What Specifications Should You Include When Buying Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric?

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Why the Specification Sheet Matters More Than the Product Name

When a buyer sends a supplier a message saying, “I need 50 tons of PP spunbond nonwoven fabric,” the supplier still does not have enough information to prepare an accurate quotation.

The product name identifies the material category, but it does not define the actual product.

Two rolls can both be described as PP spunbond nonwoven fabric while having very different:

• GSM

• width

• strength

• elongation

• color

• raw material

• bonding structure

• surface treatment

• roll length

• packaging

• application performance

• price

This is why professional buyers should prepare a basic specification sheet before requesting quotations.

A good specification allows suppliers to quote the same product against the same requirements. Without it, price comparisons can become misleading.

For example, Supplier A may quote a lower price because the fabric has a different GSM, recycled content, narrower width, lower strength requirement, or different packaging configuration.

The purpose of a specification is therefore not simply to describe the fabric.

It is to make different supplier quotations comparable.

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The 10 Specifications Buyers Should Define First

For most commercial orders, the following specifications provide the foundation of an RFQ:

Specification	Example	Why It Matters
Material	100% virgin PP	Determines basic material characteristics
GSM	60 g/m²	Controls weight and affects cost/performance
Width	1,600 mm	Must match production equipment
Color	White / Pantone 186 C	Affects appearance and production
Structure	SS / SSS	Influences strength and softness
Tensile strength	≥ specified value	Indicates mechanical performance
Elongation	Specified %	Affects flexibility and durability
Treatment	Hydrophilic / hydrophobic / UV	Determines functional performance
Roll length	2,000 m/roll	Affects production and logistics
Packaging	PE film + pallet	Protects material during transport

Not every application requires all ten specifications at the same level of detail.

However, the more customized the fabric is, the more important the specification sheet becomes.

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1. Specify the Raw Material: Virgin PP, Recycled PP, or a Blend?

The first question should be:

What type of polypropylene should the supplier use?

For standard spunbond fabric, buyers commonly need to distinguish between:

• Virgin polypropylene

• Recycled polypropylene

• Virgin/recycled blends

• PP with specific additives

If the material will be used for demanding applications, the raw-material requirement should be clearly stated rather than left to the supplier.

For example:

Material: 100% virgin polypropylene

is much more precise than:

Material: PP spunbond

Why raw material matters

Raw material can influence:

• consistency

• tensile performance

• appearance

• odor

• processing stability

• filtration-related characteristics

• color consistency

• production consistency

A buyer purchasing fabric for shopping bags may have different material requirements from a buyer producing medical or hygiene products.

Therefore, “PP” alone is usually not a complete specification.

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2. GSM: The Most Important Weight Specification

GSM means grams per square meter.

It is one of the most important spunbond nonwoven fabric specifications because it defines the fabric's mass per unit area.

Common commercial ranges can vary significantly depending on the application.

For example:

Application	Possible GSM Range*
Lightweight packaging components	10–30 GSM
Hygiene components	10–40 GSM
Medical disposable products	20–50 GSM
Shopping bags	50–100+ GSM
Agriculture	15–50+ GSM
Furniture/mattress components	20–100+ GSM
Construction applications	Application dependent

*These are illustrative ranges, not universal specifications. Actual requirements should be determined by the finished product and performance target.

Do not specify only "around 60 GSM"

A better RFQ might state:

GSM: 60 g/m² ± agreed tolerance

The acceptable tolerance should be agreed with the supplier before mass production.

GSM is particularly important when comparing quotations because a price per kilogram does not directly tell you the price per square meter.

For example:

Cost per m² = Price per kg × GSM ÷ 1,000

If a 60 GSM fabric costs $1.50/kg:

$1.50 × 60 ÷ 1,000 = $0.09/m²

Therefore, a buyer comparing suppliers should consider both price/kg and GSM.

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3. Width: Specify the Finished Usable Width

Width is often overlooked during the initial inquiry.

However, the correct width can be critical to production efficiency.

