Patent ID: 6494925
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: D03D,D04H,D05C,D06P,D06Q

Abstract:
A process for creating a sculptured textile substrate having a pile surface, said surface being comprised of a first pile area having a first pile height, a second pile area having a second pile height, and a boundary area that is part of said second pile area and that is immediately adjacent to said first pile area, wherein said process results in said first pile areas that are visually distinct from said second pile areas and wherein said process reduces the visual prominence of said boundary areas, said process comprising the steps of:(a) selectively contacting said pile surface in a patternwise application with a fiber degrading composition, said composition comprising a fiber degrading agent sufficient to reduce the tensile strength of said pile fibers in a first pile area; (b) optionally, selectively applying a first dye to said first pile area in registry with said fiber degrading composition of step (a); (c) heating said textile substrate to a temperature sufficient to degrade said fibers in said first pile area to which said fiber degrading composition has been applied; (d) mechanically removing said fibers in said first pile area which have been degraded by said fiber degrading composition, thereby making the height of said first pile area less than that of said second pile area to which said fiber degrading composition was not applied; (e) treating said pile surface with a neutralizing solution to neutralize said fiber degrading composition; (f) overdyeing the entire textile substrate by uniformly applying and fixing a dye onto said first pile area and said second pile area, including said boundary areas, wherein said first pile area preferentially accepts more of said dye than said second pile area; (g) washing said textile substrate; and (h) drying said textile substrate.