Patent ID: 7743476

Claim:
A method of forming a unitary fabric element for use in an engineered thermal fabric article having a multiplicity of predetermined discrete regions of contrasting insulative capacity positioned about the article in an arrangement having correlation to insulative requirements of corresponding regions of a user's body, the unitary fabric element defining at least two predetermined, discrete regions of contrasting insulative capacity, said method comprising the steps of: designing a pattern of the predetermined, discrete regions; combining yarn and/or fibers in a continuous web according to the pattern of predetermined, discrete regions, comprising the steps of, in one or more first discrete regions of the fabric element, forming loop yarn to a first pile height, the one or more first discrete regions corresponding to one or more regions of the user's body having first insulative requirements, and in one or more other discrete regions of said fabric element, forming loop yarn to another pile height different from and relatively greater than the first pile height, the one or more other discrete regions corresponding to one or more regions of the user's body having other insulative requirements different from and relatively greater than the first insulative requirements; finishing one or both surfaces of the continuous web to form the predetermined, discrete regions into discrete regions of contrasting pile heights; and removing the unitary fabric element from the continuous web according to the pattern of predetermined, discrete regions, wherein the finishing one or both surfaces of the continuous web to form the predetermined, discrete regions into discrete regions of contrasting pile heights comprises cutting selected loops on one surface of the continuous web and raising the opposite surface.