Lightweight fabrics for clothing

Abstract

The present invention provides a woven fabric, primarily composed of polyethylene terephthalate fiber yarns, that exhibits excellent anti-pilling properties, shape retention, texture, and opacity. [Solution] The fabric contains 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate fibers, with the warp threads using spun yarn of English cotton count 25 to 45 containing 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate short fibers, and the weft threads using filament crimped yarn containing 80 to 250 dtex polyethylene terephthalate, with at least one of the warp or weft threads containing 1.0 to 5.5% by mass of inorganic fine particles, and weight-reducing pores located on the fiber surface at the contact points of the intersections of the warp and weft threads.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a woven fabric for thin clothing that is less prone to wrinkling after washing, is excellent in pilling resistance, see-through resistance and hand feel, and is suitable for uses such as shirts. [[Background Art]]

[0002] Shirt products such as dress shirts and casual shirts mainly use woven fabrics made of cotton spun yarn or blended spun yarn of cotton and polyester.

[0003] Spun yarn is characterized by bulkiness, softness and low stickiness due to its fluff. Compared with natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, silk and wool, polyester fiber has higher strength and higher durability. However, spun yarn made of polyester fiber has the problem that pilling is prone to occur, and woven fabrics using spun yarn containing polyester staple fibers at a high blending ratio have not been widely used in shirt products so far.

[0004] Pilling refers to the phenomenon that the fabric surface is rubbed during wearing or washing, the fabric surface becomes fluffy, the fluff entangles with each other, and small pills (pilling) are formed. In particular, when the spun yarn contains synthetic fibers such as polyester or polyamide, these fibers are strong and not easy to break, so the generated pills are not easy to fall off and remain on the fabric surface, which impairs the appearance. Therefore, when polyester staple fibers are used at a high blending ratio in clothing fabrics, measures are taken to suppress the occurrence of pilling during manufacturing, but this often causes new defects or does not provide sufficient countermeasures.

[0005] On the other hand, blending polyester can improve shape stability. For example, among shirt fabrics made of woven fabric, products with improved shape stability are commercially available, which are obtained by blending about 50% by mass of polyester staple fibers with cotton fibers and then performing shape-stabilizing processing. However, even in this case, the shape stability is still not sufficient. If the blending ratio of polyester staple fibers is further increased, pilling will easily occur, and it has been difficult to produce a woven fabric with a high blending ratio of polyester.

[0006] Regarding fabrics using a high percentage of polyester, the following technologies have been proposed conventionally. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an anti-pilling fabric containing short thermoplastic synthetic fibers, wherein at least one surface of the fabric has molten dots at the ends of the short fibers and polished marks formed by surface polishing the molten dots at the tips of the short fibers' fluff. However, while this fabric has the advantage of not being itchy to the skin because the molten dots are polished, it has the problems of requiring a complex manufacturing process for surface polishing and being prone to attracting dust that is difficult to remove. Furthermore, this technology did not lead to an improvement in wrinkle resistance.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes a woven or knitted fabric with excellent wrinkle recovery properties, which uses a composite twisted yarn in which a fiber bundle (B) with a core-sheath structure in which filaments are arranged in the core and short fiber yarns are arranged in the sheath, and a fiber bundle (A) consisting only of short fibers are intertwined under specific conditions. However, this woven or knitted fabric lacks versatility because it requires the use of a composite spun yarn with a special structure. In addition, although this woven or knitted fabric is less prone to wrinkles during wear, once wrinkles do form, they are difficult to remove, requiring ironing.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 proposes a knitted fabric for business shirts that combines firmness, softness, breathability, and shape retention, using 25-97% by mass of polyester fibers and 3-25% by mass of polyester filaments with a single yarn fineness of 3-17 dtex. This knitted fabric has excellent shape retention and, being a knitted fabric, is less prone to wrinkles, but wrinkles that do form are difficult to remove without washing or ironing.

