Latex-free and formaldehyde-free nonwoven fabrics

1. A nonwoven fabric comprising a fiber web in an amount of from about 85 wt. % to about 99.99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric; and a cured natural binder in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric; wherein the fiber web comprises natural fibers and synthetic fibers; wherein the natural fibers are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount of from about 70 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric; wherein the synthetic fibers are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount of from about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric; wherein the cured natural binder comprises modified cellulose and a strengthening agent in a weight ratio of strengthening agent to modified cellulose of from about 1:2 to about 1:1,000, wherein the modified cellulose comprises carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and/or sodium carboxymethylcellulose (sodium CMC), wherein the strengthening agent comprises a crosslinking agent and a wet strength agent, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a carboxylic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, wherein the wet strength agent comprises at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a halide group, a chloride group, a fluoride group, a hydroxyl group, and combinations thereof,

wherein the natural fibers comprise cellulose fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers comprise biodegradable synthetic fibers, and wherein the nonwoven fabric is characterized by a degree of biodegradability of equal to or greater than about 99%, wherein the degree of biodegradability refers to aerobic biodegradability in soil as determined in accordance with ISO 17556:2003 E, and wherein the nonwoven fabric excludes latex and formaldehyde.

2. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises citric acid.

3. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the wet strength agent comprises polyamide epichlorohydrin.

4. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises the cured natural binder in an amount of from about 0.005 g/m 2 to about 10 g/m 2 , based on the surface area of the nonwoven fabric.

5. The nonwoven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is incorporated in an article selected from the group consisting of wipes, wet wipes, baby wipes, disinfecting wipes, tissues, towels, double re-creped (DRC) items, medical drapes, bandages, caps, face masks, surgical scrubs, medical gowns, filters, diapers, padding, packaging, insulation, carpeting, upholstery, fabric dryer sheets, disposable textiles, earphone protection covers, insulation, wall coverings, seed blankets, agricultural wraps, and combinations thereof.

6. A multi-layer nonwoven fabric comprising a fiber web in an amount of from about 85 wt. % to about 99.99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the multi-layer nonwoven fabric; and a cured natural binder in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the multi-layer nonwoven fabric; wherein the fiber web comprises a first outer layer, a second outer layer, and optionally one or more intermediate layers, wherein the one or more intermediate layers are disposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer; wherein the first outer layer, the second outer layer, or both the first outer layer and the second outer layer comprise the cured natural binder; wherein each layer of the fiber web comprises natural fibers and synthetic fibers; wherein the cured natural binder comprises modified cellulose and a strengthening agent, wherein the modified cellulose comprises CMC and/or sodium CMC, wherein the strengthening agent comprises a crosslinking agent and a wet strength agent, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a carboxylic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, wherein the wet strength agent comprises at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a halide group, a chloride group, a fluoride group, a hydroxyl group, and combinations thereof,

wherein the natural fibers comprise cellulose fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers comprise biodegradable synthetic fibers, and wherein the nonwoven fabric is characterized by a degree of biodegradability of equal to or greater than about 99%, wherein the degree of biodegradability refers to aerobic biodegradability in soil as determined in accordance with ISO 17556:2003 E, and wherein the nonwoven fabric excludes latex and formaldehyde.

7. The multi-layer nonwoven fabric of claim 6 , wherein the first outer layer comprises the cured natural binder; wherein the second outer layer excludes the cured natural binder; and wherein an amount of natural fibers in the first outer layer is greater than an amount of natural fibers in the second outer layer.

8. A method of making a nonwoven fabric, the method comprising:

(a) forming a plurality of fibers into a fiber web; wherein the fiber web comprises natural fibers and synthetic fibers; wherein the natural fibers are present in the fiber web in an amount of from about 70 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the fiber web; and wherein the synthetic fibers are present in the fiber web in an amount of from about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on the total weight of the fiber web;

(b) contacting at least a portion of the fiber web with an aqueous natural binder to form a binder impregnated fiber web, wherein the aqueous natural binder comprises modified cellulose, a strengthening agent, and water, wherein the modified cellulose comprises CMC and/or sodium CMC, wherein the strengthening agent comprises a crosslinking agent and a wet strength agent, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a carboxylic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, and wherein the wet strength agent comprises at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a halide group, a chloride group, a fluoride group, a hydroxyl group, and combinations thereof; and

