This paper presents a study on the tensile response of virgin and damaged nonwoven geotextile tested in isolation under different conditions of confinement. Five geotextiles, four confinement conditions and different types of mechanical damage were investigated. The influences of the intrusion of soil particles and the shape of these particles on the load–strain relation of the geotextiles were also examined. The results obtained show that confinement reduces the detrimental effects of mechanical damage on the tensile behaviour of nonwoven geotextiles. The amount and shape of the soil particles that intrude the geotextile pores also influence the tensile stiffness. The results show the potential of nonwoven geotextiles as reinforcement for reinforced soil structures of low to moderate sizes where the use of stiffer reinforcements may not be necessary or may be cost-prohibitive.