[0009] To overcome the problems described in the above-mentioned patent document, the present inventors proposed in Patent Document 4 a fabric containing 50% by mass of spun yarn containing 75% by mass or more of fine single-fiber polyester staple fibers with a single-fiber fineness of 0.1 to 1.1 dtex. This fabric has the advantage of suppressing pilling and easily recovering wrinkles with hand ironing, even when using a high percentage of polyester. However, this fabric needs to contain a certain percentage of microfibers, which has the problem of reduced firmness and drape, and difficulty in achieving dark colors.

[0010] Currently, no fabrics using a high percentage of conventional polyester have been proposed that achieve both pilling resistance and shape retention, while also possessing good texture and other woven material qualities. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] WO2019 / 031356 publication [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-100742 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-77955 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-165442 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] This invention was conceived in view of the current state of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide a woven fabric that, while using a high percentage of polyester, is less prone to wrinkles after washing, suppresses pilling, and has excellent opacity, shape retention, and texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] As a result of diligent research to achieve the above objective, the inventors have discovered that by using inorganic fine particles to create irregularities on the fiber surface at the contact points of the warp and weft intersections in a high-density woven fabric made of polyethylene terephthalate fiber yarn, it is possible to provide a woven fabric with excellent anti-pilling properties, shape retention, texture, and opacity, thus completing the present invention.

[0014] In other words, the present invention has the following configurations (1) to (6). (1) A fabric containing 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate fibers, wherein the warp threads use spun yarn of English cotton count 25 to 45 containing 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate short fibers, and the weft threads use crimped filament yarn containing polyethylene terephthalate with a density of 80 to 250 dtex, wherein at least one of the warp threads or weft threads contains 1.0 to 5.5% by mass of inorganic fine particles, and weight-reducing pores are present on the fiber surface located at the contact points of the intersections of the warp and weft threads. (2) The weight loss pores on the fiber surface of yarn containing 1.0 to 5.5% by mass of inorganic fine particles have a unit area of ​​100 μm². 2 A lightweight garment fabric as described in (1), characterized in that there are 5 to 50 of them per unit area. (3) A lightweight garment fabric according to (1) or (2), characterized in that the fabric has a cover factor of 2000 to 3000. (4) The lightweight garment fabric according to (3), characterized in that the ratio of the warp cover factor (B) to the weft cover factor (A) ((B) / (A)) of the fabric is 1.1 to 1.5. (5) A lightweight garment fabric according to (1) or (2), characterized in that the crimp recovery rate of the weft filament crimped yarn is 15 to 35%. (6) A dress shirt, casual shirt, student shirt, uniform shirt, or Middle Eastern ethnic costume characterized by using the fabric described in (1) or (2) for the body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The woven fabric of the present invention is extremely excellent in anti-pilling property, dimensional stability, texture, and see-through resistance while mainly using polyethylene terephthalate fibers. Therefore, the woven fabric of the present invention can be suitably used for dress shirts, casual shirts, student shirts, uniform shirts, or the body of Middle Eastern ethnic clothing. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]

[0016] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an SEM photograph of the fiber surface of the weft at the contact portion of the intersection of the warp and weft of the woven fabric of Example 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an SEM photograph of the fiber surface of the weft at the contact portion of the intersection of the warp and weft of the woven fabric of Example 6. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an SEM photograph of the fiber surface of the weft at the contact portion of the intersection of the warp and weft of the woven fabric of Comparative Example 1. [MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION]

[0017] The woven fabric of the present invention is a woven fabric mainly composed of polyethylene terephthalate fibers (hereinafter also referred to as polyester fibers), and particularly is a woven fabric containing 80% by mass or more, preferably 90% by mass or more of polyester fibers. Further, in the woven fabric of the present invention, a spun yarn of English cotton count 25 to 45 containing 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate short fibers is used for the warp, and a filament crimped yarn containing 80 to 250 dtex of polyethylene terephthalate is used for the weft.

