Fabric creped absorbent sheet with variable local basis weight

• US 20080029235A1
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dwiggins, John, Harper, Frank, Reeb, Ronald, Chou, Hung, Super, Guy, Yeh, Kang, Edwards, Steven, McCullough, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,494,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 162/111
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/006 Making patterned paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/14 Making cellulose wadding, filter or blotting paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 11/145 including a through-drying process
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/20 Wet strength agents
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 25/005 Mechanical treatment D21H25/08, D21H25/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/40 at least one of the sheets being non-planar, e.g. crêped crêping or corrugating paper B31F
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24455 Paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet

Abstract

An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight includes a papermaking-fiber reticulum provided with (i) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending, fiber-enriched pileated regions of relatively high local basis weight interconnected by (ii) a plurality of elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers. The elongated densified regions have relatively low local basis weight and are generally oriented along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet and have an MD/CD aspect ratio of at least 1.5. The products are most preferably prepared by way of a compactive dewatering/wet crepe process.

Claims

1. An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight comprising a papermaking-fiber reticulum provided with (i) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending, fiber-enriched pileated regions of relatively high local basis weight interconnected by (ii) a plurality of elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers, the elongated densified regions having relatively low local basis weight and being generally oriented along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet, the elongated densified regions being further characterized by an MD/CD aspect ratio of at least 1.5.

2. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the MD/CD aspect ratios of the densified regions are greater than 2.

3. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the MD/CD aspect ratios of the densified regions are greater than 3.

4. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the MD/CD aspect ratios of the densified regions are between about 2 and 10.

5. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the fiber-enriched pileated regions have fiber orientation bias along the CD of the sheet.

6. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the densified regions of relatively low basis weight extending in the machine direction have fiber orientation bias along the CD of the sheet.

7. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the elongated densified regions are substantially identical.

8. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the fiber-enriched pileated regions are bordered at lateral extremities by a laterally-spaced pair of CD-aligned densified regions.

9. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 8, wherein the fiber-enriched regions are at least partially bordered at intermediate lateral extremities thereof at longitudinal portions by a longitudinally-spaced, CD-staggered pair of densified regions.

10. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a basis weight of from 8 lbs per 3000 square-foot ream to 35 lbs per 3000 square-foot ream and a void volume greater than 7 grams/gram.

11. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 10, wherein the sheet has a void volume of equal to or greater than 7 grams/gram and up to 15 grams/gram.

12. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 10, wherein the sheet has a void volume of equal to or greater than 8 grams/gram and up to 12 grams/gram.

13. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has a basis weight of from 20 lbs per 3000 square-foot ream to 35 lbs per 3000 square-foot ream and a void volume greater than 7 grams/gram.

14. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 13, wherein the sheet has a void volume of equal to or greater than 7 grams/gram and up to 15 grams/gram.

15. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 13, wherein the sheet has a void volume of equal to or greater than 8 grams/gram and up to 12 grams/gram.

16. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, having a CD stretch of greater than 5%, up to about 10%.

17. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, having a CD stretch of greater than 6%.

18. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, having a CD stretch of greater than 7%.

19. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, having a CD stretch of greater than 8%.

20. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the papermaking fiber is at least about 10% by weight recycle fiber.

21. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the papermaking fiber is at least about 25% by weight recycle fiber.

22. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the papermaking fiber is at least about 35% by weight recycle fiber.

23. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the papermaking fiber is at least about 45% by weight recycle fiber.

24. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the papermaking fiber is 50% or more by weight recycle fiber.

25. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the papermaking fiber is 75% or more by weight recycle fiber.

26. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, wherein the papermaking fiber is 100% by weight recycle fiber.

27. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 1, in the form of a tissue base sheet wherein the fiber is predominantly hardwood fiber and the sheet has a bulk of at least 5 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)).

28. The tissue base sheet according to claim 27, in the form of a tissue base sheet wherein the fiber is predominantly hardwood fiber and the sheet has a bulk of at least 6 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)).

