Method for changing the colour of a textile, fabric and garment

Abstract

The invention refers to a fabric finishing method suitable for changing the colour of a coloured fabric thereby providing a vintage look to the fabric. The invention refers also to the fabric obtainable by the above method and to a garment comprising such fabric.

Description

[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of European Application No. 19173382.3 filed on May 8, 2019, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to the field of textile finishing, in particular textile finishing to change colours in textiles to provide a vintage look.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Finishing processes for textiles are a group of heterogeneous processes that modify the look, the performance and / or the “hand” (feel) of the finished textiles or clothing.[0004]Common finishing processes that modify the look of textiles, in particular of denim, are those that deliberately remove the dyes in specific areas of the textile (e.g. via mechanical abrasion or chemically) to provide a change in colour, and in particular a colour fading effect known as vintage look (also known as worn-out, washed or faded look). Vintage look provides an “aged” effect to the textile that is pa...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0049]According to embodiments, one or more further steps to provide vintage look can be carried out after step c). Preferably, such further step(s) is a stone washing step d) carried out after step c). The stone washing step d) is useful to enhance the colour fading effect provided by the method of the invention. Stone washing carried out after steps a) to c) is less harmful to the environment with respect to when it is carried out alone: the change in colour is already provided by steps a) to c) according to the method of the invention, therefore the stone washing step d) can be carried out for less time and / or with less stones to reduce the harmful grit produced by the stones.

[0050]According to embodiments, the coloured fabric treated according to the method of the invention is part of a garment or apparel. This allows providing the change in colour to targeted part(s) / area(s) of the garment or apparel so that the final product, i.e. the garment or apparel, has the vintage look in the part(s) / area(s) where it is wanted. The method of the invention allows to control the part(s) / area(s) of the garment where the change in colour has to occur, as the change in colour will occur only in the part(s) / area(s) of the garment wherein steps a) to c) are carried out. According to embodiments, steps a), a′) (if present) and b) can be carried out on the coloured fabric, and step c) can be carried out on the garment comprising such coloured fabric. This allows the advantage stated above, i.e. the possibility to provide the fabric treated only with the first, minor bleaching (step b)) to the producer of the garments.

Problems solved by technology

Sanding is known to be very hazardous for operating workers, and high health risks have been associated with sanding (e.g. silicosis).

Washing processes are wet processes and require great amounts of water and stones / chemicals / enzymes that have to be correctly disposed.

For this reasons, washing techniques are often harmful for the environment and are not considered “green”.

Limitations of stone washing include wear, tear and damage of the textile and eventual metal buttons and rivets thereof and damage of the washing machines.

Moreover, environmental harmful grit is produced by the stones.

Additionally, areas wherein the dye have to be removed cannot be selected when carrying out stone washing.

Enzymes washing processes have the following limitations: limited operational conditions of the enzymes, requirement of post-treatment of the textile, and limited textile loading size of the washing machine.

Parameters above have to be carefully checked in every bleach washing process as fabric degradation can easily occur.

This washing technique is the most harmful washing process for operators and for the environment, as large quantities of harmful chemicals (i.e. strong oxidative bleaching agents) are used to prepare the washing bath.

Textiles can be damaged by the burn and removal of the treated surface, and deformation and loss in strength of the textiles may occur.

Deformation of the textile also limits the deep contrast look of a denim textile, i.e. the visual difference in the laser engraved area on denim fabric (blue-white contrast).

The operational parameters of the laser treatment that provide colour removal on the textile, e.g. laser energy and treatment time, are the same that may cause damages to the treated textile; for this reason, it may be difficult to obtain a deep and intense vintage look on a textile with laser treatments without damaging it.

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