Copyright © Gateway Structure Sdn Bhd (199401025111). All Right Reserved.
Menu
Geotextiles are durable synthetic fabrics widely used in Malaysia for construction, engineering, drainage, soil stabilization, and erosion control. They are typically made from synthetic materials such as polypropylene or polyester, which gives them exceptional durability.
Thanks to their resistance to rot and corrosion, geotextiles are often used to reinforce roads and prevent erosion when installed underground—making them especially suitable for Malaysia’s climate and soil conditions.
There are many types of geotextile fabrics available in Malaysia, each serving different purposes; however, woven geotextiles and non-woven geotextiles are the two most commonly used varieties.
In this article, we’ll highlight the key differences between them and their applications.
As the name implies, woven geotextile is manufactured by weaving together slit films. Slit films or tapes are fibrillated flat yarns uniformly woven at 90-degree angles. This process gives woven geotextile its durability and high load capacity.
As a result, it is suitable for civil applications by providing separation, reinforcement, and tensile strength. Woven geotextile’s in Malaysia are plastic-like in feel and appearance and are classified by tensile strength, which is the resistance a material has when subjected to tension.
1. Reinforcement
2. Separation
3. High Load Capacity
4. Impermeable
5. Classified by tensile strength
6. Plastic-like
Woven geotextiles are created by weaving polypropylene or polyester threads into a strong, durable fabric. This tightly woven structure results in relatively low permeability, meaning they are not ideal for filtration or drainage. However, what they lack in porosity, they more than make up for in tensile strength and load-bearing capacity.
In Malaysia’s infrastructure sector, woven geotextiles are widely used in applications that require soil reinforcement, separation, and erosion control, particularly where drainage is not a critical factor. Their ability to handle high tensile stress makes them highly suitable for:
Road construction and highways: Used as a separation layer between subgrade and base layers to prevent soil mixing, while reinforcing the roadbed in soft ground conditions.
Airport runways and taxiways: Their high load-bearing capacity ensures long-term stability under constant, heavy dynamic loads.
Parking lots and industrial yards: Ideal for stabilizing the foundation and supporting high-traffic areas.
Slope protection and embankments: Helps reduce erosion by stabilizing the soil structure, particularly in flood-prone or high-rainfall regions.
Railway projects: Used to reinforce track beds and prevent the migration of fine soil into aggregate layers.
Retaining wall support: Acts as a reinforcement layer in mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall systems.
In addition, woven geotextiles used in Malaysian tropical environments benefit from UV resistance, ensuring they withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight and weather elements. This makes them well-suited for long-term outdoor applications, especially in coastal, hilly, or infrastructure-heavy regions.
Their resistance to biological degradation, chemicals, and corrosion further adds to their durability—making woven geotextiles a go-to solution for civil engineering and infrastructure projects across Malaysia.
Non-woven geotextile from Malaysia is produced by bonding or entangling fibres together, either through heat, chemical processes, needle punching, or other methods. There is no weaving or manual construction involved.
Additional thermal treatment can also be applied to improve the strength of the geotextile further; however, they are still more likely to break down faster than their woven counterparts.
Although non-woven geotextiles are made using synthetic textiles in the same manner as woven geotextiles they have a more random structure. Their synthetic properties also make them useful in filter or separation applications. Many use them for protecting geomembrane lining systems from interior and exterior penetrations.
2. Separation
Non-woven geotextiles are manufactured using bonding methods such as needle punching or heat application, resulting in a felt-like fabric with high permeability and flexibility. Unlike woven types, non-woven geotextiles are designed for drainage, filtration, and separation, making them ideal for projects where water flow and soil stabilization are key requirements.
In Malaysia’s diverse construction and environmental landscape, non-woven geotextiles are commonly used in areas that require efficient water management, erosion control, and soil protection.
Non-woven geotextiles are frequently used in:
Subsurface drainage systems, Retaining wall backfills, Roadside drains, Landfill leachate systems
Their porous nature allows water to pass through while filtering out fine soil particles, preventing clogging and maintaining long-term drainage performance—crucial in Malaysia’s high-rainfall climate.
While they may not provide the same tensile strength as woven types, non-woven geotextiles are often placed between soil and aggregate layers to:
Improve soil stability, Minimize rutting, Extend pavement lifespan
This makes them valuable for light-traffic roads, walkways, and access roads in housing developments across Malaysia.
Used on slopes, riverbanks, and coastal areas, non-woven geotextiles help protect against surface erosion by holding soil in place and facilitating proper drainage—especially in vulnerable terrains with loose soil or steep gradients.
Non-woven geotextiles are also applied in:
Geomembrane protection layers, Leachate collection, Revegetation effort
These applications are critical in Malaysian waste management and environmental rehabilitation projects.
Their resistance to chemical degradation and biological attack, combined with excellent water permeability, makes non-woven geotextiles particularly effective in Malaysia’s humid and rainfall-heavy conditions. They are also lightweight, easy to install, and adaptable to irregular surfaces.
Ensuring you make the right choice of geotextile fabric for your project means understanding the differences between them. Generally, woven geotextiles have higher strength values, while non-woven geotextiles have higher flow rates and permeability. Here’s a rundown of the differences.
At GSSB, we are a reliable geotextile supplier in Malaysia, offering both woven and non-woven geotextile fabrics to support civil engineering, infrastructure, and environmental protection projects.
Our geotextile solutions are engineered for durability, strength, and resistance to harsh ground conditions—ideal for applications such as road reinforcement, slope protection, soil stabilization, and drainage systems.
Backed by proven performance and consistent supply, GSSB ensures that every project is equipped with the right materials to meet technical specifications and long-term reliability.
All of these points are important to consider when choosing the right fabric for your geotextile installation. Depending on your project, it is vital to ensure you are using the correct type of geotextile—whether it’s for filtration, separation, or reinforcement.
For infrastructure and load-bearing applications, woven geotextile Malaysia solutions are commonly recommended due to their high tensile strength and durability, especially in roadworks and ground stabilization projects.
Using the right product for your project will help improve both the lifespan and structural integrity of your design. For more information, feel free to get in touch with us.
Copyright © Gateway Structure Sdn Bhd (199401025111). All Right Reserved.