[0018] In the woven fabric of the present invention, at least one of the warp and the weft contains 1.0 to 5.5% by mass of inorganic fine particles. When the polyester fiber is subjected to alkali weight reduction processing, these inorganic fine particles can form uneven weight reduction pores at the locations where the inorganic fine particles were present on the fiber surface. The content ratio of the aforementioned inorganic fine particles is preferably 1.2 to 5.0% by mass, more preferably 1.5 to 4.5% by mass. If the content ratio of the inorganic fine particles is less than the aforementioned lower limit, it becomes difficult to obtain unevenness on the fiber surface at the contact portion of the intersection of the warp and the weft. Further, if the content exceeds the aforementioned upper limit, there is a possibility that it becomes difficult to produce yarn with stable quality.

[0019] Examples of the inorganic fine particles include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, alumina (aluminum oxide), magnesium sulfate, calcium carbonate, kaolin, and talc. For the purpose of improving anti-transparency, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium sulfate, and aluminum oxide are preferable as the inorganic fine particles, and titanium oxide is more preferable from the viewpoint of cost and productivity. In addition to the inorganic fine particles, organic fine particles and organic compounds such as flame retardants, antibacterial agents, UV blockers, heat storage agents, anti-transparency agents, and antioxidants can be appropriately added to the raw material of the polyester fiber as needed.

[0020] The average particle diameter of the inorganic fine particles is preferably 0.2 to 1.5 µm, more preferably 0.4 to 1.0 µm, and still more preferably 0.5 to 0.8 µm. If the average particle diameter of the inorganic fine particles is less than the above lower limit, the weight loss pores formed on the fiber surface during alkali weight reduction processing become small, and there is a risk that the unevenness becomes excessively fine. If the average particle diameter exceeds the above upper limit, spinning becomes difficult, and there is a risk that the passability in post-processes decreases. The average particle diameter of the inorganic fine particles can be obtained by measuring the longest diameter of each primary particle from an electron micrograph of the particles magnified 100,000 times and calculating the average of 1,000 particles, or can be obtained as the weight-average average particle diameter using an automatic image processing apparatus.

[0021] In the production of the woven fabric of the present invention, alkali weight reduction processing of polyester fiber is an important step. It is known that when alkali weight reduction processing is performed, the polyester fiber is eroded by alkali and the fiber becomes thinner, thereby improving the drape property of the woven fabric and improving the pilling resistance. In this case, when the polyester fiber contains inorganic fine particles, unevenness is formed on the fiber surface as the weight loss of the fiber progresses. The woven fabric of the present invention is characterized in that unevenness of weight loss pores resulting from the fine particles is formed on the fiber surface located at the contact portion of the intersection of warp and weft threads.

[0022] Normally, in high-density fabrics, the intersections of warp and weft threads are strongly constrained by the warp and weft threads, making it difficult for alkaline processing solutions to penetrate the contact areas of the intersections. Furthermore, the replacement of the penetrated processing solution is also difficult, resulting in less weight loss compared to the outer surface of the fabric. However, in this invention, the presence of the aforementioned inorganic fine particles allows weight loss processing to proceed even at the contact areas of the warp and weft thread intersections located inside the fabric, resulting in the generation of many weight loss pores on the fiber surface at the contact areas of the warp and weft thread intersections. As a result, the fabric of this invention has been made possible to significantly improve its morphological stability. This is thought to be because the binding force between the warp and weft threads at the fabric intersections decreases due to the thinning of the threads by the alkaline weight loss processing, and in addition, fine irregularities are created on the fiber surface at the contact areas of the warp and weft thread intersections, which reduces the coefficient of friction at the contact areas of the warp and weft threads, making the fabric more flexible against shear forces and bending in the fabric plane. Weight reduction in polyester fibers is most likely to occur at the interface of inorganic microparticles. The resulting weight reduction pores are elliptical in shape, with their major axis aligned with the longitudinal direction of the fiber, making them easily distinguishable from damage or wear marks on the fiber. The weight reduction pores are approximately 0.5 to 3 μm in size.

