A nonwoven fabric suitable for electrical insulation or as a battery separator is provided. The nonwoven fabric includes a PPS fiber, the nonwoven fabric being obtainable by a process for papermaking and having a front surface with a water contact angle greater than that of a back surface of the nonwoven fabric by 5° or more. A suitable method for producing the nonwoven fabric includes dispersing an undrawn polyphenylene sulfide fiber in water, depositing the fiber to form paper, and performing heat and pressure treatment with a calender having two rolls with surface temperatures different by 10° C. or more.