29. The tissue base sheet according to claim 27, wherein the sheet has a bulk of equal to or greater than 5 and up to about 8 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)).

30. The tissue base sheet according to claim 27, incorporated into a two-ply tissue product.

31. The tissue base sheet according to claim 1, in the form of a tissue base sheet wherein the fiber is predominantly hardwood fiber and the sheet has a normalized GM tensile strength of greater than 21 ((g/3″

)/(lbs/ream)) and a bulk of at least 5 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)) up to about 10 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)).

32. The tissue base sheet according to claim 31, wherein the sheet has a normalized GM tensile of greater than 21 ((g/3″

)/(lbs/ream)) and up to about 30 ((g/3″

)/(lbs/ream)).

33. The tissue base sheet according to claim 32, wherein the base sheet has a normalized GM tensile of 25 ((g/3″

)/(lbs/ream)) or greater.

34. The base sheet according to claim 31, incorporated into a two-ply tissue product.

35. The cellulosic absorbent sheet according to claim 1, in the form of a towel base sheet incorporating mechanical pulp and wherein at least 40% by weight of the papermaking fiber is softwood fiber.

36. The cellulosic absorbent sheet according to claim 1, in the form of a towel base sheet wherein at least 40% by weight of the papermaking fiber is softwood fiber and at least 20% by weight of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

37. The towel base sheet according to claim 36, wherein at least 30% of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

38. The towel base sheet according to claim 36, wherein at least 40% of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

39. The towel base sheet according to claim 36, wherein at least 50% by weight of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

40. The towel base sheet according to claim 36, wherein at least 75% by weight of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

41. The towel base sheet according to claim 36, wherein 100% by weight of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

42. The towel base sheet according to claim 36, wherein the base sheet has a basis weight in the range of from 12 to 22 lbs per 3000 square-foot ream and an 8-sheet caliper of greater than 90 mils, up to about 120 mils.

43. The towel base sheet according to claim 36, converted into a towel with a CD stretch of at least about 6%.

44. The towel according to claim 43, having a CD stretch in the range of from 6% to 10%.

45. The towel according to claim 44, having a CD stretch of at least 7%.

46. The cellulosic absorbent sheet according to claim 1, in the form of a towel base sheet wherein at least 40% by weight of the papermaking fiber is softwood fiber and at least 20% by weight of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber, wherein the MD bending length of the base sheet is from about 3.5 cm to about 5 cm.

47. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, wherein the MD bending length of the base sheet is from about 3.75 cm to about 4.5 cm.

48. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, wherein at least 30% of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

49. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, wherein at least 40% of the papermaking fiber is recycle fiber.

50. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, wherein at least 50% by weight of the fiber is recycle fiber.

51. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, wherein at least 75% by weight of the fiber is recycle fiber.

52. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, wherein 100% by weight of the fiber is recycle fiber.

53. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, having a bulk of greater than 2.5 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)).

54. The towel base sheet according to claim 46, having a bulk of greater than 2.5 mils/8 plies/lb/ream up to about 3 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)).

55. The towel base sheet according to claim 54, having a bulk of at least 2.75 ((mils/8 plies)/(lb/ream)).

56. An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight comprising a patterned papermaking-fiber reticulum provided with:

(a) a plurality of generally machine direction (MD) oriented elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers having a relatively low local basis weight as well as leading and trailing edges, the densified regions being arranged in a repeating pattern of a plurality of generally parallel linear arrays which are longitudinally staggered with respect to each other such that a plurality of intervening linear arrays are disposed between a pair of CD-aligned densified regions; and

(b) a plurality of fiber-enriched, pileated regions having a relatively high local basis weight interspersed between and connected with the densified regions, the pileated regions having crests extending generally in the cross-machine direction of the sheet;

wherein the generally parallel, longitudinal arrays of densified regions are positioned and configured such that a fiber-enriched region between a pair of CD-aligned densified regions extends in the CD unobstructed by leading or trailing edges of densified regions of at least one intervening linear array thereof.

57. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the generally parallel, longitudinal arrays of densified regions are positioned and configured such that a fiber-enriched region between a pair of CD-aligned densified regions extends in the CD unobstructed by leading or trailing edges of densified regions of at least two intervening linear arrays.

58. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the generally parallel, longitudinal arrays of densified regions are positioned and configured such that a fiber-enriched region between a pair of CD-aligned densified regions is at least partially truncated in the MD and at least partially bordered in the MD by the leading or trailing edges of densified regions of at least one intervening linear array of the sheet at an MD position intermediate an MD position of the leading and trailing edges of the CD-aligned densified regions.

59. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the generally parallel, longitudinal arrays of densified regions are positioned and configured such that a fiber-enriched region between a pair of CD-aligned densified regions is at least partially truncated in the MD and at least partially bordered in the MD by the leading or trailing edges of densified regions of at least two intervening linear arrays of the sheet at an MD position intermediate an MD position of the leading and trailing edges of the CD-aligned densified regions.

60. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the leading and trailing MD edges of the fiber-enriched pileated regions are generally inwardly concave such that a central MD span of the fiber-enriched regions is less than an MD span at the lateral extremities of the fiber-enriched areas.

61. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the elongated densified regions occupy from about 5% to about 30% of the area of the sheet.

62. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the elongated densified regions occupy from about 5% to about 25% of the area of the sheet.

63. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the elongated densified regions occupy from about 7.5% to about 20% of the area of the sheet.

64. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the fiber-enriched pileated regions occupy from about 95% to about 50% of the area of the sheet.

65. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 56, wherein the fiber-enriched pileated regions occupy from about 90% to about 60% of the area of the sheet.

66. The absorbent sheet according to claim 56, wherein the linear arrays of densified regions have an MD repeat frequency of from about 50 meter⁻

1 to about 200 meter<sup>−

1</sup>.

67. The absorbent sheet according to claim 66, wherein the linear arrays of densified regions have an MD repeat frequency of from about 75 meter⁻

1 to about 175 meter<sup>−

1</sup>.

68. The absorbent sheet according to claim 66, wherein the linear arrays of densified regions have an MD repeat frequency of from about 90 meter⁻

1 to about 125 meter<sup>−

1</sup>.

69. The absorbent sheet according to claim 56, wherein the densified regions of the linear arrays thereof have a CD repeat frequency of from about 100 meter⁻

1 to about 500 meter<sup>−

1</sup>.

70. The absorbent sheet according to claim 56, wherein the densified regions of the linear arrays thereof have a CD repeat frequency of from about 150 meter⁻

1 to about 300 meter<sup>−

1</sup>.

71. The absorbent sheet according to claim 56, wherein the densified regions of the linear arrays thereof have a CD repeat frequency of from about 175 meter⁻

1 to about 250 meter<sup>−

1</sup>.

72. An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight comprising a papermaking-fiber reticulum provided with:

(a) a plurality of elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers, the densified regions being oriented generally along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet and having a relatively low local basis weight as well as leading and trailing edges at their longitudinal extremities; and

(b) a plurality of fiber-enriched, pileated regions connected with the plurality of elongated densified regions, the pileated regions having (i) a relatively high local basis weight and (ii) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending crests having concamerated CD profiles with respect to the leading and trailing edges of the plurality of elongated densified regions.

73. An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight comprising a papermaking-fiber reticulum provided with (i) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending, fiber-enriched pileated regions of relatively high local basis weight having fiber bias toward the CD of the sheet adjacent (ii) a plurality of densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers, the densified regions having relatively low local basis weight and being disposed between pileated regions.

74. An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight comprising (i) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending fiber-enriched regions of relatively high local basis weight and (ii) a plurality of low basis weight regions interspersed with the high basis weight regions, wherein representative areas within the relatively high basis weight regions exhibit a characteristic local basis weight at least 25% higher than a characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the low basis weight regions.

75. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 74, wherein the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the relatively high basis weight regions is at least 35% higher than the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the low basis weight regions.

76. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 74, wherein the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the relatively high basis weight regions is at least 50% higher than the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the low basis weight regions.

77. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 74, wherein the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the relatively high basis weight regions is at least 75% higher than the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the low basis weight regions.

78. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 74, wherein the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the relatively high basis weight regions is at least 100% higher than the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the low basis weight regions.

79. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 74, wherein the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the relatively high basis weight regions is at least 150% higher than the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the low basis weight regions.

80. The absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 74, wherein the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the relatively high basis weight regions is from 25% to 200% higher than the characteristic local basis weight of representative areas within the low basis weight regions.

81. An absorbent cellulosic sheet having variable local basis weight comprising (i) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending fiber-enriched regions of relatively high local basis weight and (ii) a plurality of elongated low basis weight regions generally oriented in the machine direction (MD), wherein the regions of relatively high local basis weight extend in the CD a distance of from about 0.25 to about 3 times a distance that the elongated relatively low basis weight regions extend in the MD.

82. The absorbent sheet according to claim 81, wherein the fiber-enriched regions are pileated regions having a plurality of macrofolds.

83. The absorbent sheet according to claim 81, wherein the elongated low basis weight regions have an MD/CD aspect ratio of greater than 2.

84. The absorbent sheet according to claim 81, wherein the elongated low basis weight regions have an MD/CD aspect ratio of greater than 3.

85. The absorbent sheet according to claim 81, wherein the elongated low basis weight regions have an MD/CD aspect ratio of between about 2 and 6.

86. A method of making a belt-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising:

(a) compactively dewatering a papermaking furnish to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber orientation;

(b) applying the dewatered web having the apparently random distribution of fiber orientation to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed;

(c) belt-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30% to about 60% utilizing a patterned creping belt, the creping step occurring under pressure in a belt creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping belt wherein the belt is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the belt pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping belt to form a web with a reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights including at least (i) a plurality of fiber-enriched pileated regions of high local basis weight, interconnected by way of (ii) a plurality of elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers, the elongated densified regions having relatively low local basis weight and being generally oriented along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet, the elongated densified regions being further characterized by an MD/CD aspect ratio of at least 1.5; and

(d) drying the web.

87. The method according to claim 86, wherein the creping belt is a fabric.

88. The method according to claim 86, further comprising applying suction to the creped web while it is disposed in the creping fabric.

89. The method according to claim 86, wherein the creping belt is a woven creping fabric with prominent MD warp knuckles which project into the creping nip to a greater extent than weft knuckles of the fabric.

90. The method according to claim 89, wherein the creping fabric is a multilayer fabric.

91. The method according to claim 86, wherein the pileated regions include drawable macrofolds.

92. The method according to claim 91, further including the step of drawing the macrofolds by drawing the web along the MD of the sheet.

93. The method according to claim 86, wherein the pileated regions include drawable macrofolds and nested therein drawable microfolds.

94. The method according to claim 93, further comprising the step of drawing the microfolds of the pileated regions by application of suction.

95. The method according to claim 86, wherein the pileated regions include a plurality of overlapping crests inclined with respect to the MD of the sheet.

96. A method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet with improved dispensing characteristics comprising:

a) compactively dewatering a papermaking furnish to form a nascent web;

b) applying the dewatered web to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed;

c) fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30% to about 60% utilizing a patterned creping fabric, the creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surface and transferred to the creping fabric;

d) adhering the web to a drying cylinder with a resinous adhesive coating composition;

e) drying the web on the drying cylinder; and

f) peeling the web from the drying cylinder;

wherein the furnish, creping fabric and creping adhesive are selected and the velocity delta, nip parameters and web consistency, caliper and basis weight are controlled such that the MD bending length of the dried web is at least about 3.5 cm and the web has a papermaking-fiber reticulum provided with (i) a plurality of cross-machine direction (CD) extending, fiber-enriched pileated regions of relatively high local basis weight interconnected by (ii) a plurality of elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers, the elongated densified regions having relatively low local basis weight and being generally oriented along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet, the elongated densified regions being further characterized by an MD/CD aspect ratio of at least 1.5.