[0023] To promote the formation of irregularities on the fiber surface at the contact points of the warp and weft threads, it is preferable to soften the fabric while performing an alkali weight reduction treatment. As a method of softening, it is preferable to flow the fabric in a liquid flow dyeing machine, or to repeatedly lift and immerse the fabric in the processing solution using a suspension processing machine, thereby facilitating the exchange of the weight reduction processing solution at the intersections of the warp and weft threads, and to perform operations that involve bending or shearing the fabric. Furthermore, the weight reduction rate of the fabric due to the alkali weight reduction treatment is preferably 5 to 40% of the fabric weight. More preferably 7 to 35%, and even more preferably 8 to 28%. If the weight reduction rate is below the lower limit, the number of weight reduction pores formed on the fiber surface at the contact points of the warp and weft threads is small, and the effect of improving morphological stability tends to decrease. If the weight reduction rate exceeds the upper limit, the abrasion strength of the fabric may decrease and it may not reach practical strength, or the fibers may break and fuzz may easily occur.

[0024] At the fiber surface of the contact points between the warp and weft threads, as alkali loss progresses, weight loss pores are generated where inorganic fine particles were present. The number of weight loss pores in a yarn containing inorganic fine particles in the above-mentioned proportions is per 100 μm² area. 2 Preferably, there are 5 to 50 pores, more preferably 6 to 40, and even more preferably 8 to 30. If the number of weight-reducing pores is less than the lower limit, it is difficult to obtain the effect of improving morphological stability due to surface irregularities, and if it exceeds the upper limit, there is a concern that the weight reduction rate will be too high, resulting in a texture that is too soft or too transparent.

[0025] The warp threads of the fabric of this invention use spun yarn with an English cotton count of 25 to 45, containing 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate staple fibers. If the English cotton count is less than 25, the fabric may become too thick or too heavy for use in shirts and the like. If it exceeds 45, the fabric will become too transparent when woven. Within this fineness range, the spun yarn may be single yarn, double yarn, or triple yarn.

[0026] Polyethylene terephthalate, which has ethylene terephthalate as its main repeating unit, is used as the main raw material for the short fibers used in spun yarn. However, polyethylene terephthalate fibers obtained by partially copolymerizing these polyesters with a cationic dye such as 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid to impart dyeability may also be used. Other fibers may be blended in a proportion of less than 20% by mass, as long as the morphological stability and anti-pilling properties are not significantly reduced. Natural fibers such as cotton and wool, regenerated fibers, and other polyester fibers such as polybutylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene isophthalate can be used.

[0027] Various methods can be used to spin spun yarn, such as ring spinning, open-end spinning, and spun yarn (e.g., Murata Vortex Spinner). Among these, ring spinning is preferred because it makes it easier to adjust the surface fluff of the spun yarn to an appropriate number, as described later, and also produces a good texture. Combed yarn is even more preferable. Furthermore, before spinning the spun yarn using the various methods described above, it can be subjected to various treatments such as blending, carding, combing, drawing, and roving by general methods.

[0028] The twist coefficient of the spun yarn is preferably 3.5 to 5.5, more preferably 3.8 to 5.0. When the twist coefficient is within this range, the yarn's convergence is enhanced, fuzzing is suppressed, and the fabric surface becomes smoother. If the twist coefficient is below the above range, fuzzing increases, and the anti-pilling properties tend to decrease. If it exceeds the above range, the texture tends to deteriorate.

[0029] The spun yarn preferably uses polyethylene terephthalate staple fibers with a single fiber fineness of 0.8 to 2.5 dtex. More preferably, it is 1.0 to 1.8 dtex. If the single fiber fineness of the staple fibers exceeds 2.5 dtex, the bending stiffness of the yarn becomes too strong, making it difficult to remove wrinkles. If the single fiber fineness is less than 0.8 dtex, it becomes prone to wrinkling during washing and spinning, and its shape retention tends to decrease. This spun yarn preferably uses 80% by mass or more of polyester staple fibers with the above single fiber fineness. If this percentage is low, the wrinkle resistance tends to decrease.

