Pile fabrics and systems and processes for forming pile fabrics

Abstract

An example of a method for forming a hair fabric includes: providing a primary support material (configured as a sheet), a layer of thermoplastic material (disposed on the back of the primary support material), and a plurality of hair tufts extending through the primary support material and at least partially within the thermoplastic layer, with the reinforcing point portions of the hair tufts disposed on the back of the primary support material; and heating only the back of the hair fabric to melt the reinforcing point portions of the hair tufts and the thermoplastic layer to form a molten bond disposed on the back of the primary support material to secure the hair tufts to the primary support material.

Description

Pile fabrics and systems and processes for forming pile fabrics The description refers to pile fabrics and the formation of pile fabrics. Pile fabrics (including, for example, pile carpets, carpet tiles, artificial turf, rugs, and mats) are typically made of pile tufts sewn to a backing layer and then bonded to the backing layer with a binder. Current binders used in the art include styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, natural rubber, hot-melt thermoplastics, and polyurethane, which create both tuft bonding and delamination in the pile fabric. Applying binders can be an expensive process for producing pile fabric with both tuft bonding and delamination. Furthermore, the use of such binders can reduce the recyclability of used or discarded pile fabric, potentially leading to its disposal in landfills.Furthermore, these processes can also consume a significant amount of energy associated with drying or curing the binding material. Therefore, improvements are needed to address one or more of these perceived shortcomings. Several proposals have been made in the prior art, but none overcome the perceived shortcomings. WO 2016 / 128360 from DSM IP Assets BV proposes manufacturing a pile fabric by forming a pile on the front surface of a conventional primary backing layer provided with a second porous thermoplastic layer. The thermoplastic layer is melted by hot calendering, and the molten thermoplastic is cooled around the blocked ends of the pile. A second backing layer can be attached by adhesive. EP 1598476 from Klieverik Heli BV proposes placing a thermoplastic pile on the front of a backing sheet, spraying an adhesive on the back of the backing sheet, and bonding the adhesive to the thermoplastic pile material by hot calendering. US patent 4705706 proposes the use of a tufted yarn with a significantly lower melting temperature than the backing sheet where the pile is sewn, and the melting of the subsequent loops of the pile without melting the backing sheet. This essential difference in melting temperatures would make the resulting pile fabric difficult to recycle. US patent 2002 / 0132084, by Fink et al., with reference to Fig. 8, proposes a process for forming a pile fabric. A thermoplastic coating is extruded onto the back of a primary backing. Tufts of pile are applied, extending through the primary backing and the thermoplastic coating, leaving pile loops on the back side. The back of the product is subjected to heat and pressure by hot calendering, resulting in partial fusion of the filaments into the pile loops. A second thermoplastic layer is applied to the back of the product while it is still hot from the previous stage, reportedly resulting in some fusion of the second layer with the back pile loops and the first thermoplastic coating. The resulting product would not be easily recyclable, and water would not be able to pass through it, making this process unsuitable for producing artificial turf. Kolonglotech's patent document KR 2012-0134073 proposes the manufacture of artificial turf using a multi-layered backing through which the turf fibers are extended. The exposed portions of the fiber pile on the back of the product are said to be fused and heat-sealed to the back of the multi-layered backing sheet by hot calendering. Sumitomo Rubber Ind.'s JP H11241308 document proposes the manufacture of artificial turf using a two-layer backing sheet consisting of woven polypropylene and a non-woven polyester fiber layer into which tufts of polypropylene pile are inserted. It is stated that some portions of the pile are heated and melted by hot calendering to bond the pile to the non-woven layer. Mondo SpA's EP 2011919 document, shown in Fig. 7, proposes distributing solid polyolefin granules onto a backing pad. The pile tufts are inserted through the solid granular layer and the pad, and a mesh formed from a high-melting-point material and a low-melting-point material is applied to the back of the product using heat and pressure via hot calendering. This is said to cause localized fusion and bonding between the low-melting-point material of the mesh, the back loops of the pile, and the granular material, while allowing free drainage through the resulting artificial turf. It is stated that GB1090345 locks the tuft bases on the back of an echo carpet to a conventional carpet backing by applying a gas burner flame at an angle to the back of the carpet so that the flame strikes the tuft bases, while the tufts shield the areas of the carpet backing between them from the flame. The result is said to be that the tuft bases fuse and flow together to securely bond the tufts to the carpet backing. JP 2017198043 by Sekisui Jushi KK et al. describes a drainage element for artificial turf that allows