Patent Publication Number: US-2004052943-A1

Title: Ribbon material formed of polymeric materials having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/892,157, filed Jun. 26, 2001; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/211,878, filed Dec. 15, 1998, now abandoned; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/098,898 filed Jun. 17, 1998, now abandoned; which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of provisional application U.S. Ser. No. 60/050,867, filed Jun. 26, 1997; the contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002] Not applicable.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] The present invention relates to polymeric materials having a texture or appearance simulating paper, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to ribbon materials made from such polymeric materials.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0004]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper constructed in accordance with the present invention, one corner of the sheet of polymeric material upwardly turned.  
     [0005]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper of FIG. 1 having a bonding material disposed along one edge thereof, one corner of the sheet of polymeric material upwardly turned.  
     [0006]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper of FIG. 2 having a floral grouping disposed thereon.  
     [0007]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the floral grouping of FIG. 3 being wrapped with the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper of FIG. 2 by one method of wrapping.  
     [0008]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a decorative cover for the floral grouping formed from the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper of FIG. 2 wherein the decorative cover formed from the sheet of polymeric material has a conical configuration.  
     [0009]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a decorative cover for the floral grouping formed from the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper of FIG. 2 wherein the decorative cover has a substantially cylindrical configuration.  
     [0010]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a decorative cover positioned about a flower pot wherein the decorative cover is formed from the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper of FIG. 1.  
     [0011]FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a flower pot cover former and band applicator apparatus having the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper of FIG. 1 disposed above an opening of the flower pot cover former and band applicator and having a flower pot disposed above the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0012]FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a sheet of expanded core polymeric film having a texture or appearance simulating paper wherein an acrylic heat sealable lacquer is disposed on at least one surface thereof, one corner of the sheet of expanded core polymeric film being upwardly turned.  
     [0013]FIG. 9B is a perspective view of a laminated sheet of material wherein one surface is modified or textured to provide the sheet of laminated material with a texture or appearance simulating paper, one corner of the laminated sheet of material being upwardly turned.  
     [0014]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a preformed pot cover formed from a sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0015]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the preformed pot cover of FIG. 10 having a flower pot disposed therein.  
     [0016]FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a male and female mold having a sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper disposed therebetween for forming the preformed pot cover of FIG. 10.  
     [0017]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve formed from the sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0018]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of FIG. 13 disposed about a floral grouping.  
     [0019]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve having a cinching member wherein the floral sleeve is formed from a sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0020]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of FIG. 15 disposed about a floral grouping.  
     [0021]FIG. 17 is a side view of a sleeve having a detachable portion wherein the sleeve is formed from a sheet of polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0022]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 17 having a flower pot disposed therein.  
     [0023]FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a flower pot disposed in the sleeve of FIG. 17 wherein an upper portion of the sleeve has been removed to provide a decorative cover having a skirt.  
     [0024]FIG. 20A is a perspective view of a polymeric ribbon material having a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0025]FIG. 20B is a perspective view of a polymeric ribbon material formed of an expanded core polymeric film having a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0026]FIG. 20C is a perspective view of a laminated polymeric ribbon wherein at least one surface of the laminated polymeric ribbon is modified or textured to provide the laminated polymeric ribbon with a texture or appearance simulating paper. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0027] Ribbon materials formed of paper are well known in the art and have been used for several years for decorative purposes. When the ribbon materials are formed of paper, the paper may be colored and may be provided with a decorative pattern printed and/or embossed thereon to enhance the decorative appearance of the ribbon materials formed therefrom. The paper ribbon materials of the prior art, however, are sensitive to water and humidity as well as pressure placed thereon, and unless the paper from which the ribbon material is formed is treated, several undesired characteristics and features are observed. For example, the paper may become discolored, or an ink disposed on the paper to provide the decorative appearance of the paper may smear or run, thereby distorting or destroying the decorative appearance of the ribbon material and possibly staining a surface on which the ribbon material is disposed or displayed. In addition, exposure to stressors such as water and pressure can leave the paper more sensitive to tearing, which also distorts or destroys the decorative appearance of a ribbon material formed therefrom.  
     [0028] To overcome the disadvantages of paper, ribbon materials have also been formed of polymeric film. While the polymeric film is more durable and not as sensitive to water, humidity and pressure as paper, the visible characteristics of polymeric film include a sheen which can readily be detected as polymeric film, and polymeric film does not have the soft feel or texture of paper which may be desired.  
     [0029] While the prior art methods of forming ribbon materials from paper or polymeric film have been widely accepted, new and improved methods for making ribbon materials having the visible characteristics of paper, such as the texture or appearance of paper, and the physical characteristics of polymeric film, such as improved durability and decreased sensitivity to water, humidity and pressure when compared to paper, are being sought. It is to such ribbon materials and methods for making same that the present invention is directed.  
     Description of FIGS.  1 - 9   
     [0030] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, designated generally by the reference numeral  10  is a sheet or web of polymeric material having a texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (hereinafter referred to as the sheet of polymeric material  10  or the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper). That is, at least a portion of one surface of the sheet of polymeric material  10  has been modified to provide a matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper. The term “texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper” is used interchangeably herein with the terms “texture or appearance simulating paper”, “matte or textured finish simulating the texture or appearance of paper”, and “appearance of being fabricated of paper”. It is to be understood that the sheet of polymeric material  10  may be provided with both a texture and appearance simulating the texture and appearance of paper.  
     [0031] While the sheet of polymeric material  10  is provided with visible characteristics simulating paper on at least a portion of one surface thereof, such as the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper on at least a portion of one surface thereof, the sheet of polymeric material  10  maintains the physical characteristics of the polymer from which the sheet of polymeric material  10  is formed, that is, the sheet of polymeric material  10  maintains the mechanical and structural characteristics of the polymer, such as increased durability and decreased sensitivity to water, humidity and pressure as compared to paper. In other words, at least a portion of one surface of the sheet of polymeric material  10  looks like paper while the entire sheet of polymeric material  10  behaves like polymeric material, and the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper is provided for a decorative purpose rather than a functional one.  
     [0032] The modification of the sheet of polymeric material  10  to provide the sheet of polymeric material  10  with a matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper in texture or appearance can be accomplished in several ways. For example, a matte finish can be provided by printing a desired pattern on the sheet of polymeric material  10  and thereafter laminating a matte material, such as a translucent polymeric film, over the printed pattern. To further enhance the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper of the sheet of polymeric material  10 , the matte material may or may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holes extending therethrough. A matte or textured finish can also be produced by printing a sheet of polymeric material  10  with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the sheet of polymeric material  10  with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by embossing the sheet of polymeric material  10  to provide an embossed pattern simulating the texture of paper, or by embossing and printing the sheet of polymeric material  10  to provide embossed and printed patterns having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of registry, or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry. A matte or textured finish capable of providing the sheet of polymeric material  10  with the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper can also be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or textured chill roll or by laminating a second sheet of material to the sheet of polymeric material  10 . A matte or textured finish capable of providing the sheet of polymeric material  10  with the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper can also be achieved through the use of selected pigments, such as TiO 2 .  
     [0033] The sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper has an upper surface  14 , a lower surface  16 , and an outer peripheral edge  18 . At least one surface of the sheet of polymeric material  10 , such as the lower surface  16 , is matted or textured as described above to provide the sheet of polymeric material  10  with the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper. The outer peripheral edge  18  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  comprises a first side  20 , a second side  22 , a third side  24 , and a fourth side  26 . A bonding material  27  (FIG. 2) may be disposed on at least a portion of one or both of the upper and lower surfaces  14  and  16  of the sheet of polymeric material  10 , such as the upper surface  14  thereof as shown and as further illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,364, issued Jan. 26, 1993 to Weder and entitled “WRAPPING A FLORAL GROUPING WITH SHEETS HAVING ADHESIVE OR COHESIVE MATERIAL APPLIED THERETO”, the Specification of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.  
