Patent ID: 8388877

Claim:
A process for making at least one multicomponent fiber having a sheath core configuration comprising: (A) spinning at least one water dispersible sulfopolyester and at least one water non-dispersible polymer immiscible with said sulfopolyester to produce said multicomponent fiber, wherein said multicomponent fiber comprises a core component and a sheath component; wherein said core component comprises said water non-dispersible polymer; wherein said sheath component comprises said water dispersible sulfopolyester; wherein said water dispersible sulfopolyester has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 40° C. and exhibits a melt viscosity of less than about 12,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 rad/sec, and wherein said sulfopolyester comprises less than about 25 mole % of residues of at least one sulfomonomer, based on the total moles of diacid or diol residues.