water to pass through it. The drainage element comprises a porous backing fabric onto which artificial turf tufts are fixed.On the back side of the porous base fabric, the tuft of artificial grass is fused by a heated roller to block the passage of sand or gravel through the through-hole in the base of the fabric where the tuft of artificial grass is received. According to one aspect of the present description, a method is provided for forming a pile fabric composed solely of thermoplastic material, wherein said pile fabric has a front face and a back face, and the method comprises: providing a primary thermoplastic backing material, a second layer of thermoplastic material, and a plurality of thermoplastic pile tufts, the primary backing material being configured as a sheet having a front side oriented toward the front of the pile fabric and an opposite back side oriented toward the rear of the pile fabric, the second layer being disposed on the back side of the primary backing material, each of the multiple pile tufts extending through the primary backing material and at least partially into the second layer,with the backstitched portions of the hair tufts arranged on the back side of the primary backing material; and heating the back of the hair fabric by a process that exposes the backstitched portions of the hair tufts and the second layer to an open flame and cooling the front of the hair fabric for at least part of the time during which the back of the hair fabric is heated, thereby melting the backstitched portions of the hair tufts and the second layer to form a fusion bond located on the back side of the primary backing material, in order to fix the hair tufts to the primary backing material without melting the front side of the hair fabric and preferably avoiding the use of a binding composition. In some embodiments, the exposure to open flame of the backstitched portions of the hair strands and the second layer of thermoplastic material is carried out in a location where the primary support material is deflected around a roller, with the back face of the primary support material facing outwards from the roller. In some embodiments, the fusion bond is formed without the primary support material being tensioned. In some embodiments, cooling is carried out by means of a first cooling roller as the primary support material, the second layer of thermoplastic material and the plurality of hair tufts are transported around the first cooling roller. In some embodiments, while they are melted, the backstitch portions of the hair strands and the thermoplastic layer are pressed against the back side of the primary support material. In some embodiments, the pressing is done with a second cooling roller. In some embodiments, the second cooling roller is moistened to reduce the potential for the pile tufts and the second layer of thermoplastic material to adhere to the second cooling roller. We also describe a recyclable pile fabric made entirely of thermoplastic materials, comprising: a front and a back face; a primary backing material configured as a sheet with a front face oriented toward the front of the pile fabric and a back face oriented toward the rear of the pile fabric; a second layer disposed on the back face of the primary backing material; a plurality of pile tufts, each extending through the primary backing material and at least partially into the second layer, with the backstitched portions of the pile tufts disposed on the back face of the primary backing material;and a fusion bond formed by molten material from the backstitched portions of the hair tufts and molten material from the second layer of thermoplastic material; the molten layer is disposed only on the back of the primary support material, while the front of the hair fabric is not fused; and the fusion bond is formed solely from said fused materials, without any additional adhesive or binder. The pile fabric can be configured as artificial grass. The pile fabric is preferentially permeable to liquids. Fusion bonding can define voids, configured as areas permeable to liquids, where the back side of the primary support material lacks the molten material of the second layer. The second layer can be configured as a sheet. The pile fabric can be configured as a rug. The pile fabric may further comprise a secondary support material, configured as a sheet, adhered to the back side of the primary support material by fusion bonding. The primary support material may undergo transverse contraction due to exposure to heat. A more complete understanding of the description can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, where similar reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views, where: FIG.1 is a schematic cutaway view of an example component configuration for forming pile fabric; FIG.2A is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example component configuration for forming pile fabric, as seen along line 2-2 of FIG.1, when the second thermoplastic layer is configured as a sheet; FIG.2B is a schematic cross-sectional view of another example component configuration for forming pile fabric, as seen along line 2-2 of FIG.1, when the second thermoplastic layer is configured as a fiber layer; FIG.3 is a schematic plan view, in section, of an example pile fabric showing the detail of an example fusion seam; FIG.4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pile fabric of FIG.3, as seen along line 4-4; FIG. 5 is a flowchart representing an example of a procedure for forming a pile fabric; FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram representing a system for forming a pile fabric; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram representing an example set for melting material during processing. FIG. 8A is a schematic plan view, in section, of an example pile fabric showing the detail of the adjacent backstitch portions before fusion. FIG.8B is a schematic plan view of the example pile fabric of FIG.8A showing the detail of the adjacent backstitch portions after pressing. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram representing another system for forming a pile fabric and FIG.10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another example of pile fabric. As will be described in more detail, our pile fabrics, pile fabric forming systems, and pile fabric forming processes eliminate the need for binding compositions, thereby potentially reducing material and / or energy costs and enabling the recycling of a greater quantity of spent pile fabrics, thus reducing pile fabric waste. In some applications, such as those using olefin-based primary backing materials, thermal stability can be improved by thermally stabilizing (pre-shrinking) the materials before use. The elimination of binding compositions is facilitated by a fusion bond that secures the pile tufts to the pile fabric's primary backing material.The fusion bond, which is located only on the back side of the primary backing material, is formed by molten material from the backstitched portions of the pile tufts and molten material from the second layer of thermoplastic material. Only the back of the pile fabric is heated to fuse the backstitched portions of the pile tufts and the thermoplastic layer to form the fusion bond, and the fusion of the bond materials is achieved by exposure to an open flame. Figure 1 depicts an example component configuration 100 for forming a pile fabric (i.e., an arrangement of constituent components before heating and / or otherwise forming those components into a pile fabric). The component configuration 100 includes a primary thermoplastic backing material 102, a second thermoplastic layer 104, and a plurality of pile tufts 106. The primary backing material 102 is configured as a sheet with a front side 108 oriented toward what will become the front of the pile fabric and a back side 110 oriented toward what will become the back of the pile fabric. The primary backing material 102 can be formed from one or more of several thermoplastic materials such as olefins (e.g., polypropylene or polyethylene) or polyesters. The second layer of thermoplastic material 104 is disposed on the back side 110 of the primary support material 102 and can be provided in various configurations depending on the desired application. For example, FIG. 2A shows the second layer of thermoplastic material 104 configured as a sheet, while FIG. 2B shows the second layer of thermoplastic material 104 configured as a fiber layer (note that only a portion of a fiber 112 is shown). In some applications, the fibers may incorporate one or more continuous and / or chopped fibers. Preferably, the second layer of thermoplastic material 104 has a melting temperature that is less than or equal to the melting temperature of the primary support material 102. The plurality of tufts 106 (represented schematically in FIG. 1 as a layer for ease of illustration) are formed by lengths of tufted face yarn extending through the primary backing material 102 and at least partially into the second layer of thermoplastic material 104, as shown in FIG. 2A and 2B. Typically, the tufts are arranged in rows and columns. Each tuft (e.g., tufts 113, 114, 115, 213, and 313) includes a backstitch portion disposed on the back side of the primary backing material 102. For example, tuft 114 incorporates a free end 116 and a free end 118, with an intermediate portion 120 extending between the free ends. The backstitch portion 122 of the hair tuft 114 is the part of the middle portion 120 that protrudes beyond the back side 110 of the primary support material 102. The pile tufts can be formed from one or more of various thermoplastic materials, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyester, nylon 66, and / or nylon 6, as non-limiting examples. Preferably, the pile tufts exhibit a melting temperature that is less than or equal to the melting temperature of the primary backing material 102. Furthermore, pile tufts can be provided in various configurations depending on the desired application. For example, when the pile fabric is configured as artificial turf, the pile tufts can be configured as cut tape lengths or monofilament yarn. Conversely, when the pile fabric is configured as carpet, continuous filaments and bulk-spun yarns can be used. The pile fabric is a recyclable pile fabric made exclusively from compatible thermoplastic materials.For example, all materials used can be olefin-based materials (e.g., PE and / or PP) or all materials used can be polyester materials. As shown in FIG. 3, after the backstitched portions of the pile tufts and the thermoplastic layer 104 melt and subsequently cool, a fusion bond 130 is provided, securing the pile tufts 106 to the primary support material 102 to form the pile fabric 10. It should be noted that the fusion bond 130 is located only on the back side 110 of the primary support material 102. The fusion bond 130 defines voids (void 140, for example) which are configured as locations where the back side 110 of the primary support material 102 lacks material that was melted to form the