     [0034] The sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper may be employed to provide a decorative cover for a floral grouping (FIGS. 3 through 6) or a decorative cover for a flower pot (FIG. 7); to form a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot (FIGS. 10 and 11); to provide a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping (FIGS. 13 through 16) or a flower pot (FIGS. 17 through 19); or to provide a ribbon material (FIGS. 20A through 20C). The use of the sheet of polymeric material  10  to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping or a flower pot wherein the decorative cover is provided with a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper, or to form a sleeve for a floral grouping or a flower pot wherein the sleeve is provided with a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper, or to form a preformed flower pot cover having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper, or as a ribbon material having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper will be described in more complete detail herein.  
     [0035] As noted above, the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be utilized to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping or a flower pot. The term “flower pot” as used herein refers to any type of container for holding a floral grouping, or a plant, or even another pot-type container. Examples of flower pots and/or pot-type containers include, but are not limited to, clay pots, wooden pots, plastic pots, pots made from natural and/or synthetic fibers, or any combination thereof. Such flower pots and or pot-type containers are provided with a retaining space for receiving a floral grouping. The floral grouping may be disposed within the retaining space of the flower pot with a suitable growing medium described in further detail below, or other retaining medium, such as a floral foam. It will also be understood that in some cases the floral grouping, and any appropriate growing medium or other retaining medium, may be disposed in a sleeve formed from the sheet of polymeric material  10  if the sleeve is adapted to contain a medium.  
     [0036] “Floral grouping” as used herein includes cut fresh flowers, artificial flowers, a single flower or other fresh and/or artificial plants or other floral materials and may include other secondary plants and/or ornamentation or artificial or natural materials which add to the aesthetics of the overall floral grouping. Further, the floral grouping may comprise a growing potted plant having a root portion as well. However, it will be appreciated that the floral grouping may consist of only a single bloom or only foliage, or a botanical item (not shown), or a propagule. The term “floral grouping” may be used interchangeably herein with the term “floral arrangement”. The term “floral grouping” may also be used interchangeably herein with the terms “botanical item” and/or “propagule.” 
     [0037] The term “growing medium” when used herein includes any liquid, solid or gaseous material used for plant growth or for the cultivation of propagules, including organic and inorganic materials such as soil, humus, perlite, vermiculite, sand, water, and including the nutrients, fertilizers or hormones or combinations thereof required by the plants or propagules for growth.  
     [0038] The term “botanical item” when used herein refers to a natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plant, taken singularly or in combination. The term “botanical item” also includes any portion or portions of natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plants including stems, leaves, flowers, blossoms, buds, blooms, cones, or roots, taken singularly or in combination, or in groupings of such portions such as bouquets or floral groupings.  
     [0039] The term “propagule” when used herein refers to any structure capable of being propagated or acting as an agent of reproduction including seeds, shoots, stems, runners, tubers, plants, leaves, roots or spores.  
     [0040] In the embodiments shown in the drawings, the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper in texture or appearance is square. It will be appreciated, however, that the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper in texture or appearance can be of any shape, configuration or size as long as the sheet of polymeric material  10  is sufficiently sized and shaped to wrap and encompass a floral grouping or a flower pot. For example, the sheet of polymeric material  10  may have a rectangular, round, oval, octagonal or asymmetrical shape. Further, multiple sheets of the polymeric material  10  may be used in a single circumstance to provide a decorative cover or sleeve for a floral grouping or a flower pot. Moreover, when multiple sheets of the polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper in texture or appearance are used in combination, the sheets of polymeric material  10  need not be uniform in size or shape. Finally, it will be appreciated that the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper shown herein is a substantially flat sheet except for the texturing, matting, embossing, flocking, application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink, or other treatments and techniques employed to provide the sheet of polymeric material  10  with the desired texture or matting so that the sheet of polymeric material  10  has the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper.  
     [0041] Any thickness or stiffness of the sheet of polymeric material  10  may be utilized in accordance with the present invention as long as the sheet of polymeric material  10  can be modified to provide the sheet of polymeric material with the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper and the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper can be wrapped about at least a portion of a floral grouping or a flower pot to form a decorative cover for the floral grouping or the flower pot, or formed into a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot, or a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping or a flower pot, or to provide a ribbon. Generally, the sheet of polymeric material  10  will have a thickness of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil, and more desirably a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil.  
     [0042] The terms “polymer film”, “polymeric film” and “polymeric material” when used herein refer to a synthetic polymer such as polypropylene or polyethylene, a naturally occurring polymer such as cellophane, an extruded polymeric material having an expanded core such as extruded polypropylene having an expanded core and combinations thereof. The extruded polymeric material having an expanded core may also be referred to herein as an expanded core polymeric material.  
     [0043] “Extruded polymeric material having an expanded core” or “expanded core polymeric film” as used herein includes any extrudable polymeric material or polymeric film in which the core is expanded during extrusion, such as by incorporation of a blowing agent in the polymeric resin which is being extruded.  
     [0044] The sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may also be constructed, in whole or in part, from a cling material. “Cling material” when used herein includes any material which is capable of connecting to the sheet of material and/or itself upon contacting engagement during the wrapping process and is wrappable about an item, whereby portions of the cling material contactingly engage and connect to other portions of another material, or, alternatively, itself, for generally securing the material wrapped about at least a portion of a flower pot. This connecting engagement is preferably temporary in that the material may be easily removed, i.e., the cling material “clings” to the flower pot.  
     [0045] The cling material is constructed from polyethylene such as Cling Wrap made by Glad®, First Brands Corporation, Danbury, Connecticut and may be treated if necessary. The thickness of the cling material will, in part, depend upon the size of sleeve and the size of the flower pot in the sleeve, i.e., generally, a larger flower pot may require a thicker and therefore stronger cling material. The cling material will range in thickness from about 0.1 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.5 mil to about 2.5 mil. However, any thickness of cling material may be utilized in accordance with the present invention which permits the cling material to be modified as hereinbefore described to provide the cling material with a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper.  
     [0046] A decorative cover for a floral grouping (FIGS. 3 through 6), or a decorative cover for a flower pot (FIG. 7), or a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot (FIGS. 10 and 11), or a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping (FIGS. 14 and 16) or a flower pot (FIGS. 17 through 19), or a ribbon material ( FIGS. 20A through 20C) may also be constructed of a laminated material having a texture or appearance simulating paper in texture or appearance (FIG. 9B), wherein the texture or appearance simulating paper provides a decorative appearance to the decorative cover, preformed flower pot cover, sleeve or ribbon material while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymeric material from which the laminated material is formed. The laminated material having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be produced by laminating two or more sheets of polymeric film (such as two or more sheets of polypropylene film or a sheet of polypropylene film and a sheet of expanded core polymeric film, such as expanded core polypropylene film), or by laminating a polymeric film (such as polypropylene film or an expanded core polymeric film) to metallized foil and the like wherein at least one surface of the laminated material is textured or modified to simulate the texture or appearance of paper. The only requirements in using a laminated material having a texture or appearance simulating paper in texture or appearance to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping, a decorative cover for a flower pot, a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot, a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping or a flower pot, or as ribbon material in accordance with the present invention is that at least a portion of one surface of the laminated material be capable of being modified to provide the laminated material with at least a portion of one surface having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper, that the laminated material be sufficiently flexible or pliable to permit the laminated material to be formed into a decorative cover, a preformed flower pot cover, a sleeve, or ribbon material, and that the decorative cover, preformed flower pot cover, sleeve or ribbon material formed therefrom maintains the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymeric material from which the laminated material is formed. It should also be noted that two or more separate sheets of polymeric material can be used to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping, or a decorative cover for a flower pot, or a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot, or a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping or a flower pot as long as one of the sheets of polymeric material is modified or textured to provide same with a texture or appearance simulating paper.  