(c) curing the binder impregnated fiber web to form the nonwoven fabric; wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises the fiber web in an amount of from about 85 wt. % to about 99.99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric; and wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a cured natural binder in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric,

wherein the natural fibers comprise cellulose fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers comprise biodegradable synthetic fibers, and wherein the nonwoven fabric is characterized by a degree of biodegradability of equal to or greater than about 99%, wherein the degree of biodegradability refers to aerobic biodegradability in soil as determined in accordance with ISO 17556:2003 E, and wherein the nonwoven fabric excludes latex and formaldehyde.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein step (a) comprises a process selected from the group consisting of an airlaid process, a spunlaid process, and a wet laid process.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein step (c) comprises heating the binder impregnated fiber web to a temperature of from about 110° C. to about 220° C.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein step (c) comprises thermal bonding and chemical bonding.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a multi-layer nonwoven fabric, wherein the forming the fiber web comprises forming the plurality of fibers into a multi-layer fiber web via a dry laid process,

wherein the multi-layer fiber web comprises a first outer layer, a second outer layer, and optionally one or more intermediate layers, wherein the one or more intermediate layers are disposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer; wherein each layer of the multi-layer fiber web comprises natural fibers and synthetic fibers; and

wherein the contacting at least a portion of the fiber web comprises contacting at least a portion of the first outer layer and/or at least a portion of the second outer layer with an aqueous natural binder to form the binder impregnated fiber web.

13. A multi-layer nonwoven fabric comprising a fiber web in an amount of about 98 wt. %, based on the total weight of the multi-layer nonwoven fabric; and a cured natural binder in an amount of about 2 wt. %, based on the total weight of the multi-layer nonwoven fabric; wherein the fiber web comprises a first outer layer, a second outer layer, and optionally one or more intermediate layers, wherein the one or more intermediate layers are disposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer; wherein the first outer layer, the second outer layer, or both the first outer layer and the second outer layer comprise the cured natural binder; wherein each layer of the fiber web comprises natural fibers and synthetic fibers; wherein the natural fibers are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount of about 80 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric; wherein the synthetic fibers are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount of about 18 wt. %, based on the total weight of the nonwoven fabric; wherein the cured natural binder comprises modified cellulose and a strengthening agent, wherein the cured natural binder is characterized by a weight ratio of strengthening agent to modified cellulose of from about 1:2 to about 1:1,000, wherein the modified cellulose comprises CMC and/or sodium CMC, wherein the strengthening agent comprises a crosslinking agent and a wet strength agent, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a carboxylic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, wherein the wet strength agent comprises at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a halide group, a chloride group, a fluoride group, a hydroxyl group, and combinations thereof,

wherein the natural fibers comprise cellulose fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers comprise biodegradable synthetic fibers, and wherein the nonwoven fabric is characterized by a degree of biodegradability of equal to or greater than about 99%, wherein the degree of biodegradability refers to aerobic biodegradability in soil as determined in accordance with ISO 17556:2003 E, and wherein the nonwoven fabric excludes latex and formaldehyde.

14. A single-layer nonwoven fabric comprising a fiber web in an amount of from about 85 wt. % to about 99.99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the single-layer nonwoven fabric; and a cured natural binder in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the single-layer nonwoven fabric; wherein the fiber web comprises natural fibers; wherein the natural fibers are present in the single-layer nonwoven fabric in an amount of from about 85 wt. % to about 99.99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the single-layer nonwoven fabric; wherein the cured natural binder comprises modified cellulose and a strengthening agent in a weight ratio of strengthening agent to modified cellulose of from about 1:2 to about 1:1,000, wherein the modified cellulose comprises CMC and/or sodium CMC, wherein the strengthening agent comprises a crosslinking agent and a wet strength agent, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a carboxylic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, wherein the wet strength agent comprises at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a halide group, a chloride group, a fluoride group, a hydroxyl group, and combinations thereof,

wherein the natural fibers comprise cellulose fibers, wherein the synthetic fibers comprise biodegradable synthetic fibers, and wherein the nonwoven fabric is characterized by a degree of biodegradability of equal to or greater than about 99%, wherein the degree of biodegradability refers to aerobic biodegradability in soil as determined in accordance with ISO 17556:2003 E, and wherein the nonwoven fabric excludes latex and formaldehyde.