Nonwoven interlocking strips and nonwoven industrial fabrics assembled therefrom

An industrial fabric comprising at least two separate continuous layers. Each layer includes at least one segment (1) fabricated as a plastics extrusion, such as a strip or panel. The layers are joined by means of cooperating linear interlocking structures (10) located on contiguous planar faces of the segments in the layers. After engagement to form a joint, the cooperating linear interlocking structures provide and maintain a void volume (30) between the layers, and resist compressive loading of the fabric in a more or less predictable manner. The segments may be fabricated from differing thermoplastics so as to impart differing physical properties to each layer. The segments may be porous or non-porous. The industrial fabrics are suitable for use in filtration, membrane, geotechnical and like applications, and find particular utility in continuous filtration applications such as pulp and paper making, sludge dewatering and the like.