An embossed composite nonwoven web material includes a mixture of thermally unbonded continuous spunlaid filaments and short fibers including natural and/or synthetic fibers or staple fibers. The continuous filaments and short fibers being substantially mechanically bonded to each other by hydroentangling and the composite nonwoven web material being embossed without thermobonds to have a strength index equal to or more than 1 time the strength index of the unembossed composite nonwoven web material.