Cotton-based nonwovens are generally produced by carding and then bonding. One of the most important characteristics of nonwoven materials is the uniformity of their structure and properties. However, the carded webs always have irregularities caused by processing and material variables. The binder fiber distribution in carded cotton-based nonwoven fabrics was analyzed based on the crystallization behavior of one of the components of the binder fibers by DSC. The effects of process parameters, such as bonding temperature and binder fiber component, on the uniformity were discussed in detail in this article. Also, the relationship of binder fiber distribution and the strip tensile property and single-bond tensile strength were investigated. The results showed that if the binder fibers were not well distributed in the fabric, it would be hard to get the same trend of temperature effect on tensile property for the strip and single-bond tests. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.