fusion bond 130. When the primary support material 102 is permeable to liquids, the voids provide areas of liquid permeability for the pile fabric 10.In this configuration, tufting and pile delamination may not be compromised by liquid permeability, as is often the case with conventional practices. For example, styrene-butadiene rubber is a water-soluble material often used in carpets; however, exposure to water tends to result in tufting and weakened delamination. In an effort to avoid these weaknesses, polyurethane can be used instead; however, polyurethane is not permeable to liquids. Figure 4 illustrates a cross-section of the pile fabric 10. As shown, the fusion bond 130 is arranged on a back portion 12 of the pile fabric 10 and is formed from material of the backstitch portions and material of the second thermoplastic layer. Preferably, the material of the fusion bond 130, including that of the backstitch portions, is pressed against the primary support material 102 before cooling and takes a final shape (e.g., flattened). Note also that the pile tufts extend across a width (WF) of the primary support material 102 that exhibits transverse shrinkage due to heat exposure. Specifically, the width changes from an original width (Wo) before heating to a final width (WF) after heating. In particular, the shrinkage that takes place depends, at least in part, on the weight of the materials.Lighter weight carpets tend to shrink more because there are often fewer yarns to prevent shrinkage, while heavier weight carpets tend to shrink less because there are more yarns to prevent the carpet from shrinking. In either case, the characteristic change in the dimension of the primary backing material 102 in response to heating is allowed to occur in some applications by not tensioning (i.e., not applying a transverse stretching force) across the width of the primary backing material. This tends to prevent transverse stresses from becoming locked in the pile fabric matrix, which can result in unwanted ripple in the pile fabric. Traditionally, manufacturers have tended to incorporate polyester (which has a melting point of approximately 260°C–500°F) into their primary backing materials when producing artificial turf or modular carpeting to prevent shrinkage after installation due to exposure to high temperatures. For example, artificial turf is known to experience exposure to 88°C–190°F after installation. However, polyester (e.g., PET) and olefin-based materials cannot be recycled together due to significant differences in melting points. Subjecting an olefin-based primary backing material, while under low tension (no stretching), to a temperature to which it should not be exposed after installation results in thermally stable pile fabrics formed from these lower-melting-point materials. Figure 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of procedure 200 for forming a pile fabric. As shown in Figure 5, the procedure can be interpreted as beginning at block 202, where a primary backing material, a second layer of thermoplastic material, and a plurality of pile tufts are provided. Preferably, the primary backing material is configured as a sheet with a front side facing the front of the pile fabric and an opposite back side facing the back of the pile fabric. The second layer of thermoplastic material is disposed on the back side of the primary backing material. Furthermore, each of the plurality of pile tufts extends through the primary backing material and at least partially into the second layer, with backstitch portions of the pile tufts disposed on the back side of the primary backing material.In block 204, only the back of the pile fabric is heated to fuse the backstitch portions of the pile tufts and the second layer of thermoplastic material to form a fusion bond on the back side of the primary backing material. Heating is carried out by exposing the backstitch portions of the pile tufts and the thermoplastic layer to an open flame without damaging the primary backing material or the non-backstitch portions (front yarn portions) of the pile tufts. The formation of the fusion bond secures the pile tufts to the primary backing material. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram representing a system for forming a pile fabric. As shown in FIG. 6, system 300 is configured to receive material (constituent components) 301 that is conveyed along a processing path of system 300 in a processing direction (indicated by arrow A) that is generally aligned with a longitudinal span of material 301. The material 301, which may be supplied by material 303 (e.g., an affliction roll), includes a primary backing material, a second layer of thermoplastic material, and a plurality of pile tufts (as described above), where 302 indicates the front side (face yarn side) and 304 indicates the back side (back gluing portions). System 300 incorporates several rollers along the processing path, such as roller 306 (which may be a guide roller) and roller 308. Roller 308 is positioned to redirect material 301 to separate and expose the backstitch portions. Specifically, roller 308 is configured to engage with the front side 302 so that the back side 304 and its associated backstitch portions are exposed at the outermost diameter of roller 308 as the material moves around the roller. A gas-fed assembly 310 is configured to direct an open flame toward roller 308 and the exposed backstitch portions of material 301. In particular, the open flame exposure to form a fusion bond is preferably performed without tensioning