DENIM FABRIC WITH LAUNDERED APPEARANCE

Abstract: Denim fabric is treated (12-20) to raise the warp yarns adjacent the face of the fabric so that they can be rubbed and abraded to loosen the surface fibres; the tips of the warp crimp are subjected to abrading and rubbing (22) to reproduce the surface abrasion of washing and tumble drying without raising a nap or fuzzing the face. The abrading may be sanding using sandpaper in the range of about 50-100 grit, employing a 9-roll T-Ralph sander with 6 rolls running at a speed of about 50 ydm (50 metres/minute). The fabric may be lightly singed (10, 30) before raising which may be done by scouring (32) with a blend of phosphated esters; open-width washing (34) through about 5-10 wash boxes at speeds of about 30-80 yards per minute (30-75 metres/minute); first and second rope washings (36, 38) of about 15-25 minutes each, the first at about 180°F (80°C) and the second at about 140°F (64°C); drying under tension (40); finishing (42) utilizing wetters and softeners; and sanforising (44). After the abrading step (46), the fabric is shrunk (48) to 0.2% warp shrinkage.

Description: It has long been considered desirable to produce a denim fabric which has the look and feel of washed and tumbled dried garments and can be made up into garments such as jackets, pants and trousers. In the past denim has been finished with a starch finish on top of the size used for weaving. The finished denim is shipped as a stiff, heavy fabric to a cutter who cuts the stiff fabric and sews it into the garments. The garments were either sold in this condition, or the garments were washed, softened, reconditioned by steaming, pressing or ironing, resized, and sold. These latter steps were taken, of course, to simulate the look of a home laundered garment, but involved very expensive and time consuming procedures. It is known to try to simulate the look and feel of washed denim using a procedure involving the steps of singeing, then brushing or otherwise abrading the fabric, open-width washing and rope washing, finishing, sanforizing, and singeing it. It has been discovered in the present invention that to achieve desired results, it is necessary to raise the warp yarns to the face of the fabric before subjecting it to the abrading action. Once the warp yarns have been pushed to the face of the fabric and positioned for a surface abrading action, they are acted upon as to reproduce the surface abrasion action of washing and tumble drying, but without raising a nap or fuzzing of the face. According to the invention, there is provided a method of producing denim fabric that looks and feels like a denim garment that has been laundered, characterised by (a) first raising the warp yarns of a piece of denim fabric so that the warp crimp or loops are at the face of the fabric and (b) only then abrading only the tips of the raised crimp or loops to duplicate the surface abrasion of washing and tumble drying without raising a nap or fuzzing the face. Preferably the method comprises the substeps of : (i) partially removing weaving size and non-fibrous portions of fabric while protecting the physical look and characteristics of the fabric; (ii) closing up the fabric, allowing the dyed warp to shrink and come to the face of the fabric; (iii) removing any creasing in the fabric; (iv) softening and lubricating the fabric; and (v) shrinking and crimping the warp to urge the warp yarns to the face of the fabric and position them so that they can be abraded. The abrading action may be accomplished utilizing a commercially available 9 roll T-Ralph sander with only 6 rolls running at a speed of 50 ydm (about 50 metres/min). After sanding, the fabric is shrunk to stabilize the fabric at no more than 3 per cent × 3 percent warp filling shrinkage; that is to stabilize the processed fabric to a 0.2 percent warp shrinkage range. An exceptionally desirable denim fabric is produced according to the invention, which, when made into garments may be easily handled so that the garment manufacture can be quicker, simpler and cheaper, and the garments duplicate home laundered and tumble dried garments. The invention includes garments made from the denim of the invention. The invention is illustrated by the following description, in which :- Figures 1 and 2 are schematic block diagrams showing steps of the invention. The first step according to the invention may be the removal of long hair, and only long hair, from a denim fabric, eg. one having a weight of about 14-3/4 ounce (392-21 gram) preferably by lightly singeing the fabric. The next step is to raise the warp yarns, that is to push them to the face of the fabric so that only the tips of the raised crimp or loops can be acted upon. The raising action is accomplished by practising the sub-steps indicated by boxes 12, 14, 16, and 18 in Figure 1. In sub-step 12, partial removal of weaving size is achieved, in addition to partial removal of non-fibrous portions of the fabric, while the physical look and characteristics of the fabric are protected, by first scouring the fabric with a blend of phosphated esters, and then subjecting it to open-width washing. One particular procedure is to employ Bi-Chem Scour DAG-2 blend of phosphated esters, at a concentration of about 0.25%-1% at about 140°F-240°F (about 64°C to about 120°C). This is followed by open-width washing utilizing about 5-10 wash boxes, and at speeds of about 30-80 yards (30-75 metres/minute). Sub-step 14 comprises rinsing of the detergent and size from the fabric while still leaving an amount of starch and other non-fibrous materials in the range of about 1.5-3.5 per cent in order to ensure good hand development and thickness. The fabric is closed up, while the dyed warp is allowed to shrink and come to the face of the fabric. This sub-step preferably comprises subjecting the fabric to a first rope wash at about 180°F (80°C) for about 15 to 25 minutes, and then a second rope wash at about 140°F (64°C) for about 15 to 25 minutes. The rope washing establishes the proper crimp exchange between warp and filling, and starts crimping of the warp yarns to the face of the denim fabric. In sub-step 16, any creases introduced by the rope washing are removed by drying the fabric under controlled, significant tension, to flatten out rope marks and to remove any creases. In sub-step 18, the fabric is softened and lubricated to give the fabric the proper touch, and allow it to be subsequently sanforized properly. The sub-step 18 is preferably practised utilizing a finishing formula including a wetter and a softener, preferably comprising 6 pounds (2.35 kg) of Bi-Chem Wetter RW, 160 pounds (62.72 kg) of Bi-Chem Softener SAT, 8 ounces (224 gm) of Bi-Chem Anti-Foam CK-2, which together produce 250 gallons of finishing formulation. Wetter RW is a non-ionic ethoxylated nonylphenol and ethoxylated cocamine plus ethylene oxide. The Wetter RW allows the fibres to wet out uniformly before shrinking. The softener SAT is a blend of cationic fatty acid, amino ethyl ethanol amine fatty amide salt mixtures, silicone, and an ethoxylated nonyl phenol. The softener SAT gives smoothness and softness to the touch. The warp yarn raising action is concluded by sub-step 20, which is a sanforizing in which the warp yarns are further shrunk and crimped to push them to the fabric face and position them. In step 22 the tips of the warp crimp are rubbed and abraded to loosen the surface fibres in the warp yarn to reproduce the surface abrasion of washing and tumble drying, but without raising a nap or fuzzing the face. The surface rubbing step 22 can be practised using different abrading machines or devices, such as wire brushes, napping rolls, emery cloth, or sandpaper. One particularly effective procedure is to sand the tips of the warp crimp on a 9 roll T-Ralph sander with only 6 rolls running at a speed of about 50 ydm (about 50 metres/minute). A fine sandpaper is utilized, that is having a range of about 50-100 grit (US grit size). Step 24 is the final shrinkage of the fabric to stabilize the fabric at no more than 3 per cent × 3 per cent warp and filling shrinkage ie. to a 0.2 per cent warp shrinkage range. Figure 2 illustrates schematically the same steps as in Figure 1, but indicated by their common names. The garment-weight denim fabric is subjected to a light singe step 30; a scouring step 32; an open-width wash step 34; first and second rope washes 36, 38; dried under tension at station 40; finished at station 42; sanforized at step 44; the tips of the warp yarn on the face of the fabric are abraded, as by the sanding or brushing steps 46 illustrated in Figure 2, and then the fabric is subjected to the final shrink to stabilize it at station 48. The invention thus provides a method for the production of denim fabric suitable for manufacture into garments, such as pants, trousers and jackets, which have the feel and look of denim garments that have been home laundered and tumbled dry.