     [0047] The sheet of polymeric material  10  or a laminated material (FIG. 9B) having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may vary in color. Further, at least a portion of one of the upper and lower surfaces  14  and  16  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  or a laminated material may be provided with other decorative patterns or designs in addition to the matting, texturing, flocking, application of lacquers or foamable inks, or embossing employed to impart a paper-like texture or appearance to the sheet of polymeric material  10  or the laminated material wherein such decorative patterns or designs enhance the overall aesthetic characteristics of the sheet of polymeric material  10 . Such decorative patterns may include a printed pattern and/or an embossed pattern, and when used in combination, the printed and embossed patterns may be in or out of registry with one another, or a portion of the printed and embossed patterns may be in registry with one another and a portion of the printed and embossed patterns may be out of registry with one another.  
     [0048] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the sheet of polymeric material  10  has a width  30  extending generally between the first side  20  and the second side  22 , respectively, sufficiently sized whereby the sheet of polymeric material  10  can be wrapped about and encompass a floral grouping or a flower pot. The sheet of polymeric material  10  has a length  32  extending generally between the third side  24  and the fourth side  26 , respectively, sufficiently sized whereby the sheet of polymeric material  10  extends over a substantial portion of the floral grouping when the sheet of polymeric material  10  has been wrapped about the floral grouping in accordance with the present invention, as described in detail herein. The sheet of polymeric material  10  may also be wrapped about a flower pot to substantially wrap and cover the flower pot in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0049] A plurality of sheets of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may be connected together to form a roll as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,976, issued to Weder et al on Oct. 24, 1995, entitled “MATERIAL AND ADHESIVE STRIP DISPENSER”, the Specification of which is hereby expressly incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.  
     [0050] FIGS.  3 - 5  illustrate the use of the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper for wrapping a floral grouping  34  to provide a decorative cover  36  having a texture or appearance simulating paper on at least a portion of one surface thereof (FIG. 5) for the floral grouping  34  wherein the decorative cover  36  is provided with a decorative appearance (i.e., the texture or appearance simulating paper) while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the sheet of polymeric material  10  has an open upper end  38  and a lower end  40 . The sheet of polymeric material  10  may optionally have the strip of bonding material  27  disposed upon the upper surface  14 , the lower surface  16  or both, such as the strip of bonding material  27  disposed along at least a portion of the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  so that the strip of bonding material  27  is disposed substantially adjacent the fourth side  26  thereof substantially as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Further, the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be provided either as an individual sheet or from a pad or roll of material.  
     [0051] The bonding material  27 , if present, may have a backing or release strip (not shown). The backing or release strip may be left applied for a period of time to the bonding material  27  after it is disposed on a surface of the sheet of polymeric material  10  prior to its use as a wrapping material in order to protect the bonding qualities of the strip of bonding material  27 .  
     [0052] In operation, an operator may dispose the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper on a support surface (not shown) whereby the lower surface  16  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  (which has been modified to provide the sheet of polymeric material  10  with the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper) contacts the support surface. Referring more specifically to FIGS.  3 - 5 , the floral grouping  34  is placed upon the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  in a diagonal orientation. The floral grouping  34  has an upper bloom or foliage portion  42  and a lower stem portion  44 . The sheet of polymeric material  10  is then wrapped about the floral grouping  34  by the operator (FIGS. 4 and 5), the operator overlapping a portion of the sheet of polymeric material  10  over another portion of the sheet of polymeric material  10 . That is, for example, the operator places the first side  20  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  over the floral grouping  34 , as shown in FIG. 4. The operator continues to roll the floral grouping  34  and the sheet of polymeric material  10  in the direction toward the second side  22  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  until the upper surface  14  adjacent to fourth side  26  firmly engages the lower surface  16  of the sheet of polymeric material  10 , wherein the floral grouping  34  is substantially encompassed by the sheet of polymeric material  10 , and wherein the bonding material  27  on the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  contacts the lower surface  16  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  to provide the decorative cover  36  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper which substantially encompasses and surrounds a substantial portion of the floral grouping  34 . FIG. 5 shows the floral grouping  34  wrapped in a conical fashion to provide the decorative cover  36  for the floral grouping  34  wherein the decorative cover  36  has the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper. When the floral grouping  34  is wrapped in a conical fashion, the bloom portion  42  of the floral grouping  34  is exposed substantially adjacent the open upper end  38  of the decorative cover  36 , and the stem portion  44  of the floral grouping  34  is exposed substantially adjacent the lower end  40  of the decorative cover  36 .  
     [0053] In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 6, the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper in texture or appearance is utilized to wrap the floral grouping  34  in a cylindrical fashion. The floral grouping  34  is disposed upon the sheet of polymeric material  10  approximately parallel to the third side  24  of the sheet of polymeric material  10 . The sheet of polymeric material  10  is wrapped generally about the stem portion  44  of the floral grouping  34  to a position wherein the fourth side  26  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  generally overlaps the third side  24  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  in a cylindrical fashion. It should be noted that the sheet of polymeric material  10  may be wrapped a plurality of times about the stem portion  44  of the floral grouping  34  before the overlapping of the third side  24  and the fourth side  26  of the sheet of polymeric material  10 . As before, the portion of the sheet of polymeric material  10  near the fourth side  26  is disposed generally adjacent another portion of the sheet of polymeric material  10 , and the two adjacent portions then are brought into contact where they may be bondingly engaged, thereby securing the sheet of polymeric material  10  generally about the floral grouping  34  so as to provide a decorative cover  36   a  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper for the floral grouping  34 . The decorative cover  36   a  is provided with a decorative appearance (i.e., the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper) while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the sheet of polymeric material  10  from which the decorative cover  36   a  is formed.  
     [0054] In another version of the invention, the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may be used to wrap a flower pot or pot-type container, as noted above. Shown in FIG. 7 is a flower pot designated by the reference numeral  50  having an open upper end  52 , a bottom end  54 , an outer peripheral surface  56 , and an inner retaining space  58  within which may be disposed a growing medium. The flower pot  50  may contain a botanical item, such as a plant  60 , which has an upper portion  62  comprising blooms or foliage or both.  
     [0055] The sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may be wrapped about the flower pot  50  by any one of numerous methods used to wrap sheets of material about flower pots to form decorative pot covers for flower pots, such as a decorative cover  61  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper disposed about the flower pot  50  illustrated in FIG. 7. The sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper may, for example, be formed by hand about the outer peripheral surface  56  of the flower pot  50  to produce the decorative cover  61  which has the appearance of being fabricated of paper. The decorative cover  61  can then be secured about the flower pot  50  by a bonding material or by an elastic band  64  such that the open upper end  52  of the flower pot  50  remains substantially uncovered by the decorative cover  61 , substantially as shown in FIG. 7. The decorative cover  61  is provided with a decorative appearance (i.e., the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper) while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the sheet of polymeric material  10  from which the decorative cover  61  is formed.  