the primary backing material (i.e., tensioning it in the transverse direction along the z-axis). As shown in more detail in FIG. 7, an example of a gas-fed assembly 310 incorporates a flame diffuser 312 with an associated outlet 314, which is positioned adjacent to the roll 308 to provide an open flame 315. Preferably, the flame diffuser 312 with an associated outlet 314, which is positioned adjacent to the roll 308 to provide an open flame 315, receives a fuel flow (e.g., propane gas) from a fuel supply 316 through a gas manifold 318. Although only one outlet is shown, multiple outlets communicating with the manifold 318 can be provided at intervals extending across the transverse (z-axis) direction of the processing path to melt the material simultaneously across the width of the material 301.In some applications, such as when the flame diffuser is set to provide a flame across a width of 188 inches (477.52 cm), the 312 flame diffuser can generate approximately 500,000 BTU / hour (146,500 watts / hour). The flame diffuser 312 exposes only the backstitch portions of the pile tufts and the second layer of thermoplastic material to open the flame 315 across the width of the material 301 to melt the backstitch portions and the second layer of thermoplastic material as the material is conveyed around the roller 308. To reduce the temperature of the front side 302 near the open flame 315, the roller 308 is a cooling roller (which can exhibit a surface temperature of between approximately 70 degrees F (21, 11 degrees C) and approximately 100 degrees F (37, 78 degrees C)) which helps to avoid damaging the front threads of the pile fabric.The use of a cooling roller can also allow for a higher flame temperature (between approximately 400°F (204.44°C) and approximately 525°F (273.89°C), preferably between approximately 400°F (204.44°C) and approximately 475°F (246.11°C)), which provides efficient melting and higher conveying speeds. For example, conveying speeds of between approximately 10 ft / min (3,046 m / min) and approximately 15 ft / min (4,569 m / min) can be achieved with a flame temperature of approximately 400°F (204.44°C) or higher. After the backstitch portions and the thermoplastic material layer have fused together to form a fusion bond, the molten material 301 can be pressed (calendered) against the back side of the primary support material by means of a pressing assembly 320. In the example in FIG.6. The pressing assembly 320 includes opposing rollers 322 and 324, with roller 322 being moistened (e.g., by sweating or applying liquid) to ensure that its outer surface is damp upon contact with the material. Specifically, sweating the roller involves operating it at a temperature that produces condensation (due to atmospheric humidity) on its outer surface. Alternatively, a liquid (e.g., water) can be applied to the roller's outer surface, such as by means of an applicator 319. These operations can reduce the tendency of heated materials to stick to the roller and / or damage the pile and / or primary backing material. Depending on the application, roller 324 can be optionally heated or cooled. After pressing, adequate transport time is provided along the processing path to allow the formed pile fabric 340 to cool. Specifically, the transport time is provided to allow the fusion bond, which is disposed only on the back side of the primary support material, to cool. The pile fabric 340 can then be collected, such as by winding it onto a roll 350. As shown in more detail in FIG. 8A, several backstitch portions (e.g., 342, 343, 344, 345) protruding from the back side 304 are oriented in a column along the processing direction (shown by arrow A corresponding to the processing direction shown in FIG. 7). Specifically, the backstitch portions are shown before melting by an open flame. The backstitch portions are arranged according to the desired characteristics of the final pile fabric and may therefore vary in spacing. However, it should be noted that adjacent backstitch portions are not physically bonded together even though they may be adjacent. FIG. 8B shows the backstitch portions after melting and pressing.It is important to note that each of the backstitch portions now bonds to the adjacent backstitch portions (in addition to the fused thermoplastic layer as described above), forming a generally continuous fusion bond (chain link) of the backstitch portions along the length of each column. This fusion bond configuration is believed to provide enhanced bonding and improved turf adhesion. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram representing another system for forming a pile fabric. As shown in Figure 9, system 400 incorporates many components similar to those described above with respect to system 300. For example, system 400 is configured to receive material 401, which may be supplied by material 403, for transport along a processing path (indicated by arrow B). A roller 408 is positioned to redirect material 401 to separate and expose the backstitch portions as the material travels around the roller. A gas-fed assembly 410 is configured to direct an open flame toward roller 408 and the exposed backstitch portions of material 401. In contrast to system 300, however, system 400 also includes a supply 430 of secondary backing material 431. The secondary backing material 431 enters the processing path along which material 401 moves in the vicinity of (i.e., in or downstream of) the open flame 415, which is used to melt the backstitch portions and the thermoplastic layer of