[0030] The crimp count of polyethylene terephthalate staple fibers in spun yarn is preferably 5 to 25 crimps / 25 mm. More preferably 8 to 18 crimps / 25 mm, and even more preferably 10 to 16 crimps / 25 mm. This range suppresses surface fuzzing of the spun yarn, thereby improving its anti-pilling properties. If the crimp count is below the above range, surface fuzz of the spun yarn is more easily pulled out by friction. If the crimp count exceeds the above range, the fuzzing of the spun yarn tends to increase. The fiber cut length is preferably 32 mm to 80 mm. A barrier cut is acceptable within this range. The fiber cut length should not be too long in terms of the number of fibers, degree of fuzz entanglement, texture, and yarn quality of the spun yarn, and a range of 32 mm to 51 mm is suitable when ring spinning is used for finishing.

[0031] The weft yarn of the fabric of the present invention uses crimped filament yarn. Crimped filament yarn refers to a multifilament that has been crimped, but a false twist is preferred. In particular, it is preferable to use a false twist yarn having a crimp recovery rate of preferably 10 to 35%, and more preferably 12 to 34%. If the crimp recovery rate is below the lower limit, wrinkles are likely to form during washing, and if it exceeds the upper limit, the crimp is too strong, causing strong shrinkage in the width direction during dyeing, resulting in a heavier fabric weight and increased wrinkles. The texture of the knitted fabric also tends to become rough and stiff. A false twist yarn having such crimp characteristics can be manufactured by known methods, and examples of false twisting methods include spindle false twisting, friction disc false twisting, and belt false twisting, with friction disc false twisting and belt false twisting being particularly preferred due to their high productivity. Using crimped filament yarn for the majority of the weft yarn improves morphological stability and is therefore preferable.

[0032] The total fineness of the crimped filament yarn is preferably 80 to 250 dtex. More preferably 90 to 200 dtex, and even more preferably 100 to 180 dtex. If it is below the lower limit, it tends to become too transparent. If it is thicker than the upper limit, the fabric becomes heavy, making it thick and heavy for use in shirts and the like. The single fiber fineness of the crimped filament yarn is preferably 0.8 to 3.0 dtex. More preferably 1.0 to 2.5 dtex. If it is lower than the lower limit, it tends to have a lack of firmness and body, and wrinkles tend to form easily. If it exceeds the upper limit, it becomes too firm and body, and wrinkles that form after washing tend to be difficult to remove.

[0033] The fabric of the present invention may contain other fibers besides polyester fibers, as long as this does not significantly reduce the effects of the present invention. Blending methods include spinning and interweaving. Examples of other fibers include natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and wool, and chemical fibers such as rayon and acetate. However, the percentage of other fibers should be kept below 20% by mass. Above 20% by mass, the anti-pilling properties and dimensional stability tend to decrease.

[0034] The fabric structure of the present invention can be plain weave, twill weave, or a patterned fabric based on twill weave, but it is most effective when applied to plain weave, which has relatively low shape retention. Plain weave is the simplest fabric structure, woven by alternately raising and lowering the warp and weft threads. High-density plain weave is used in woven shirts, but a drawback is that it is prone to wrinkles because it has the most weave points. However, even when using plain weave in the present invention, wrinkles that occur during washing can be effectively suppressed by using the fabric structure described above.

[0035] In the woven fabric of the present invention, it is preferable that the total density, calculated by adding the warp density and weft density per 2.54 cm after dyeing, be 150 to 300 threads. More preferably, it is 150 to 220 threads. By achieving such a high total density, even when using the spun yarn of the present invention which contains a large amount of polyester staple fibers, the smooth texture, opacity, and anti-pilling properties can be improved. If the total density is below the lower limit, the fabric tends to become more opaque and pilling is more likely to occur. If the total density exceeds the upper limit, pilling is less likely to occur, but the texture may become too stiff and the weaving properties tend to decrease.