     [0056] Referring now to FIG. 8, a flower pot cover former and band applicator device  66  for forming the sheet of polymeric material  10  having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper into the decorative cover  61  for the flower pot  50  of FIG. 7 is illustrated. The flower pot cover former and band applicator device  66  comprises a band applicator  68  and a flower pot cover former  70 . The flower pot cover former and band applicator device  66  has a support platform  72  with an opening  74  formed therein. A band, such as the elastic band  64 , is disposed circumferentially about the opening  74  in the support platform  72 .  
     [0057] The lower surface  16  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  (which has been modified to provide the sheet of polymeric material  10  with the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper in texture or appearance) is positioned on an upper surface  76  on the support platform  72  such that the sheet of polymeric material  10  is positioned over the opening  74  in the support platform  72 . The flower pot  50  is positioned above the sheet of polymeric material  10  and is moved in a direction  78  into the opening  74  of the flower pot cover former and band applicator device  66 . As the flower pot  50  is moved into the opening  74 , the sheet of polymeric material  10  is pressed about the outer peripheral surface  56  of the flower pot  50  thereby forming the decorative cover  61  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating paper about the flower pot  50 . The decorative cover  61 , which has the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, is then secured about the flower pot  50  by the elastic band  64 . The flower pot  50  having the decorative cover  61  secured thereto is then moved in a direction  80  out of the opening  74  in the support platform  72 .  
     [0058] The elastic band  64  can be applied manually or automatically such as by the method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,599 issued to Weder et al. on Apr. 21, 1992, entitled “Means For Securing A Decorative Cover About A Flower Pot”, which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. The band  64  can also be applied as a tie using a method such as described in “Single Station Covering and Fastening System”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,009, issued to Weder et al. on Mar. 11, 1997, the Specification of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. The sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can also be applied automatically about the flower pot  50 , for example, by methods shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,733,521, issued to Weder et al on Mar. 29, 1988 and entitled “Cover Forming Apparatus”; and 5,291,721, issued to Weder et al on Mar. 8, 1994, entitled “Cover Forming Apparatus Having Pivoting Forming Members”, both of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.  
     [0059] Instead of securing the decorative cover  61  about the flower pot  50  via the elastic band  64 , the decorative cover  61  formed from the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may be secured to the flower pot  50  by the use of one or more bonding materials. For example, the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  may have a bonding material, such as the bonding material  27 , disposed upon a portion thereof. When the sheet of polymeric material  10  is disposed about the flower pot  50 , at least a portion of the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  contacts the outer peripheral surface  56  of the flower pot  50  and is thereby bonded and held about the flower pot  50  via the bonding material.  
     [0060] The bonding material  27  may cover a portion of the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10 , or the bonding material  27  may entirely cover the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10 . The bonding material  27  may be disposed on the upper surface  14  of the sheet of polymeric material  10  in the form of a strip or in the form of spaced-apart spots. One method for disposing the bonding material  27  on the sheet of polymeric material  10  is described in U.S. Pat. No.  5 , 111 , 637 , entitled “Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping”, issued to Weder, et al. on May 12, 1992, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.  
     [0061] The term “bonding material” when used herein can refer to an adhesive, frequently a pressure sensitive adhesive, or a cohesive or any adhesive/cohesive combination having adhesive qualities (i.e., qualities of adhesion or adhesion/cohesion, respectively) sufficient to cause the attachment of a portion of the sheet of polymeric material  10  to itself, to the floral grouping  34 , or to the flower pot  50 . Since the bonding material  27  may comprise either an adhesive or an adhesive/cohesive combination, it will be appreciated that both adhesives and cohesives are known in the art, and both are commercially available. When the bonding material  27  is a cohesive, a similar cohesive material must be placed on the adjacent surface for bondingly contacting and bondingly engaging with the cohesive material.  
     [0062] The term “bonding material” also includes materials which are heat sealable and, in this instance, the adjacent portions of the material must be brought into contact and then heat must be applied to effect the seal. The term “bonding material” also includes materials which are sonically sealable and vibratory sealable. The term “bonding material” when used herein also means a heat sealing lacquer or hot melt material which may be applied to the material and, in this instance, heat, sound waves, or vibrations, also must be applied to effect the sealing.  
     [0063] The term “bonding material” when used herein also includes any type of material or thing which can be used to effect the bonding or connecting of the two adjacent portions of the sheet of polymeric material  10  to effect the connection or bonding described herein. The term “bonding material” may also include ties, labels, bands, ribbons, strings, tapes (including single or double-sided adhesive tapes), staples or combinations thereof. Some of the bonding materials would secure the ends of the material while other bonding materials may bind the circumference of a cover, or a sleeve, or, alternatively and/or in addition, the bonding materials would secure overlapping folds in the material and/or sleeve. Another way to secure the cover and/or sleeve is to heat seal the ends of the material to another portion of the material. One way to do this is to contact the ends with an iron of sufficient heat to heat seal the material.  
     [0064] Alternatively, a cold seal adhesive may be utilized as the bonding material  27 . The cold seal adhesive adheres only to a similar substrate, acting similarly as a cohesive, and binds only to itself. The cold seal adhesive, since it bonds only to a similar substrate, does not cause a residue to build up on equipment, thereby both permitting much more rapid disposition and use of such equipment to form articles and reducing labor costs. Further, since no heat is required to effect the seal, the dwell time, that is, the time for the sheet of material to form and retain the shape of an article, such as a flower pot cover or flower pot, is reduced. A cold seal adhesive binds quickly and easily with minimal pressure, and such a seal is not readily releasable. This characteristic is different from, for example, a pressure sensitive adhesive.  
     [0065] The term “bonding material” when used herein also includes any heat or chemically shrinkable material, and static electrical or other electrical materials, chemical welding materials, magnetic materials, mechanical or barb-type fastening materials or clamps, curl-type characteristics of the film or materials incorporated in material which can cause the material to take on certain shapes, cling films, slots, grooves, shrinkable materials and bands, curl materials, springs, and any type of welding method which may weld portions of the material to itself or to the pot, or to both the material itself and the pot.  
     Description of FIGS.  9 - 12   
     [0066] Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, a decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  having a texture or appearance  111  simulating the texture or appearance of paper on at least a portion of one surface thereof is illustrated constructed from a sheet of polymeric material having at least a portion of one surface thereof textured or modified to provide the sheet of polymeric material with a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper. The decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  is provided with a decorative appearance (i.e., the texture or appearance  111  simulating paper) while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the sheet of polymeric material from which the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  is formed. The polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper is a flexible material such as the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (FIG. 1), or a sheet of flexible material  112  having a texture or appearance  113  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (FIG. 9A) or a flexible laminated sheet of material  112   a  having a texture or appearance  113   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (FIG. 9B). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9A, the sheet of flexible material  112  having the texture or appearance  113  simulating the texture or appearance of paper used in the construction of the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  comprises a sheet of expanded core polymeric material  114  having an upper surface  116 , a lower surface  118  and the texture or appearance  113  simulating the texture or appearance of paper. The thickness of the sheet of expanded core polymeric material  114  may vary as long as the sheet of expanded core polymeric material  114  functions in accordance with the present invention. Generally, the sheet of expanded core polymeric material  114  will have a thickness in the range of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and desirably in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil.  
     [0067] The sheet of expanded core polymeric material  114  is provided with a coating of an acrylic heat sealable lacquer  120  disposed on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces  116  and  118  thereof. It should be understood, however, that the sheet of flexible material  112  is not limited to being the sheet of expanded core polymeric film  114  having the texture or appearance  113  simulating the texture or appearance of paper; rather, the sheet of flexible material  112  can be any flexible polymeric material or flexible laminated material, such as the polymeric material  10  or the laminated polymeric material  112   a,  which can be modified or textured so that at least one surface of such polymeric material or laminated material is provided with a finish or texture simulating paper in appearance while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of such polymeric or laminated material.  