material 401. Upon entering the processing path at this location, the secondary backing material 431 is positioned to adhere to the molten material used to form the fusion bond. It should be noted that the secondary backing material 431 is also a thermoplastic material, and depending on the application, the side of the secondary backing material 431 that will adhere to the pile fabric may be exposed to the open flame and melt.The 432 roller, which directs the secondary support material for entry into the processing path, can be a cooling roller depending on the application. After the backstitch portions and the second layer of thermoplastic material have been fused together to form a fusion bond, the molten material 401 can be pressed (calendered) between the back side of the primary support material and one side of the secondary support material 431, which may or may not be fused to the side being pressed into the backstitch, by means of a pressing assembly 420. In the example of FIG. 9, the pressing assembly 420 includes opposing rollers 422, 424, each of which can be optionally heated or cooled. After pressing, adequate transport time is provided along the processing path to allow the formed pile fabric 440 to cool. Thereafter, the pile fabric 440 can be assembled, such as by winding it onto a roll 450. Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of pile fabric 440, which may be formed by system 400, for example. As shown in Figure 10, the pile fabric 440 includes a primary backing material 442, a secondary backing material 444, and a plurality of pile tufts (for example, pile tuft 446). In particular, both the primary backing material 442 and the secondary backing material 444 are configured as sheets of material. A fusion bond 448 is provided between the primary support material 442 and the secondary support material 444, with the fusion bond 448 adhering the primary support material 442 to the secondary support material 444, as well as securing the hair strands to the primary support material 442. The fusion bond 448 is formed from material of the backstitch portions (for example, the backstitch portion 449) and the second layer of thermoplastic material 451.It should be noted that, in some embodiments, one or more voids (e.g., void 452) defined by fusion joining 448 may be present. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the detailed description above, it should be understood that other embodiments are feasible.

Claims

1. A method for forming a pile fabric, formed solely of thermoplastic material, the pile fabric having a front and a back, the method comprising: providing a primary thermoplastic support material (102), a second layer of thermoplastic material (104), and a plurality of thermoplastic pile tufts (106), the primary support material (102) being configured as a sheet having a front side (108) oriented towards the front of the pile fabric and an opposite back side (110) oriented towards the back of the pile fabric, the second layer (104) being disposed on the back side of the primary support material (102),extending each of the plurality of hair tufts (106) through the primary support material (102) and at least partially into the second layer (104) with backstitch portions (122) of the hair tufts (106) arranged on the back side of the primary support material; and heating the back of the hair fabric by a process exposing the backstitch portions (122) of the hair tufts and the second layer (104) to an open flame (315), and cooling the front of the hair fabric for at least a portion of the time during which the back of the hair fabric is heated,whereby the backstitched portions (122) of the hair strands and the second layer (104) are fused to form a fusion bond (130) disposed on the back side of the primary support material (102) to secure the hair strands (106) to the primary support material (102) without damaging the primary support material or the non-backstitched portions of the hair strands and preferably avoiding the use of a binding composition.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exposure of the backstitched portions (122) of the hair strands (106) and the second layer (104) to the open flame (315) is carried out at a location where the primary support material (102) is redirected around a roller (308) with the back side (110) of the primary support material (102) facing outwards from the roller (308).

3. The procedure according to claim 1,wherein the fusion bond (130) is formed without the primary support material (102) being tensioned.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cooling is carried out by means of a first cooling roller (308) such that the primary support material (102), the second layer (104), and the plurality of hair tufts (106) are conveyed around the first cooling roller (308).

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising pressing, while molten, the backstitch portions (122) of the hair tufts (106) and the second layer (104) against the back side (110) of the primary support material (102), the pressing being carried out by means of a second cooling roller (322); and the method further comprising,moistening the second cooling roller (322) to reduce the potential for the hair strands (106) and the second layer (104) to adhere to the second cooling roller (322).

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adhering a secondary support material, configured as a sheet, to the back side of the primary support material by fusion bonding.

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