Absorbent article, such as a diaper, pant diaper, incontinence guard, sanitary napkin, wound dressing and the like, comprising a layer of continuous fibres, so-called tow, which have been bonded together in points, lines or spots in a bonding pattern (10), but otherwise are substantially unbonded to each other, wherein the bonding pattern (10) is different in different portions of said layer (5). The layer can either be utilized as a liquid acquisition layer (5) in the article underneath a topsheet (2), as a topsheet (12), or as a combined topsheet and liquid acquisition layer (22).