     [0068] As previously stated, the modification of the polymeric material or laminated polymeric material, such as the sheet of polymeric material  10 , the sheet of flexible laminated polymeric material  112   a,  or the sheet of expanded core polymeric film  114  to provide the flexible material with the desired matte or textured finish can be accomplished by printing a desired pattern on the polymeric material and thereafter laminating a matte material, such as a translucent polymeric film, over the printed pattern. To further enhance the texture or appearance of the polymeric material so that the polymeric material assimilates the texture or appearance of paper, the matte material may or may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holes extending therethrough. A matte or textured finish can also be produced by printing a polymeric material with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the polymeric material with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by embossing the polymeric material to provide an embossed pattern simulating the texture or appearance of paper, or by embossing and printing the polymeric material to provide embossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of registry or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish capable a providing the flexible polymeric material with a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or textured chill roll to produce the expanded core polymeric material, or by laminating a second sheet of material to the polymeric material, or by the use of selected pigments.  
     [0069] The sheet of flexible material  112  having the texture or appearance  113  simulating paper (FIG. 9A) or the sheet of flexible laminated material  112   a  having the texture or appearance  113   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (FIG. 9B) may vary in color. Further, the sheet of flexible material  112  or the sheet of flexible laminated material  112   a  may be provided with other decorative patterns or designs in addition to the matting, texturing, flocking, application of lacquers or foamable inks, or embossing employed to impart a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper to the sheet of flexible material  112 . For example, the sheet of flexible material  112  or the sheet of flexible laminated material  112   a  may be provided with a printed pattern and/or an embossed pattern in addition to the texture or appearance  113  or  113   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, and when provided in combination, the printed and embossed patterns may be in registry or out of registry with one another, or a portion of the printed and embossed patterns may be in registry with one another and a portion of the printed and embossed patterns may be out of registry with one another.  
     [0070] When the sheet of polymeric material, such as the sheet of flexible polymeric material  112 , is formed into the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110 , a plurality of overlapping folds  122  are formed, and at least a portion of the overlapping folds  122  are connected to adjacently disposed portions of the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  via the acrylic heat sealable lacquer  120 .  
     [0071] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  has a base  124  having an open upper end  125 , a lower end  126 , and an outer peripheral surface  128 . An opening  130  intersects the open upper end  125  of the base  124  of the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110 , forming an inner peripheral surface  132  which defines and encompasses a retaining space  133  within which a flower pot  134  containing a floral grouping  136  may be disposed in a manner well known in the art (FIG. 11). The decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  is further provided with a decorative border  138  which extends outwardly from the open upper end  125  of the base  124 . The decorative border  138  is provided with an outer peripheral surface  139  and an inner peripheral surface  141 .  
     [0072] In another embodiment, a sheet of flexible material  112   a  (FIG. 9B) is used in the construction of the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110 . The sheet of flexible material  112   a  is a laminated material which comprises a first sheet of material  114   a  having an upper surface  116   a  and a lower surface  118   a,  and a second sheet of material  120   a.  At least a portion of one surface of one of the first sheet of material  114   a  and the second sheet of material  120   a  is modified to provide the sheet of flexible material  112   a  with the desired texture or appearance  113   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper. The sheet of flexible laminated material  112   a  having the texture or appearance  113   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be produced by laminating two or more sheets of polymeric film (such as two or more sheets of polypropylene film or a sheet of polypropylene film and a sheet of expanded core polymeric film, such as expanded core polypropylene film), or by laminating a polymeric film (such as polypropylene film or an expanded core polymeric film) with a sheet of metallized foil and the like wherein at least one surface of the sheet of laminated material  112   a  is textured or modified to simulate paper in appearance. Desirably, the first sheet of material  114   a  is an expanded core polymeric film and the second sheet of material  120   a  is a substantially water impervious polymeric film. The sheet of flexible laminated material  112   a  is provided with the texture or appearance  113   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper on at least a portion of one surface thereof while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymeric film(s) from which the sheet of flexible laminated material  112   a  is formed.  
     [0073] The first sheet of material  114   a  desirably has a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil, and the second sheet of material  120   a  desirably has a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil. The second sheet or material  120   a  can be laminated to the first sheet of material  114   a  with a colored adhesive so as to impart a desired color to the laminated sheet of flexible material  112   a.  While the thickness of the sheet of flexible material  112   a  can vary widely and will generally depend on the thickness of the first sheet of material  114   a  and the thickness of the second sheet of material  120   a,  desirable results can be obtained where the sheet of flexible material  112   a  has a thickness in the range of from about 1 mil to about 20 mi, and more desirably from about 1.2 mil to about 2.5 mil.  
     [0074] As previously stated, the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  may be constructed of the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (FIG. 1), or of the sheet of the flexible material  112  having the texture or appearance  113  simulating paper (FIG. 9A), or of the laminated sheet of the flexible material  112   a  having the texture or appearance  113   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (FIG. 9B). Desirably, at least a portion of one surface of one of the base  124  and the decorative border  138  of the decorative, preformed flower pot cover  110  is provided with the texture or appearance  111  simulating the texture or appearance of paper. For example, the texture or appearance  111  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may be provided on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface  128  of the base  124  or on at least a portion of one of the outer peripheral surface  139  and the inner peripheral surface  141  of the decorative border  138 , or the texture or appearance  111  simulating the texture or appearance of paper may be provided on a combination thereof.  
     [0075] The decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  so formed will have a plurality of overlapping folds  122  formed on the base  124  thereof, at least a portion thereof being connected so that the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  may be substantially flattened and then unflattened to assume the original state of the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110 . A substantial portion of the overlapping folds  122  extend over different distances and at various and arbitrary angles. The decorative border  138  of the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  is substantially free of permanently connected overlapping folds. If desired, the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  can be formed of a plurality of sheets of the same and/or different types of material.  
     [0076] The method and apparatus employed to form the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  having the texture or appearance  111  simulating the texture or appearance of paper is substantially identical whether one uses one or more sheets of polymeric material  10  (FIG. 1), or one or more sheets of flexible polymeric material  112  (FIG. 9A), or one or more sheets of flexible material  112   a  (FIG. 9B), or a combination of such sheets of material. Thus, only the formation of the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  having the texture or appearance  111  simulating the texture or appearance of paper using the sheet of flexible polymeric material  112  of FIG. 9A will be described in detail hereinafter.  
     [0077] The decorative preformed flower pot-cover  110  may be formed using a conventional mold system  140  comprising a male mold  142  and a female mold  144  having a mold cavity  146  for matingly receiving the male mold  142  (FIG. 12). The sheet of flexible polymeric material  112  having the texture or appearance  113  simulating the texture or appearance of paper is positioned between the male and female molds  142  and  144 , respectively. Movement of the male mold  142  in the direction  148  and into the mold cavity  146  forces the sheet of flexible polymeric material  112  to be disposed about the portion of the male mold  142  disposed in the mold cavity  146  of the female mold  144  and thereby forms the sheet of flexible polymeric material  112  into the preformed decorative flower pot cover  110  having the texture or appearance  111  simulating the texture or appearance of paper (FIGS. 10 and 11). Further, in accordance with the present invention, the decorative preformed flower pot cover  110  constructed from the materials described herein above may have a bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.  
     [0078] Methods for forming such preformed decorative pot covers are well known in the art. Two methods of forming such covers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,773,182 and 5,291,721, each of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.  
