Lo-melt fiber has a sheath that softens far below the core's melting point, often around 110 degrees C, so a highloft or automotive felt can be bonded in an oven without harming the main fibers. It is ordered by sheath melt point, dtex and cut length and blended with regular PET staple. Too little lo-melt gives a weak, linting batt; too much makes it boardy.
Wadding is linting, so run the oven a touch hotter or ask for another 5 percent lo-melt in the blend.
Also heard as
- low-melt
- LMPET
- low-melt PET
Related terms
Binder fiber
Low-melting fiber blended into a web so that, when heated, it softens and glues the other fibers together.
Bicomponent fiber
Fiber spun from two different polymers in one cross section, such as a low-melting sheath around a strong core.
Highloft
Low-density, thick nonwoven made for bulk and trapped air rather than strength, such as fiberfill and padding.
Boardy
Describes a nonwoven that feels stiff, harsh and papery, usually from over-bonding.