Microfine fiber laminate

Claim 1

A water impervious laminated material comprising an inner hydrophobic microfine fiber structure sandwiched between two layers of conjugate fibers, each of said layers of conjugate fibers having a first face and an opposite face, said conjugate fibers being composed of a lower melting component and a higher melting component, wherein a substantial proportion of the surfaces of said fibers comprises said lower melting component, said hydrophobic microfine fiber structure comprising a three-ply structure having an inner ply sandwiched between and bonded to two outer plies, each ply comprising a web of microfine fibers having a fiber diameter of up to 10 microns, said inner ply of said hydrophobic microfine fiber structure having a melt temperature higher than the melt temperatures of each of said outer plies of said hydrophobic microfine fiber structure, said lower melting components of both layers of said conjugate fibers which lie on said first face having been fuse bonded to the adjacent outer plies of said hydrophobic microfine fiber structure at a temperature below the melt temperature of said higher melting component of said conjugate fibers, so that the latter component retains its initial fiber-like integrity.