     Description of FIGS.  13 - 19   
     [0079] Shown in FIG. 13 is a decorative cover designated therein by the general reference numeral  160  which comprises a flexible bag or sleeve  162  of unitary construction having a texture or appearance  163  simulating the texture or appearance of paper on at least a portion of one surface thereof in accordance with the present invention. The sleeve  162  may be used as a decorative cover for a floral grouping or a flower pot. The sleeve  162  initially comprises a flexible flat collapsed piece of polymeric material which is openable in the form of a tube or sleeve. Such sleeves are well known in the floral industry. Further, in accordance with the present invention, the decorative cover  160  can be constructed of the sheet of polymeric material  10  (FIG. 1), or the sheet of flexible polymeric material  112  (FIG. 9A), or the sheet of laminated flexible polymeric material  112   a  (FIG. 9B) whereby at least a portion of one surface of the sleeve  162 , preferably an outer peripheral surface  164  of the sleeve  162 , has been modified to provide with sleeve  162  with the texture or appearance  163  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, as previously described herein. The sleeve  162  is provided with a decorative appearance (i.e., the texture or appearance  163  simulating the texture or appearance of paper) while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymeric material from which the sleeve  162  is formed.  
     [0080] The sleeve  162  has an upper end  166 , a lower end  168  and the outer peripheral surface  164 . The sleeve  162  may be tapered outwardly from the lower end  168  toward a larger diameter at its upper end  166 . In its flattened state the sleeve  162  generally has an overall trapezoidal or modified trapezoidal shape, and when opened is substantially frusto-conical in configuration. It will be appreciated, however, that the sleeve  162  may comprise variations on the aforementioned shapes or may comprise significantly altered shapes such as square or rectangular, wherein the sleeve  162  when opened has a cylindrical form, as long as the sleeve  162  functions in accordance with the present invention in the manner described herein. The sleeve  162  (or any other sleeve disclosed herein) may have an angular or contoured shape.  
     [0081] The sleeve  162  has an opening  170  at the upper end  166  and may be open at the lower end  168 , or closed with a bottom at the lower end  168 . The sleeve  162  also has an inner peripheral surface  172  which, when the sleeve  162  is opened, defines and encompasses an inner retaining space  174 . When the lower end  168  of the sleeve  162  has a closed lower end  168 , a portion of the lower end  168  may be inwardly folded to form one or more gussets (not shown) for allowing the lower portion of the inner retaining space  174  to be expandable, for example, for receiving the circular bottom of a pot or growing medium.  
     [0082] The sleeve  162  is generally frusto-conically shaped, but the sleeve  162  may be, by way of example but not by way of limitation, cylindrical, frusto-conical, a combination of both frusto-conical and cylindrical, or any other shape, as long as the sleeve  162  functions as described herein as noted above. Further, the sleeve  162  may comprise any shape, whether geometric, non-geometric, asymmetrical and/or fanciful as long as it functions in accordance with the present invention. The sleeve  162  may also be equipped with drain holes (if having a closed bottom) or side ventilation holes (not shown), or can be made from gas permeable or impermeable materials.  
     [0083] The material from which the sleeve  162  is constructed is the same as previously described above for the sheet of polymeric material  10  having the texture or appearance  12  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, or the sheet of polymeric material  112  or  112   a  having the texture or appearance  113  or  113   a,  respectively, simulating the texture or appearance of paper. Any thickness of polymeric material may be utilized in accordance with the present invention as long as the sleeve  162  may be formed as described herein, is provided with the texture or appearance  163  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, and as long as the formed sleeve  162  may contain at least a portion of a flower pot or a floral grouping, as described herein. Additionally, an insulating material such as bubble film, preferable as one of two or more layers, can be utilized in order to provide additional protection for the item, such as a floral grouping, contained therein.  
     [0084] In FIG. 14 the sleeve  162  is illustrated having the texture or appearance  163  simulating the texture or appearance of paper provided on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface  164  of the sleeve  162 . A floral grouping  176  is disposed within the inner retaining space  174  of the sleeve  162 . Generally, an upper or bloom portion  178  of the floral grouping  176  is exposed substantially adjacent the opening  170  of the sleeve  162  and a lower or stem portion  180  of the floral grouping  176  is exposed substantially adjacent the lower end  168  of the sleeve  162 . Either end of the sleeve  162  may be closed about the floral grouping  176 . Generally, a portion of the sleeve  162  is tightened about a portion of the stem portion  180  of the floral grouping  176  for holding the decorative cover  160  about the floral grouping  176 . For example, the sleeve  162  may be held by a tie  182  tied about the sleeve  162  such as is shown in FIG. 14. Other methods for binding the sleeve  162  about the floral grouping  176  may be employed such as the bonding materials described elsewhere herein. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, a decorative cover  160   a  is shown which comprises a sleeve  162   a  having a texture or appearance  163   a  simulating the texture or appearance of paper on at least a portion of one surface thereof and a cinching tab  184  having a bonding material  186  disposed upon a surface thereof. The cinching tab  184  can be used to gather portions of the sleeve  162   a  together about the stem portion  180  of the floral grouping  176  as shown in FIG. 16 for holding the sleeve  162   a  tightly about the floral grouping  176 .  
     [0085] Similarly, it may generally be desired to use the sleeve  162  as a decorative cover for a flower pot (not shown). The flower pot will generally contain a botanical item or plant. The flower pot can be deposited into the open sleeve  162  in a manner well known in the art, such as manually wherein the sleeve  162  is opened by hand and the flower pot deposited therein.  
     [0086] As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on a portion of the sleeve  162  or any sleeve described herein to assist in holding the sleeve  162  to the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed within the sleeve  162  or to assist in closing the upper end  166  of the sleeve  162  or adhering the sleeve  162  to the flower pot after the flower pot has been disposed therein, as will be discussed in further detail below.  
     [0087] It will be understood that the bonding material, if present, may be disposed as a strip or block on a surface of the sleeve  162 . The bonding material may also be disposed upon either the outer peripheral surface  164  or the inner peripheral surface  162  of the sleeve  162 , as well as upon the flower pot. Further, the bonding material may be disposed as spots of bonding material, or in any other geometric, non-geometric, asymmetric, or fanciful form, and in any pattern including covering either the entire inner peripheral surface  172  and/or outer peripheral surface  164  of the sleeve  162  and/or the flower pot. The bonding material may be covered by a cover or release strip which can be removed prior to the use of the sleeve  162  or flower pot. The bonding material can be applied by methods known to those of ordinary skill in their art. One method for disposing a bonding material, in this case an adhesive, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637, issued to Weder et al. on May 12, 1993, which is hereby expreslly incorporated herein by reference.  
     [0088] As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on at least a portion of the inner peripheral surface  172  of the sleeve  162 , or, alternatively, the bonding material may be disposed on the outer peripheral surface of a flower pot contained within the sleeve  162 , while the sleeve  162  may be free of the bonding material. In a further alternative, the bonding material may be disposed both on at least a portion of the flower pot as well as upon at least a portion of the inner peripheral surface  172  of the sleeve  162 . In addition, a portion of the bonding material may also be disposed on the outer peripheral surface  164  of the sleeve  162  as well. It will be understood that the bonding material may be disposed in a solid section of bonding material. The bonding material, when present, is disposed on the sleeve  162  and/or flower pot by any method known in the art.  
     [0089] Certain versions of sleeves described herein may be used in combination with a preformed pot cover. For example, a preformed pot cover may be applied to the pot, then the covered pot wrapped or disposed within a sleeve. Either the cover or the sleeve, or both, have a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper. Examples of sleeves which may be used in this invention are shown in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,979, issued to Weder on May 6, 1997, the specification of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Equipment and devices for forming sleeves are commercially available, and well known in the art.  
