The present invention provides continuous fiber nonwoven webs with high material
formation uniformity and MD-to-CD balance of fiber directionality and material
properties, as measured by a MD:CD tensile ratio of 1.2 or less, and desirably
of about 1.0 or less, and laminates of the nonwoven webs. The invention also includes
a method for forming the nonwoven webs wherein the fiber production apparatus is
oriented at an angle less than 90 degrees to the MD direction and the fibers are
subjected to deflection by a deflector oriented at an angle B with respect to the
centerline of the fiber production apparatus where B is about 10 to about 80 degrees.