What Is Non-Woven Cloth?
Non-woven cloth is a fabric-like material known for its breathability, moisture absorption, and heat retention properties. Unlike traditional fabrics, it does not require weaving. Non-woven cloth is made through methods such as chemically bonding fibers with adhesive resins, mechanical entanglement, or fusion by applying heat.
Materials like polyester and polypropylene are commonly used due to their lightweight nature and excellent heat and weather resistance. Non-woven cloth is strong, washable, and reusable. It is often used over crops for pest control and heat retention, similar to cold gauze. However, non-woven fabrics are thicker and more suitable for colder climates, whereas cold gauze is typically used for tunneling.
Uses of Non-Woven Cloth
Non-woven cloth is primarily used in agriculture to protect and manage crops post-sowing. Its moisture-retaining property helps prevent soil dryness and promotes germination. Due to its excellent air permeability and heat retention, it continues to be useful even after germination, protecting crops from wind, heat, birds, and insects.
Non-woven cloth allows both water and light penetration, ensuring crop growth is not hindered. It is especially beneficial for light-loving seeds like celery, lettuce, and perilla, which require light for germination and are not covered with soil post-sowing.
Characteristics of Non-Woven Cloth
Advantages
- Non-woven cloth is thin and lightweight, imposing a minimal burden on crops.
- Its light-transmissive nature does not impede plant growth.
- It offers better heat retention and air permeability compared to cold gauze.
Disadvantages
- Watering can be more challenging with non-woven cloth in place.
- It requires removal for weeding, fertilizing, and other maintenance tasks.
Types of Non-Woven Cloth
Non-woven cloth comes in various widths, typically ranging from 3 to 10 feet, with about 85% permeability. Some types offer up to 90% transmittance, suitable for anaerobic seed crops. Products may also feature enhancements like frost protection, insect resistance, heat retention, and thermal barrier effects, catering to diverse agricultural needs.
How to Select Non-Woven Cloth
Selection should be based on field size and ridge width. For sticky covering applications, choose a size that accommodates ridge width and crop growth. When used as a tunnel, ensure the cloth is wide enough to cover the structure completely, often requiring a size larger than twice the width of the ridges, considering the support poles’ dimensions.
How to Use Non-Woven Cloth
Commonly, non-woven cloth is used in “sticky covering,” where it is placed directly over the ridges and secured at the edges with pins or soil, similar to mulch application. This prevents wind displacement and insect intrusion. In greenhouses or windless conditions, an unsecured “hanging” method is feasible. Non-woven cloth is also used for tunnel cultivation, offering an alternative to cold gauze.