Composite nonwoven webs are provided having two distinct regions extending
adjacent one another in the machine direction of the web; the first region
is formed from first continuous filaments and the second region is formed
from second continuous filaments. The interface of the first and second
region is formed from a mixture the first and second continuous filaments
in a confluent relationship with one another and such that the two
distinct regions form a unitary nonwoven web. The respective first and
second regions can have distinct physical attributes as a result of
utilizing first and second filaments which are different from one another.
The first and second continuous filaments can vary with respect to average
fiber denier, cross-sectional shape, cross-sectional configuration,
polymer composition, crimp level, and additive composition.
