AbstractA method to obtain the tenacity and Young's modulus of nonwoven webs without direct measurement of web thickness is proposed. This has been tested with several series of samples with different basis weight. It was found that these properties were nearly Independent of the sample gage length, and both tenacity and modulus generally decreased with increase in the die temperature, the air pressure at the die, or the die to collector distance [DCD]. The web stiffness as measured by bending rigidity followed similar trends. The elongation Lo break also decreased as die temperature and air pressure at The die increased, but it increased with increasing DCD. The average filament diameter in the web decreased with increasing die temperature or air pressure at the die. The single filament strength was measured and compared with strength properties of web and of high‐speed melt spun filament prepared from the same resins. The strength of single filaments in the web lie in between those of the web and high‐speed spun filaments. The mechanical properties of melt blown web were interpreted in terms of the changes in Fiber diameter, the level of interfilament bonding, the molecular orientation developed in the filament, the diameter uniformity along the individual filaments in the web, and the presence of voids in the filament.