Specify:

• finished width

• acceptable width tolerance

• whether the measurement is before or after treatment, if relevant

• whether slit rolls are required

For example:

Width: 1,600 mm ± 5 mm

is much more useful than:

Width: 1.6 meters

Why width affects purchasing cost

Suppose your bag-making machine requires a specific roll width.

A fabric that is slightly wider than necessary may create:

• additional trimming

• material waste

• lower cutting efficiency

• additional production steps

On the other hand, fabric that is too narrow may not be usable at all.

For buyers using automatic converting equipment, width compatibility should be confirmed before ordering samples or production material.

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4. Fabric Structure: SS, SSS, SMS, or Standard Spunbond?

Not all spunbond structures are identical.

Common structures include:

• SS

• SSS

• SMS

• SSMMS

• single-layer spunbond structures

The appropriate structure depends on the intended application.

SS

SS consists of two spunbond layers and is widely used when buyers need a combination of:

• strength

• softness

• uniformity

• relatively efficient production

SSS

SSS uses three spunbond layers and can provide additional control over:

• surface feel

• uniformity

• strength distribution

SMS and SSMMS

These combine spunbond and meltblown layers and should not automatically be treated as equivalent to conventional spunbond fabric.

If your product requires a particular structure, write it directly into the RFQ.

For example:

Structure: SSS spunbond

rather than simply:

PP nonwoven fabric

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5. Color: Give the Supplier a Precise Reference

“Blue” is not always enough.

Different suppliers may interpret the same color name differently.

For commercial production, buyers can specify:

• Pantone reference

• physical color sample

• approved laboratory sample

• color standard

• internal color code

For example:

Color: Blue, according to approved physical sample

or:

Color: Pantone reference to be confirmed

This becomes especially important for:

• shopping bags

• branded packaging

• retail products

• uniforms

• medical products

• products with multiple production batches

Multi-color orders need additional information

If you require eight colors, for example, list each color and its estimated quantity.

Instead of:

20 tons, eight colors

write:

Color	Estimated Quantity
Black	3 tons
Red	2 tons
Blue	3 tons
Green	2 tons
Yellow	2 tons
White	4 tons
Pink	2 tons
Grey	2 tons

This gives the supplier a much clearer production plan.

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6. Mechanical Performance: Tensile Strength and Elongation

GSM tells you how much material is present.

It does not tell you whether the fabric is strong enough for the finished product.

For applications involving pulling, stretching, sewing, cutting, folding, or repeated handling, buyers should consider mechanical specifications.

Important parameters can include:

• tensile strength

• elongation

• tear strength

• puncture resistance

• seam performance

Tensile strength should ideally be specified by:

• machine direction (MD)

• cross direction (CD)

For example:

Property	MD	CD
Tensile strength	≥ X N/5 cm	≥ X N/5 cm
Elongation	≥ X%	≥ X%

The exact target depends heavily on the application.

A reusable shopping bag, diaper component, crop cover, and medical gown do not need identical mechanical specifications.

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7. Surface Treatment: Hydrophilic, Hydrophobic, UV, or Other Treatments

Standard PP is naturally hydrophobic.

That means untreated polypropylene tends to resist water rather than readily absorb it.

If the fabric needs a specific surface behavior, the treatment should be explicitly stated in the specification.

Possible requirements include:

• Hydrophilic treatment

• Hydrophobic treatment

• Antistatic treatment

• UV stabilization

• Flame-retardant treatment

• Antibacterial treatment

• Other application-specific treatments

However, buyers should avoid simply writing:

UV resistant

without defining what that means.

A more professional specification could include:

UV stabilization required; performance target to be confirmed according to agreed test method and exposure condition.

This is important because “UV resistant” can mean very different things depending on:

• UV intensity

• climate

• exposure duration

• additive concentration

• fabric GSM

• color

• testing method

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8. Surface Appearance and Feel

Technical specifications are not limited to numbers.

For many spunbond products, appearance and hand feel are commercially important.