     [0090] Shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is another embodiment of a decorative cover  160   b  comprising a sleeve  162   b  having a texture or appearance  163   b  simulating the texture or appearance of paper constructed from the polymeric material  10 , or the flexible polymeric material  112  or  112   a  in accordance with the present invention. The sleeve  162   b  is provided with a decorative appearance (i.e., the texture or appearance  163   b  simulating the texture or appearance of paper) while maintaining the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymeric material from which the sleeve  162   b  is formed. The sleeve  162   b  has a “detaching” element in predetermined areas for detaching a portion of the sleeve  162   b.  The sleeve  162   b  generally initially comprises a flexible flat collapsed piece of material which is openable in the form of a tube or sleeve. The sleeve  162   b  is constructed of the same material and in the same way as the sleeve  162  described previously herein and may be described exactly the same as the sleeve  162  described herein except for the additional elements described hereinafter.  
     [0091] The sleeve  162   b  has an upper end  166   b,  a lower end  168   b,  and an outer peripheral surface  164   b.  The sleeve  162   b  has an opening  170   b  at the upper end  166   b  thereof, and the sleeve  162   b  may be open at the lower end  168   b  or closed with a bottom at the lower end  168   b.  In a flattened state, the sleeve  162   b  has a first side  171  and a second side  173 . The sleeve  162   b  also has an inner peripheral surface  172   b  which, when the sleeve  162   b  is opened, defines and encompasses an inner retaining space  174   b  as shown in FIG. 18. When the lower end  168   b  of the sleeve  162   b  has a closed bottom, a portion of the lower end  168   b  may be inwardly folded to form one or more gussets (not shown) for permitting a circular bottom of an object such as a flower pot  187 , to be disposed in the inner retaining space  174   b  of the sleeve  162   b.    
     [0092] As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the sleeve  162   b  is demarcated into an upper portion  188  and a lower portion  190 . The lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  is generally sized to contain the flower pot  187 . The upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  is sized to substantially surround and encompass a plant  192  contained in the flower pot  187  disposed within the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b.  The sleeve  162   b  is demarcated into the upper portion  188  and the lower portion  190  by a detaching element  194  for enabling the detachment of the upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  from the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b.  In the present version, the detaching element  194  is a plurality of generally laterally-oriented or alternatingly diagonally-oriented perforations which extend circumferentially across the outer peripheral surface  164   b  of the sleeve  162   b  from the first side  171  to the second side  173 .  
     [0093] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  further comprises a base portion  196  and a skirt portion  198 . The base portion  196  of the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  comprises that part of the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  which, when the flower pot  187  is placed into the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b,  has an inner peripheral surface  172   b  which is substantially adjacent to and surrounds an outer peripheral surface  199  of the flower pot  187 . The skirt portion  198  of the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  comprises that part of the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  which extends beyond an open upper end  201  of the flower pot  187  and adjacent at least a portion of the plant  192  contained within the flower pot  187  and which is left to freely extend at an angle, inwardly or outwardly, from the base portion  196  when the upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  is detached from the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  by actuation of the detaching element  194 .  
     [0094] In the intact sleeve  162   b,  the skirt portion  198  of the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  comprises an upper peripheral edge congruent with the detaching element  194  which is connected to a lower peripheral edge, also congruent with the detaching element  194 , of the upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b.  In FIGS. 17 and 18, the upper peripheral edge of the skirt portion  198  of the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  is congruent with a series of alternatingly diagonally-oriented lines of perforations which together form a zig-zag and comprise the detaching element  194 . The upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  may also have an additional detaching element  200  indicated as a plurality of vertical perforations for facilitating removal of the upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  and which are disposed more or less vertically therein extending between the detaching element  194  of the sleeve  162   b.    
     [0095] The upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  is thereby separable from the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  by tearing the upper portion  188  along both the detaching element  200  and the detaching element  194 , thereby separating the upper portion  188  from the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b.  The lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  remains disposed as the base portion  196  about the flower pot  187  and as the skirt portion  198  about the plant  192  forming a decorative cover  202  as shown in FIG. 19 which substantially surrounds and encompasses the flower pot  187  and the plant  192  contained therein. At least a portion of an outer peripheral surface  164   b  of the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b,  for example, the base and skirt portions  196  and  198 , may be modified to provide the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  with the texture or appearance  163   b  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, while the upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  is left unmodified or is provided with a printed pattern; or at least a portion of one surface of both the upper portion  188  and the lower portion  190  may be provided with a modified or textured surface so the both the upper portion  188  and the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162  is provided with the texture or appearance  163   b  simulating paper. When the upper portion  188  is detached, the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b  remains about the flower pot  176   b  and thereby forms a decorative cover about the flower pot  176   b  which has the appearance of paper.  
     [0096] “Detaching element” as used herein includes any element, or combination of elements, or features, such as, but not by way of limitation, perforations, tear strips, zippers, and any other devices or elements of this nature known in the art, or any combination thereof. Therefore, while perforations are shown and described in detail herein, it will be understood that tear strips, zippers, or any other “detaching elements” known in the art, or any combination thereof, could be substituted therefor and/or used therewith.  
     [0097] In a general method of use of the sleeve  162   b  as the decorative cover  202  for the flower pot  187 , an operator provides the sleeve  162   b  and the flower pot  187  having the plant  192  disposed in a growing medium  203  contained within the flower pot  187 . The operator then disposes the flower pot  187  having the plant  192  contained therein into the sleeve  162   b  by opening the sleeve  162   b  at end the upper  166  thereof and assuring both that the opening  170   b  therein is in an open condition, and that the inner peripheral surface  172   b  of the sleeve  162   b  is somewhat expanded outward as well, as shown in FIG. 18. The operator then manually or automatically disposes the flower pot  187  into the opening  170   b  in the sleeve  162   b,  the flower pot  187  being disposed generally through the upper portion  188  of the sleeve  162   b  into generally the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b,  the flower pot  187  remaining in the lower portion  190  of the sleeve  162   b,  permitting the sleeve  162   b  to substantially surround and tightly encompass the flower pot  187 . It will be understood that alternatively, the sleeve  162   b  may be provided with an extension (not shown), and the sleeve  162   b  may be disposed on rods or wickets, and the flower pot  187  may then be disposed in the sleeve  162   b  either before or after the sleeve  162   b  has been removed from the wickets.  
     Description of FIGS.  20 A- 20 C  
     [0098] Referring now to FIG. 20A, designated generally by the reference numeral  210  is a polymeric ribbon material having a texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper for forming decorative bows and for wrapping items, wherein the polymeric ribbon material  210  maintains the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymer from which the polymeric ribbon material  210  is formed. That is, at least one surface of a sheet or web of polymeric material (not shown) is modified to provide a matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper. The modification of the sheet or web of polymeric material (not shown) to provide the polymeric ribbon material  210  with the matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  212  simulating paper can be accomplished in several ways. For example, the polymeric ribbon material  210  having the matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be produced by printing a sheet or web of polymeric material with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the sheet or web of polymeric material with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by embossing the sheet or web of polymeric material to provide an embossed pattern simulating the texture or appearance of paper, or by flocking the sheet or web of polymeric material, or by application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink to the sheet or web of polymeric material, or by embossing and printing the sheet or web of polymeric material to provide embossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of registry or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish capable of providing the sheet or web of polymeric material with the texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or textured chill roll. Thereafter, the sheet or web of material having the texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be cut in a conventional manner to provide the polymeric ribbon material  210  having the texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper.  