97. The method according to claim 96, wherein the MD bending length of the dried web is from about 3.5 cm to about 5 cm.

98. The method according to claim 96, wherein the MD bending length of the dried web is from about 3.75 cm to about 4.5 cm.

99. The method according to claim 96, operated at a fabric crepe of from about 2% to about 20%.

100. The method according to claim 96, operated at a fabric crepe of from about 3% to about 10%.

101. A method of making fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising:

a) compactively dewatering a papermaking furnish to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber orientation;

b) applying the dewatered web having the apparently random distribution of fiber orientation to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed;

c) fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30% to about 60%, the creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface, the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency being selected such that the web is creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping fabric to form a web with a drawable reticulum having a plurality of interconnected regions of different local basis weights including at least (i) a plurality of fiber-enriched regions of high local basis weight, interconnected by way of (ii) a plurality of elongated densified regions of compressed papermaking fibers, the elongated densified regions having relatively low local basis weight and being generally oriented along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet, the elongated densified regions being further characterized by an MD/CD aspect ratio of at least 1.5;

d) drying the web; and

thereafter

e) drawing the web along its MD,

wherein the drawable reticulum of the web is characterized in that it comprises a cohesive fiber matrix which exhibits elevated void volume upon drawing.

102. The method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 101, wherein the web is drawn along its MD at least about 10% after fabric-creping.

103. The method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 101, wherein the web is drawn along its MD at least about 15% after fabric-creping.

104. The method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 101, wherein the web is drawn along its MD at least about 30% after fabric-creping.

105. The method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 101, wherein the web is drawn along its MD at least about 45% after fabric-creping.

106. The method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet according to claim 101, wherein the web is drawn along its MD up to about 75% after fabric-creping.

113. The process according to claim 101, operated at a Fabric Crepe/Reel Crepe ratio of from about 2 to about 10.

114. The process according to claim 101, operated at a Fabric Crepe/Reel Crepe ratio of from about 2.5 to about 5.

107. A method of making fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising:

a) compactively dewatering a papermaking furnish to form a nascent web having an apparently random distribution of papermaking fiber orientation;

b) applying the dewatered web having the apparently random distribution of fiber orientation to a translating transfer surface moving at a first speed;

c) fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30% to about 60%, the creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric wherein the fabric is traveling at a second speed slower than the speed of said transfer surface;

d) applying the web to a Yankee dryer;

e) creping the web from the Yankee dryer; and

f) winding the web on a reel;

the fabric pattern, nip parameters, velocity delta and web consistency and composition being selected such that;

i) the web is creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping fabric to form a web with local basis weight variation including at least (A) a plurality of fiber-enriched regions of relatively high local basis weight;

(B) a plurality of elongated regions having relatively low local basis weight and being generally oriented along the machine direction (MD) of the sheet; and

ii) the process exhibits a Caliper Gain/% Reel Crepe ratio of at least 1.5.

108. The process according to claim 107, wherein the process exhibits a Caliper Gain/% Reel Crepe ratio of at least 2.

109. The process according to claim 107, wherein the process exhibits a Caliper Gain/% Reel Crepe ratio of at least 2.5.

110. The process according to claim 107, wherein the process exhibits a Caliper Gain/% Reel Crepe ratio of at least 3.

111. The process according to claim 107, wherein the process exhibits a Caliper Gain/% Reel Crepe ratio of from about 1.5 to about 5.

112. The process according to claim 107, operated at a Fabric Crepe/Reel Crepe ratio of from about 1 to about 20.