A buyer may need to specify:

• soft or stiff hand feel

• smooth or textured surface

• uniform appearance

• acceptable color variation

• absence of visible contamination

• absence of holes

• absence of excessive wrinkles

• acceptable bonding pattern

For hygiene and medical products, surface consistency may be particularly important.

For bags and packaging, the buyer may prioritize:

• stiffness

• printability

• appearance

• color consistency

This is why a physical sample is often more useful than a long written description.

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9. Roll Specifications: Length, Diameter, Core and Weight

The fabric specification does not end with the fabric itself.

The roll configuration can affect production efficiency and shipping costs.

Include, where relevant:

• roll length

• roll width

• roll weight

• roll diameter

• core diameter

• winding direction

• number of rolls per pallet

• pallet requirements

For example:

Width: 1,600 mm
Roll length: 2,000 m
Core diameter: 3 inches
Roll weight: approximately 190 kg

The exact values should be based on the supplier's production capability and your converting equipment.

Why roll configuration matters

Imagine two suppliers offer exactly the same 60 GSM fabric at the same price per kilogram.

Supplier A supplies small rolls.

Supplier B supplies longer rolls suitable for your automatic machine.

The material price may be identical, but Supplier B could reduce:

• roll changes

• machine downtime

• labor

• production interruptions

Therefore, roll configuration can influence the real production cost, even when the fabric price is identical.

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10. Packaging and Shipping Requirements

International buyers should specify packaging requirements before production.

Common details include:

• PE film

• individual roll wrapping

• palletized or non-palletized

• moisture protection

• container loading requirements

• labels

• roll identification

• carton/pallet requirements

For example:

Each roll individually wrapped in PE film, clearly labeled with GSM, width, color, roll number, and production batch.

If the material will be shipped in a container, buyers should also ask how the supplier plans to load the rolls.

A technically correct fabric can still arrive with problems if the packaging is inadequate for a long international shipment.

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The Specification Buyers Often Forget: Tolerance

A specification without a tolerance can create disagreements.

Consider:

GSM: 60 g/m²

What happens if the production result is 58 GSM?

Or 63 GSM?

Is that acceptable?

The same issue applies to:

• width

• roll length

• tensile strength

• color

• weight

• moisture

• treatment performance

A professional purchase specification should distinguish between:

Target value

and

Acceptance range

For example:

Parameter	Target	Acceptance Requirement
GSM	60 g/m²	Agreed tolerance
Width	1,600 mm	Agreed tolerance
Tensile MD	X	≥ agreed minimum
Tensile CD	X	≥ agreed minimum
Color	Approved sample	Within agreed visual tolerance

The exact tolerance should be agreed based on the production process and application rather than copied from another product.

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Build Your RFQ Around the Finished Product

One of the most common purchasing mistakes is starting with the fabric instead of the finished product.

The better approach is:

Finished product → performance requirement → fabric specification

For example, imagine you are producing reusable shopping bags.

You might start with:

We need 70 GSM PP spunbond.

But the real requirement could be:

The bag must carry 10 kg without tearing, maintain its shape during handling, have good printing performance, and be suitable for automatic bag production.

That leads to a more meaningful specification:

Requirement	Example Specification
Material	Virgin PP
Fabric	Spunbond
GSM	70 g/m²
Width	Machine-compatible
Color	According to approved sample
Tensile	Minimum agreed value
Elongation	Minimum agreed value
Hand feel	Medium/stiff
Treatment	As required
Printing	Suitable for specified printing process
Roll configuration	Suitable for bag-making machine

The fabric specification should therefore be a translation of the finished product's requirements.

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A Practical RFQ Specification Sheet

For buyers who regularly purchase spunbond nonwoven fabric, the following format can be used as a starting point.

Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric RFQ Checklist

Item	What to Specify
Product	PP spunbond nonwoven fabric
Application	Bags / hygiene / agriculture / medical / packaging
Raw material	Virgin PP / recycled PP / blend
Structure	Single / SS / SSS
GSM	Target GSM + tolerance
Width	Finished width + tolerance
Color	Pantone / physical sample / color code
Tensile strength	MD + CD
Elongation	MD + CD
Tear strength	If required
Surface treatment	Hydrophilic / hydrophobic / UV / other
Hand feel	Soft / medium / stiff
Surface	Smooth / embossed / specified pattern
Roll length	Required length
Core	Core diameter
Roll weight	Target or maximum
Packaging	PE / pallet / custom
Labeling	Required information
Quantity	Total quantity + color breakdown
Quality standard	Inspection/testing requirements
Sample	Required before mass production
Shipment	Required delivery terms

Not every buyer needs to fill in every field.

The key is to identify the specifications that can affect function, price, production compatibility, and acceptance.

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Which Specifications Affect Price the Most?

Not all specifications have the same impact on the quotation.

For many standard PP spunbond orders, the major cost drivers can include:

1. GSM

2. Raw material type

3. Order quantity

4. Color

5. Width

6. Special treatments

7. Quality requirements

8. Packaging

9. Custom production requirements

10. Shipping configuration

For example, a 60 GSM white fabric and a 60 GSM customized colored fabric may not have the same production economics.

Likewise, standard production widths may be more economical than unusual custom widths.

Special treatments can also introduce additional production costs.

This is why buyers should avoid comparing suppliers based solely on a headline price per kilogram.

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Don't Compare Supplier Quotations Until the Specifications Match

Suppose three suppliers provide the following quotations:

Supplier	GSM	Width	Material	Treatment	Price
A	60	1.6 m	Virgin PP	None	$X/kg
B	55	1.6 m	Virgin PP	None	$Y/kg
C	60	1.8 m	Virgin PP	Hydrophilic	$Z/kg

It would be risky to conclude that Supplier B is cheaper simply because the quoted price per kilogram is lower.

The products are not identical.

A meaningful comparison requires the buyer to normalize the specifications first.

At minimum, compare:

• same GSM

• same material

• same width

• same color

• same treatment

• comparable quality requirements

• comparable packaging

• comparable Incoterm

Only then does the price comparison become useful.

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Should You Put Every Specification Into the Purchase Contract?

Not necessarily.

A useful approach is to divide specifications into three levels.

Level 1: Commercial Specifications

These define what you are buying.

Examples:

• material

• GSM

• width

• color

• quantity

• structure

Level 2: Performance Specifications

These define what the fabric must achieve.

Examples:

• tensile strength

• elongation

• tear strength

• hydrostatic performance

• air permeability

• treatment durability

Level 3: Inspection and Acceptance Specifications

These define how the goods will be checked.

Examples:

• sampling method

• test method

• acceptable tolerance

• defect classification

• inspection procedure

For small standard orders, Level 1 may be sufficient.

For long-term supply contracts or technically demanding products, Levels 2 and 3 become much more important.

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Sample Approval Should Be Part of the Specification Process

A written specification is important, but it cannot describe every visual or tactile characteristic.

This is why experienced buyers often use an approved sample.

A sample can establish:

• color

• hand feel

• appearance

• bonding pattern

• stiffness

• surface quality

• printing behavior

The buyer can then state:

Mass production must conform to the approved reference sample and agreed technical specification.

This provides two forms of control:

Technical specification + physical reference sample

The combination is usually stronger than either one alone.

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What Should You Send a Spunbond Supplier in Your First Inquiry?

If you want a fast and accurate quotation, you do not need to write a ten-page technical document.

A practical first inquiry could look like this:

Product: PP spunbond nonwoven fabric
Application: Reusable shopping bags
Material: 100% virgin PP
GSM: 70 GSM
Width: 1,600 mm
Color: Black
Structure: SS
Treatment: None
Quantity: 10 tons
Roll length: Supplier recommendation
Packaging: Standard export packaging
Destination: [Port/Country]
Required: FOB and CIF quotation, production lead time, sample, technical data sheet

This gives the supplier enough information to prepare a meaningful initial quotation.