Claims: A method of producing denim fabric that looks and feels like a denim garment that has been laundered, characterised by (a) first raising the warp yarns of a piece of denim fabric so that the warp crimp or loops are at the face of the fabric, and only then (b) abrading only the tips of the raised crimp or loops to duplicate the surface abrasion of washing and tumble drying without raising a nap or fuzzing the face. A method according to Claim 1 characterised in that step (a) comprises the substeps of: (i) partially removing weaving size and non-fibrous portions of fabric while protecting the physical look and characteristics of the fabric; (ii) closing up the fabric, allowing the dyed warp to shrink and come to the face of the fabric; (iii) removing any creasing in the fabric; (iv) softening and lubricating the fabric; and (v) shrinking and crimping the warp to urge the warp yarns to the face of the fabric and position them so that they can be abraded. A method according to Claim 2 characterised in that step (i) is practised by scouring and open-width washing of the fabric. A method according to Claim 2 or 3 characterised in that step (ii) is practised by rope washing of the fabric; step (iii) is practised by drying the fabric under controlled tension; step (iv) is practised by treating the fabric with a finishing formula including a wetter and a softener; and step (v) is practised by sanforizing the fabric. A method according to any of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that step (b) is practised by contacting the tips of the warp crimp with a napping roll, emery cloth, sandpaper or wire brush. A method according to Claim 5 characterised in that step (b) is practised by sanding the tips of the warp crimp with a fine sandpaper in the range of about 50-100 grit. A method according to any preceding Claim characterised by the further step of shrinking the fabric to an 0-2 percent warp shrinkage range. A method as recited in any preceding Claim characterised by the preliminary step of lightly singeing the fabric to remove only long hair. A method according to any preceding Claim characterised by (a) lightly singeing the fabric; (b) scouring the fabric; (c) open-width washing the fabric; (d) rope washing the fabric; (e) drying the fabric under tension; (f) finishing the fabric; (g) sanforizing the fabric; (h) abrading the tips of the warp crimp of the fabric without raising a nap or fuzzing the face; and (i) shrinking the fabric to stabilize it at no more than 3 percent x 3 percent warp and filling shrinkage.

Inventors: DAVIS, EDWARD JULIUS, JACOBS, ROBERT DURENE
Applicants: BURLINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: D06C27
IPC codes: D06C27, D06C13