LINER FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE

1 . A liner for upholstered furniture, said liner comprising a layered material with at least two layers, in which layered material a carded nonwoven wadding, constituting a first layer, is thermally bonded to a carded nonwoven top layer, constituting a second layer, wherein

said wadding has a thickness of 4 to 140 mm, and a weight of 50 to 2800 g/m 2 ; at least 20 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding have a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex; and 5 to 40 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding are bi-component binder fibers; and

said top layer has a thickness of 0.05-to 4 mm, and a weight of 20 to 120 g/m 2 ; at least 90 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer have a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less; and 50 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are bi-component binder fibers.

2 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the wadding is at least 2 times the thickness of the top layer.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein 70 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are bi-component binder fibers; wherein 10 wt % to 25 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding are bi-component binder fibers; and/or wherein at least 90 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer have a linear mass density of 4 dtex or less.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein said top layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 2 mm; and/or a weight of 40 to 120 g/m 2 ; and/or

wherein said wadding has a density of 5 to 20 kg/m 3 and said top layer has a density of 40 to 400 kg/m 3 .

7 . (canceled)

8 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein the staple fibers in the wadding comprise fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex, and core-sheath polyester binder fibers, the fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C.; and

wherein the staple fibers in the top layer comprise core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less the optional fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C.

9 . The liner according to claim 8 , wherein the staple fibers in the wadding essentially consist of fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and bi-component polyester binder fibers; and

wherein the staple fibers in the top layer essentially consist of bi-component polyester binder fibers and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof.

10 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein at least 20 wt % the staple fibers in the wadding are conjugated fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex; and 85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are core-sheath polyester binder fibers.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein at least 50 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding have a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex; and/or at least 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer have a linear mass density of 3 dtex or less.

13 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein

said wadding has a thickness of 4 to 50 mm and a weight of 50 to 200 g/m 2 ;

said top layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm and a weight of 50 to 120 g/m 2 ;

85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are core-sheath polyester binder fibers; and

at least 75 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding have a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex.

14 . The liner according to claim 1 , wherein the top layer is perforated; and/or wherein the top layer is thermally bonded and mechanically bonded by needle punching; and/or wherein the wadding is thermally bonded and mechanically bonded by needle punching.

15 . (canceled)

16 . (canceled)

17 . An upholstered piece of furniture having a liner according to claim 1 , arranged at least partly over a comfort material of the piece of furniture.

18 . (canceled)

19 . A process for providing a liner according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

carding staple fibers, wherein at least 20 wt % of the staple fibers have a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex, and 5 to 40 wt % of the staple fibers are bi-component binder fibers, to provide a first carded continuous web;

carding staple fibers, wherein 50 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers have a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less, and wherein 50 to 100 wt % of the staple fibers are bi-component binder fibers, to provide a second carded continuous web;

arranging the first and second carded continuous webs into a first and second layer to provide a layered structure;

heating the layered structure to form a liner having a nonwoven wadding thermally bonded to a nonwoven top layer, wherein said wadding has a thickness of 4 to 140 mm, and a weight of 50 to 2800 g/m 2 ; and said top layer has a thickness of 0.05 to 4 mm, and a weight of 20 to 120 g/m 2 .

20 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein the thickness of the wadding is at least 2 times the thickness of the top layer.

21 . (canceled)

22 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein 70 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web are bi-component binder fibers; and/or wherein 10 wt % to 25 wt % of the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web are bi-component binder fibers; wherein at least 90 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web have a linear mass density of 4 dtex or less; and/or wherein said top layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 2 mm, and a weight of 40 to 120 g/m 2 .

23 . (canceled)

24 . (canceled)

25 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein pressure is applied to the layered structure during the heating step to control the thickness of the liner.

26 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web comprise fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex, and core-sheath polyester binder fibers, the fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C.; and

wherein the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web comprise core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less the optional fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C.

27 . The process according to claim 26 , wherein the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web essentially consist of fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and bi-component polyester binder fibers; and wherein the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web essentially consist of bi-component polyester binder fibers and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof.

28 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein at least 20 wt % the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web are conjugated fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex; and 85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web are core-sheath polyester binder fibers; and/or wherein at least 50 wt % of the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web have a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex, and at least 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web have a linear mass density of 3 dtex or less.

29 . (canceled)

30 . (canceled)

31 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein

the wadding in the provided liner has a thickness of 4 to 50 mm;

the top layer in the provided liner has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm;

85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web are core-sheath polyester binder fibers; and

at least 75 wt % of the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web has a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex.

32 . The process according to claim 19 , further comprising the step of:

calendaring the heated layered structure with a heated calendar to provide said liner; and/or

perforating at least the top layer of the liner, once formed.

33 . (canceled)

34 . (canceled)