the method and apparatus of the present invention prevents the formation of pin - holes during stretching of strip laminates in the cross - machine direction . pin - holes are prevented by creating slack areas along the length of the laminate where the edges of the non - woven strips meet with the polymer film , pressing the slack areas into the interdigital stretching rollers without stretching the slack areas , and stretching the remainder of the laminate in a typical manner . the slack areas are formed prior to interdigitation by , for example , formation of a furrow , a fold or a corrugation .