the objective of the research reported in this note was to investigate the noise absorption by combinations of several layers of nonwoven fiber webs of high noise absorption coefficients and a layer of woven fabric of high noise reflection coefficient. the measured sound absorption coefficients, in the audible frequency range, of such combinations were significantly higher than those of the fiber web layers by themselves. the highest sound absorption was obtained when the layer closest to the source of noise was the woven fabric. 5 refs