly during actual converting.

Mistake 8: Forgetting repeat-order consistency

A supplier must be able to reproduce the approved specification, not merely produce one good sample.

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28. A Practical Pre-Order Checklist

Before confirming your purchase order, check the following.

Product

• Application defined

• Material confirmed

• Virgin/recycled PP confirmed

• GSM confirmed

• GSM tolerance confirmed

• Width confirmed

• Width tolerance confirmed

• Color confirmed

• Treatment confirmed

Performance

• MD tensile confirmed

• CD tensile confirmed

• MD/CD elongation confirmed

• Tear strength confirmed

• Thickness confirmed

• Air permeability confirmed if relevant

• UV requirements confirmed if relevant

• Water behavior confirmed if relevant

Commercial

• MOQ confirmed

• Price/kg confirmed

• Cost/m² calculated

• Payment terms confirmed

• Incoterms confirmed

• Production lead time confirmed

• Shipping time estimated

Logistics

• Roll width confirmed

• Roll length confirmed

• Roll weight confirmed

• Core diameter confirmed

• Packaging confirmed

• Container loading confirmed

Quality

• Sample approved

• Sample tested

• Technical data sheet received

• Quality standard documented

• Inspection method agreed

• Pre-shipment inspection considered

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29. A Simple Supplier Comparison Template

If you are comparing several suppliers, use one standardized table.

Factor	Supplier A	Supplier B	Supplier C
Manufacturer / Trader
Material
GSM
Width
MD tensile
CD tensile
Thickness
Treatment
MOQ
Price/kg
Estimated price/m²
Sample
Lead time
Monthly capacity
Export experience
Packaging
Payment terms

This makes supplier evaluation much more objective.

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What Matters Most When Buying Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric?

Not every buyer needs to check every parameter with equal intensity.

A practical priority system is:

For bags

Strength → GSM → printing → sewing → color → price

For agriculture

UV stability → GSM → air permeability → strength → water behavior

For hygiene

Softness → surface uniformity → treatment → strength → consistency

For construction

Strength → dimensional stability → application compatibility → GSM → treatment

For general packaging

GSM → strength → appearance → width → price

The purchasing checklist should therefore follow the application rather than a generic product catalog.

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The 10 Questions to Answer Before Ordering

If you want a shorter decision framework, make sure you can answer these ten questions:

1. What will the fabric be used for?

2. What GSM do I actually need?

3. What material should it contain?

4. What width do I need?

5. What MD/CD strength is required?

6. Do I need any special treatment?

7. Have I tested a representative sample?

8. Is the quotation based on an equivalent specification?

9. Can the supplier reproduce the same specification consistently?

10. What is my actual landed cost?

If these ten questions are clear, most of the major purchasing risks have already been addressed.

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Final Thoughts

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

A professional purchasing process starts with the final application and works backward to the required material structure and specifications.

The basic sequence is:

Application → Material → GSM → Width → Performance → Treatment → Sample → Testing → Supplier → Price → Order

For small standard orders, this process can be relatively simple.

For long-term B2B purchasing, however, documenting the specification and testing the material before scaling up can make a significant difference.

The best purchase is not necessarily the fabric with the lowest price per kilogram.

It is the fabric that provides the required performance, consistent quality, usable production efficiency and predictable total cost for the final application.