Geotextiles are fabrics that are used in a variety of applications and fields. They are used for soil stability, erosion control, construction, drainage, engineering, and clothing. 

Generally, geotextiles are made of synthetic materials such as polypropylene or polyester – this makes it extremely durable. 

Their resistance to rot and corrosion is the reason they are being used to reinforce roads and guard against erosion when buried underground during geotextile installations. 

There are many kinds of geotextile fabrics, each used for different purposes; however, woven and non-woven geotextiles are the two most popular basic varieties. In this article, we will highlight how they are different.

GeoFanTex | Nonwoven & Woven Geotextile Fabric

Woven Geotextile

As the name implies, woven geotextile Malaysia is manufactured by weaving together slit films. Slit films or tapes are fibrillated flat yarns uniformly woven at 90-degree angles. This process gives woven geotextile its durability and high load capacity. 

As a result, it is suitable for civil applications by providing separation, reinforcement, and tensile strength. Woven geotextile’s in Malaysia are plastic-like in feel and appearance and are classified by tensile strength, which is the resistance a material has when subjected to tension.

Woven Geotextile Characteristics

1. Reinforcement

2. Separation

3. High Load Capacity

4. Impermeable

5. Classified by tensile strength

6. Plastic-like

Woven Geotextile Uses

Weaving films or threads together means these geotextiles are relatively impermeable, i.e. they aren’t very porous. As such, they are not ideal for drainage projects. 

However, tensile stress makes woven geotextile the perfect fit for erosion control projects that do not involve draining and corrosion-resistant projects, and their very high load capacity makes them ideal for roads, airport runways, and parking lot construction. Moreover, it will resist UV degradation, making them suitable for long-term applications.

Non-Woven Geotextile

Non-woven geotextile from Malaysia is produced by bonding or entangling fibres together, either through heat, chemical processes, needle punching, or other methods. There is no weaving or manual construction involved. 

Additional thermal treatment can also be applied to improve the strength of the geotextile further; however, they are still more likely to break down faster than their woven counterparts. 

Although non-woven geotextiles are made using synthetic textiles in the same manner as woven geotextiles they have a more random structure. Their synthetic properties also make them useful in filter or separation applications. Many use them for protecting geomembrane lining systems from interior and exterior penetrations.

Non-Woven Geotextile Characteristics

1. Filtration

2. Separation

3. Drainage

4. Permeable

5. Classified by weight

6. Felt-like

Non-Woven Geotextile Uses

Due to their ability to allow moisture to pass through, non-woven geotextiles aren’t as suitable for stabilization or reinforcement projects. Instead, they are best suited to applications concerning protection, drainage, separation, and filtration. 

A high water permeability rate also means they do not lose strength over time, especially when used below ground. Besides, non-woven geotextiles are easier to cut, making them useful in certain industrial applications.

Differences Between Woven and Non-woven Geotextiles

Ensuring you make the right choice of geotextile fabric for your project means understanding the differences between them. Generally, woven geotextiles have higher strength values, while non-woven geotextiles have higher flow rates and permeability. Here’s a rundown of the differences.

  1. PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES: Woven fabrics are plastic-like in feel and appearance, while non-woven fabrics have a fuzzy-like feel and appearance.
  2. MANUFACTURING PROCESS: Woven geotextiles in Malaysia are weaved together on a film or loom while non-woven geotextiles are manufactured by bonding fibres together.
  3. REFER: Wovens are referred by tensile stress while non-wovens are referred to by weight, usually grams per square meter.
  4. STRENGTH: Woven fabrics from Malaysia are weaved by thread crossing which creates a strong reinforcement, meaning they are stronger and more durable than non-woven because of woven fabrics.
  5. ELONGATION: Non-woven geotextiles will have much higher elongation (greater than 50%) than woven geotextiles (between 5% and 25%).
  6. WEIGHT: The weight of wovens is hardly ever specified because they are typically used to provide reinforcement and separation regardless of the weight. On the other hand, the weight of non-wovens is often specified.
  7. COST: Non-woven fabrics tend to be more affordable because they are quicker to produce, as woven fabrics are more expensive to produce and take more time to manufacture.

All of these points are important to consider when choosing the right fabric for your geotextile installation. Depending on your project, it is vital to make sure you are using the right type of geotextile. 

Using the right product for your project will help improve the lifespan and overall design. For more information, feel free to get in touch with us.