     [0099] In addition to providing the sheet or web of polymeric material with the desired matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, the sheet or web of polymeric material may contain additional embossed patterns and/or printed patterns which enhance the overall aesthetic characteristics of the polymeric ribbon material  210  produced from the sheet or web of polymeric material. When provided in combination, such embossed and printed patterns may be in register with one another, out of register with one another, or a portion of the embossed and printed patterns may be in register with one another and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns may be out of register with one another. Further, the embossed and printed patterns may be positioned on the sheet or web of polymeric material such that when the sheet or web of polymeric material is cut into the polymeric ribbon material  210 , the embossed and printed patterns lie within the boundaries of the polymeric ribbon material  210 , i.e., between opposite sides of the polymeric ribbon material  210 , or the embossed and printed patterns may be randomly positioned on the sheet or web of polymeric material such that when the sheet or web of polymeric material is cut into the polymeric ribbon material  210 , the embossed and printed patterns are randomly positioned on the polymeric ribbon material  210 .  
     [0100] Any polymeric material capable of being textured or otherwise modified to provide the polymeric material with the texture or appearance  212  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be employed in the formulation of the polymeric ribbon material  210 . For example, the polymeric material employed to produce the polymeric ribbon material  210  can be polypropylene film having a thickness of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil. and more desirably of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, or an expanded core polymeric film having a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil.  
     [0101] Referring now to FIG. 20B, designated generally by the reference numeral  220  is another embodiment of a polymeric ribbon material for forming decorative bows and for wrapping items. The polymeric ribbon material  220  is a laminated material comprising a first web or sheet of material  222  having a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil, and a second web or sheet of material  224  having a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil. The laminated material can be produced by laminating two or more sheets of polymeric film (such as two or more sheets of polypropylene film or a sheet of polypropylene film and a sheet of expanded core polymeric film, such as expanded core polypropylene film), or by laminating a polymeric film (such as polypropylene film or an expanded core polymeric film) with a sheet of metallized foil and the like wherein at least one surface of the laminated material is textured or modified to simulate the texture or appearance of paper. The second web or sheet of material  224  is desirably laminated to the first web or sheet of material  222  with a colored adhesive so as to impart a desired color to the polymeric ribbon material  220 . If desired the polymeric ribbon material  220  may be treated or otherwise processed to provide the polymeric ribbon material  220  with a matte or textured finish which provides a texture or appearance  226  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, while the polymeric ribbon material  220  maintains the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymer from which the polymeric ribbon material  220  is formed. That is, a matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  226  simulating paper in texture or appearance can be printed on at least a portion of one surface of the first web or sheet of material  222  and thereafter the second web or sheet of material  224  (which in this case is desirably a matte material of translucent polymeric film) is laminated to the first web or sheet of material  222  to provide the polymeric ribbon material  220  with the texture or appearance  226  simulating the texture or appearance of paper. To further enhance the texture or appearance  226  simulating the texture or appearance of paper of the polymeric ribbon material  220 , the second web or sheet of material  224  may or may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holes extending therethrough. The matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  226  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be produced by printing at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224  with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224  with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by flocking at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224 , by application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink to at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224 , by embossing at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224  to provide an embossed pattern simulating the appearance and texture of paper, or by embossing and printing at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224  to provide embossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry out of registry or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish capable of providing the polymeric ribbon material  220  with the texture or appearance  226  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be achieved by extruding the resin used to produce one of the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224  onto a matted or textured chill roll.  
     [0102] In addition to providing the first web or sheet of material  222  and/or the second web or sheet of material  224  with the desired matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  226  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, at least a portion of one surface of at least one of the first web or sheet of material  222  and the second web or sheet of material  224  may contain additional embossed and/or printed patterns which enhance with overall aesthetic characteristics of the polymeric ribbon material  220  produced from the first and second webs or sheets of material  222  and  224 . When provided in combination, such embossed and printed patterns may be in register with one another, out of register with one another, or a portion of the embossed and printed patterns may be in register with one another and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns may be out of register with one another. Further, the embossed and printed patterns may be positioned on the first and/or second webs of material  222  and  224  such that when the laminated material produced therefrom is cut into the polymeric ribbon material  220 , the embossed and/or printed patterns lie within the boundaries of the polymeric ribbon material  220 , i.e., between opposite sides of the polymeric ribbon material  220 , or the embossed and/or printed patterns may be randomly positioned on the first and/or second sheets or webs of material  222  and  224  such that when the laminated material produced therefrom is cut into the polymeric ribbon material  220 , the embossed and/or printed patterns are randomly positioned on the polymeric ribbon material  220 .  
     [0103] Referring now to FIG. 20C, designated generally by the reference numeral  230  is another embodiment of a polymeric ribbon material for forming decorative bows and for wrapping items. The polymeric ribbon material  230  comprises a polymeric film  232  having an upper surface  234  and a lower surface  236 . An acrylic heat sealable lacquer  238  can applied to at least one of the upper and lower surfaces  234  and  236  of the polymeric film  232 , such as the lower surface  236  of the polymeric film  232 , and the upper surface  234  of the polymeric film  232  is desirably modified to provide the polymeric ribbon material  230  with a matte or textured finish which provides a texture or appearance  240  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, while the polymeric ribbon material  230  maintains the structural and mechanical characteristics of the polymer from which the polymeric ribbon material  230  is formed. The modification of the polymeric film  232  to provide the polymeric ribbon material  230  with the texture or appearance  240  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be accomplished in several ways. For example, the polymeric ribbon material  230  having the matte or textured finish can be produced by printing the polymeric film  232  with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one of the upper and lower surfaces  234  and  236  of the polymeric film  232  with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by flocking the polymeric film  232 , by application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink to the polymeric film  232 , by embossing the polymeric film  232  to provide an embossed pattern simulating the texture or appearance of paper, or by embossing and printing the polymeric film  232  to provide embossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of registry or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish capable of providing the polymeric film  232  with the texture or appearance  240  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or textured chill roll. Thereafter, the polymeric film  232  having the texture or appearance  240  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be cut in a conventional manner to provide the polymeric ribbon material  230 .  
     [0104] In addition to providing the polymeric film  232  with the desired matte or textured finish which provides the texture or appearance  240  simulating the texture or appearance of paper, at least a portion of one surface of the polymeric film  232  may contain additional embossed and/or printed patterns which enhance with overall aesthetic characteristics of the polymeric ribbon material  230  produced from the polymeric film  232 . When provided in combination, such embossed and printed patterns may be in register with one another, out of register with one another, or a portion of the embossed and printed patterns may be in register with one another and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns may be out of register with one another. Further, the embossed and printed patterns may be positioned on the polymeric film  232  such that when the polymeric film  232  is cut into the polymeric ribbon material  230 , the embossed and/or printed patterns lie within the boundaries of the polymeric ribbon material  230 , i.e., between opposite sides of the polymeric ribbon material  230 , or the embossed and/or printed patterns may be randomly positioned on the polymeric film  232  such that when the polymeric film  232  is cut into the polymeric ribbon material  230 , the embossed and/or printed patterns are randomly positioned on the polymeric ribbon material  230 .  
     [0105] Any polymeric film capable of being textured or otherwise modified to provide the polymeric material with the texture or appearance  240  simulating the texture or appearance of paper can be employed in the formulation of the polymeric ribbon material  230 . For example, the polymeric material  232  employed to produce the polymeric ribbon material  230  can be polypropylene film having a thickness of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil, and more desirably of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, or an expanded core polymeric film having a thickness of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil.  
     [0106] Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of the various components,.elements and assemblies described herein or in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.