Activated carbon nonwoven filter media in two constructions: powdered carbon bonded onto a polyester web — the material also sold as activated carbon filter cotton — and granular carbon sandwiched between two fabrics. Same factory, same converting line, two different jobs.
- Constructions
- Surface-loaded · three-layer composite
- Thickness
- 0.5–30 mm across both
- Carbon content
- 10–80% composite · ≥50% loaded
- Form
- Roll · die-cut part · pleated pack
+1 (610) 462-3247 · sales@carbotopiafiber.com · Compare all materials →
Published values are product-series references, and a pressure drop only means something with its test conditions attached. Final values are confirmed against the selected grade and the order specification. Free sample, one time; shipping is not included.
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Which construction fits your part
The two are not grades of one material. Carbon sitting on the surface of a web and carbon trapped between two fabrics behave differently, and the thickness ranges barely overlap.
| Surface-loaded nonwoven (filter cotton) |
Three-layer composite (sandwich) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Carbon is | powdered, bonded to the web | granular, trapped between two fabrics |
| Thickness | 1–30 mm | 0.5–1.5 mm |
| Carbon content | ≥50% | 10–80% |
| Sheds carbon | possible with handling | no — nothing to shake loose |
| Filters dust | no rated figure | ≥92% at 5 μm |
| Choose it when | the part needs depth, or the budget has to hold | the layer must be thin, clean and touchable |
If you are not sure which one your housing wants, send the dimensions and the airflow — we usually send both to test. All five sheet constructions are compared on activated carbon filter sheets.
Factory catalogue reference
Surface-loaded nonwoven — full specifications
Flame-retardant and non-FR grades. Carbon loading and thickness move independently, so a weekly disposable and a six-month cartridge run on the same line.
- Base material
- Polyester fiber nonwoven
- Adsorbent
- Powdered carbon — wood / coal / coconut
- Carbon content
- ≥50%
- Benzene adsorption
- ≥20%
- Thickness
- 1–30 mm
- Width
- up to 200 cm
- Pressure drop
- ≤80 Pa at 1.0 m/s, 5 mm
- Roll length
- 100 m (1–4 mm) · 60 m (5–10 mm)
- 20 m (15–20 mm)
- Grades
- Flame-retardant and non-FR
Show all specifications
Factory catalogue reference
Three-layer composite (sandwich activated carbon cloth) — full specifications
Carbon is trapped between two fabrics rather than bonded to a surface, so the layer filters dust as well as adsorbing — it earns its place as a pre-filter, not only an adsorption layer.
- Construction
- Three-layer composite
- Adsorbent
- Coal / coconut-shell / modified carbon
- Grammage
- 100–650 g/m²
- Carbon content
- 10–80%
- Thickness
- 0.5–1.5 mm
- Filtration efficiency
- ≥92% at 5 μm
- Xylene removal
- ≥95%
- Pressure drop
- 50 Pa at 0.3 m/s
- Roll length
- 100 m or 150 m, custom available
- Width
- 1.0–1.5 m
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Why surface-loaded is usually the right start
It cuts, folds and pleats without cracking, so it can be die-cut to an outline or pleated into a frame. The thickness range covers both ends of the job: 1 mm for a thin adhesive pad, 30 mm for a deep-bed cartridge — nothing else in our range covers both.
Most pet deodorizing products should start here rather than with ACF. Breathability is better, the range is wider, and cost is easier to control.
More detail
Why the sandwich construction never sheds
If the media sits somewhere a pet can touch it, shedding is not a detail — it is the whole decision. Carbon held between two fabrics has nothing to land in the litter tray.
At 0.5–1.5 mm it goes where a pad will not: inside a pet house, around a duct, under a tray. And at ≥92% at 5 μm it filters dust at the same time.
More detail
Where surface-loaded is used
Chosen when the part has to be formed to a shape and the budget has to hold.
Where the composite is used
Chosen when the layer has to be thin, clean and touchable.
Buyer questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the specifications on this page.
What is activated carbon filter cotton?
It is a polyester nonwoven with powdered carbon bonded onto the web, carbon content ≥50%, 1–30 mm thick. The same material is also sold as activated carbon nonwoven. It is the economical choice when a part needs depth.
Does activated carbon nonwoven shed carbon dust?
The surface-loaded version can release some carbon with handling. The three-layer composite holds granular carbon between two fabrics, so there is nothing to shake loose, and it also filters dust at ≥92% at 5 μm.
Is flame-retardant activated carbon nonwoven available?
Yes. The surface-loaded nonwoven is made in flame-retardant and non-flame-retardant grades.
Can carbon nonwoven be pleated or die-cut?
Yes. Both constructions are supplied as rolls, die-cut parts or pleated packs. Rolls are up to 200 cm wide for the surface-loaded grade.
Is this the same as sandwich activated carbon cloth?
Yes. The three-layer composite is often sold as sandwich activated carbon cloth: a carbon layer held between two nonwoven sheets, 0.5–1.5 mm thick, 100–650 g/m², with carbon content from 10 to 80%. Because the carbon is enclosed, it does not shed.
Send the part, or the drawing
Tell us the space you have, the airflow it sees, and whether the layer has to filter dust too. We come back with thickness, grammage and carbon-loading options — and material to test.
Prefer to send a photo? Message us on WhatsApp — a picture of the part is usually enough to start.
ISO 9001 · ISO 14001 · REACH · RoHS · TSCA · Prop 65 · TDS and SDS on request. Where the housing has depth to give, granular carbon mesh carries far more carbon; where you need a bonded fibre rather than a loaded web, see ACF cloth & felt. See certifications and the factory.