If the application has special technical requirements, add them separately.

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A Better Way to Think About Spunbond Specifications

Instead of memorizing dozens of technical parameters, buyers can divide the specification into five questions:

1. What is it made from?

Material + structure

2. How much material is there?

GSM + width + roll configuration

3. How should it perform?

Strength + elongation + permeability + treatment + other application-specific properties

4. How should it look and feel?

Color + appearance + softness/stiffness + surface characteristics

5. How should it be delivered?

Roll length + packaging + labeling + quantity + shipping requirements

This framework covers most of the information a supplier needs to understand a commercial spunbond order.

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Final Buyer Checklist

Before sending an RFQ, ask yourself:

• Have I specified the PP material requirement?

• Have I defined the GSM?

• Have I specified the fabric width?

• Have I stated the required structure?

• Have I defined the color?

• Do I need tensile or tear requirements?

• Do I need a specific elongation range?

• Is hydrophilic, hydrophobic, UV, or another treatment required?

• Do I need a specific hand feel?

• Is there an approved physical sample?

• Have I specified roll length or roll configuration?

• Are packaging requirements clear?

• Is the total quantity clear?

• Are different colors or specifications separated by quantity?

• Have I defined acceptable tolerances?

• Do I need a specific inspection or testing method?

• Have I told the supplier the final application?

• Are all suppliers quoting the same specification?

If these questions are answered, your quotation process will usually become much more transparent.

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FAQ

What are the most important spunbond nonwoven fabric specifications?

For most buyers, the core specifications are material, GSM, width, structure, color, tensile strength, elongation, surface treatment, roll configuration, packaging, and quantity. The importance of each specification depends on the final application.

What GSM should I choose for spunbond fabric?

There is no universal GSM for spunbond fabric. The correct GSM depends on the finished product, required strength, stiffness, coverage, cost target, and production process. Shopping bags may require much heavier fabric than some hygiene components, for example.

Should I specify virgin PP when buying spunbond fabric?

If consistent material performance is important, the buyer should explicitly state whether virgin PP, recycled PP, or a blend is acceptable. Do not assume that every supplier's “PP spunbond” specification means 100% virgin PP.

Do I need to specify tensile strength?

If the fabric will experience significant mechanical stress, tensile strength should be included. It is particularly useful for applications such as bags, agricultural covers, packaging, and products that are sewn, converted, or mechanically handled.

Should GSM have a tolerance?

Yes. A target GSM alone may not provide a sufficiently clear acceptance criterion. Buyers and suppliers should agree on an appropriate tolerance before mass production.

What information should I provide when asking for a quotation?

At minimum, provide the application, material, GSM, width, color, quantity, and any special treatment or performance requirements. If you have a technical drawing or existing fabric sample, providing it can make the quotation more accurate.

Why do two suppliers quote different prices for the same GSM?

The GSM alone does not define the complete product. Differences in raw material, width, color, structure, treatment, quality requirements, order quantity, packaging, production efficiency, and commercial terms can all affect the quotation.

Is a physical sample necessary?

For standard products, a sample may not always be necessary for the first price inquiry. For customized products or applications where hand feel, color, appearance, or performance is important, sample approval is strongly useful before mass production.

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Conclusion: Write the Specification Before You Compare the Price

Buying spunbond nonwoven fabric is much easier when the specification is defined before the supplier comparison begins.

The essential principle is simple:

Do not ask suppliers only for a price. Ask them to quote against a clearly defined product.

A strong RFQ should connect the finished-product requirement to the appropriate fabric specifications:

Application → Material → GSM → Width → Structure → Performance → Treatment → Appearance → Roll Configuration → Packaging → Inspection

Once these parameters are clear, suppliers can quote more accurately, buyers can compare offers more fairly, and the risk of receiving a fabric that is technically different from what was expected becomes much lower.

For regular purchasing, it is worth turning this checklist into a standard RFQ template that can be reused for every supplier. That makes future quotations faster and makes supplier-to-supplier comparison much easier.