[0036] In the present invention, the fabric preferably has a cover factor in the range of 2000 to 3000, based on the relationship between the fineness and density of the warp and weft threads. More preferably, it is in the range of 2200 to 2800. If the cover factor is below the lower limit, it tends to be transparent and prone to pilling. If it exceeds the upper limit, the texture becomes too stiff, making it difficult to use for applications such as shirts.

[0037] Furthermore, the balance of the warp and weft cover factors of the fabric of the present invention, that is, the ratio of the warp cover factor (B) to the weft cover factor (A) ((B) / (A)), is preferably 1.1 to 1.5. More preferably, it is 1.1 to 1.45. Examples of weaving looms for the fabric include air jet looms, water jet looms, and rapier looms, but air jet looms are preferably used because they make it easier to increase the weft density and because of their productivity. The manufacturing method of the fabric of the present invention can be the same as that of a general spun yarn fabric manufacturing process. For example, the warp threads are warped and sizinged, then wound onto a loom beam. These are then threaded through and set on the loom, and the weft threads are beaten in to weave the fabric.

[0038] Next, the dyeing and finishing method for textiles according to the present invention will be described. General textile processing involves dyeing and finishing steps, which include singeing, desizing, scouring, dyeing, and finishing of at least one surface. In one embodiment of patterned fabrics using pre-dyed yarn, the yarn may be pre-dyed by scouring and dyeing before weaving. In the present invention, each step of the manufacturing process can be carried out under the general conditions for conventional polyester blended woven shirts.

[0039] Generally, when heat is applied to a fabric during processing, the width of the fabric tends to shrink and the density tends to increase. However, it is preferable to finish the fabric of the present invention to have a smooth surface. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the tension applied to the fabric during processing and the width during heat treatment so that the finished fabric does not shrink too much from the raw fabric.

[0040] In addition to alkali weight reduction processing, various functional processing can be applied to the textiles of the present invention. Examples of such functional processing include stain-resistant processing such as SR processing, deodorizing processing, antibacterial / antimicrobial processing, UV-cut processing, friction melting processing, antistatic processing, and skin care processing.

[0041] The fabric of the present invention, despite having a high percentage of polyester staple fibers, can achieve anti-pilling performance of JIS-L1076A of grade 3 or higher, further grade 3.5 or higher, and further grade 4 or higher, through alkali weight reduction processing. Furthermore, because the fabric of the present invention is mainly composed of polyester fibers and the intersections of the warp and weft threads can move flexibly, it can achieve a post-wash appearance smoothness (shape retention) of grade 3.5 or higher according to JIS-L1924:2017 8.2a when washed and tumble-dried using the JIS-L1930:2017 C4M method. In addition, the fabric of the present invention can achieve an opacity index of 85-99%, further grade 87-99%, and further grade 89-98% according to the JIS-L1923:2017 B method instrumental method. Furthermore, the fabric of the present invention has excellent texture (drape and smoothness).

[0042] As described above, the fabric of the present invention is resistant to pilling, has high opacity, and also possesses excellent shape retention and texture, making it suitable for a wide range of clothing applications. In particular, the fabric of the present invention is suitable for use as the bodice fabric for dress shirts, casual shirts, school shirts, uniform shirts, or Middle Eastern ethnic clothing. Furthermore, beyond these clothing applications, it is expected to be used in bedding materials such as handkerchiefs, sheets and covers, and other household goods and sanitary materials. [Examples]

[0043] The effects of the present invention will be illustrated more specifically below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited by these examples. The evaluation methods used in the examples and comparative examples are as follows.

