Woven Textile Fabric with Cotton/Microdenier Filament Bundle Blend

Abstract

A fabric includes warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series of repeat units. In the fabric, the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles. Such a fabric can provide desirable tactile properties for articles such as sheets, pillowcases, blankets and the like.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention is directed generally to woven fabrics, and more particularly to woven textile fabrics.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]Textile fabrics are employed in a number of applications, including clothing, upholstery, draperies, bedding and the like. Some textile fabrics are employed in bedding applications (such as sheets and other bedding articles) and the like that may contact the skin directly. Properties that are typically desirable in such a textile fabric include “hand” (which is the tactile impression that the fabric provides), softness, flexibility and drape.[0003]Some textile fabrics for bedding applications are woven from 100 percent cotton yarns, which typically provide the desired tactile properties. However, other fabrics used in bedding applications often employ yarns that are intimate blends of cotton and other materials, such as cotton and polyester. A typical intimate yarn is formed of both cotton and polyester fibers tha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]As a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series of repeat units. In the fabric, the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles. Such a fabric can provide desirable tactile properties for articles such as sheets, pillowcases, blankets and the like.

[0008]As a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention are also directed to a fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series of repeat units, wherein the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles. In this fabric, the warp yarns and weft yarns are interwoven in a sateen weave pattern. The thread count of the fabric is greater than about 250 threads / square inch. This blended fabric can provide desirable tactile properties at a high thread count without the pilling that has been characteristic of other high thread count blended sateen fabrics.

[0009]As a third aspect, embodiments of the present invention are directed to another fabric comprising warp and weft yarns interwoven in a series of repeat units, wherein the warp yarns comprise cotton yarns and the weft yarns comprise microdenier filament bundles. In this fabric, the warp yarns and weft yarns are interwoven in a plain weave pattern. The thread count of the fabric is greater than about 150 threads / square inch. This fabric can provide superior tactile properties in a less expensive, lower thread count fabric.

Problems solved by technology

With 100 percent cotton yarns, the fibers are relatively weak, and those that slip and protrude from the bundle tend to simply break off or fall away.

However, with intimate yarns the stronger polyester fibers that eventually protrude do not easily break off, and they thus tend to provide an anchoring location for the cotton fibers.

The clinging polyester fibers tend to attract other cotton fibers and roll up, or “pill” under further abrasion.

The problems in all cases utilizing 100% polyester wefts is the deleterious effect on fabric hand and the propensity of the polyester yarns to pill.