[0044] <Single fiber fineness> For synthetic fibers, the single yarn fineness (single fiber fineness) was determined based on JIS-L1015-8.5.1 Method A for determining the fineness of the yarn. For natural fibers, the single fiber fineness was determined based on JIS-L1019-7.4.2 Method using the sorter method.

[0045] <Fiber length> The fiber length of synthetic fibers was determined based on the average fiber length according to JIS-L1015-8.4.1 staple diagram method (Method A). The fiber length of natural fibers was determined based on the effective fiber length according to JIS-L1019-7.2.1 double sorter method (Method A).

[0046] <Average particle size of inorganic microparticles> Photographs were taken using a transmission electron microscope (JEM-1230, JEOL Ltd.), and the horizontal diameter division based on volume was measured using an automated image processing system (LUZEX AP, Nireco Corporation). The specific gravity was then calculated to determine the weight-average average particle diameter.

[0047] <Content of inorganic fine particles> The inorganic fine particle content in the polyester fibers was determined based on JIS-L1013:2010-8.25 ash content.

[0048] <English cotton count, filament crimp yarn fineness> The yarn count and fineness of the warp and weft threads used were measured according to JIS-L1095:2010 9.4.2, using apparent cotton count as the English cotton count. The fineness of the filament crimped yarn was measured according to JIS-L1013:2010 8.3.1B method.

[0049] <Total fiber density and single fiber density of warp and weft threads in a woven fabric> The total fineness of the warp and weft threads of the finished fabric was measured according to JIS-L1096:2010 8.9.1.1A method, in units of dtex. The single fiber fineness was calculated by dividing the total fineness by the number of filaments measured according to JIS-L1013:2010 8.4.

[0050] <Fiber composition ratio> The measurement was performed in accordance with JIS-L1030-2 5.9.2 (correct mixing ratio).

[0051] <Twist coefficient of spun yarn> The number of twists was determined according to JIS-L1095-9.15.1 Method A, and the twist coefficient K was calculated from this number of twists based on the following formula. Twist coefficient K = [T] / [NE] 1 / 2 In the above formula, [T] is the number of twists (twists / 2.54cm), and [NE] is the English cotton count.

[0052] <Crimp recovery rate> The crimp recovery rate was measured based on JIS-L1013:2010-8.12. The fabric was pre-treated at a temperature of 90°C for 20 minutes.

[0053] <Fabric density> The measurement was performed in accordance with JIS-L1096-8.6.1 Method A (Density of fabric).

[0054] <Coverage Factor of Textiles> The cover factor of a fabric is calculated by adding the cover factor of the weft to the cover factor of the warp threads. The specific calculation formula used was: √Fineness (dtex) of the warp threads × Finished density (threads / inch) + √Fineness (dtex) of the weft threads × Finished density (threads / inch). In the case of spun yarn, the English cotton count was converted to fineness (dtex) for the calculation.

[0055] <Alkali weight loss rate of polyester fabrics> The fabric weight a was measured immediately before alkali weight reduction, and the fabric weight b was measured after alkali weight reduction. The alkali weight reduction rate was calculated using the formula {(ab) / a} × 100. When measuring the weight of the samples, they were completely dried and then conditioned at standard conditions of 20°C × 65%RH for 24 hours before weighing. Furthermore, n=3 samples were measured before and after alkali weight reduction, and the average value was used.

[0056] <Number of weight loss holes> The fabric was carefully disassembled without applying tension, and the warp and weft threads were extracted from the finished fabric. The surface of the crimp valleys of the extracted threads corresponds to the contact points where the warp and weft threads intersect in the fabric. The fiber surface of these crimp valleys was set up on an SEM stand so that it could be photographed, and the fiber surface in the center of the crimp valley in the yarn width direction was measured at a magnification of 1800x. From an image of an arbitrary fiber surface in the center of the width direction, a 10μm × 10μm frame image was extracted using image editing software, and the number of weight loss holes within this frame was visually counted. To make the weight loss holes easier to recognize, the images were binarized (monochrome two-tone) or the brightness threshold was adjusted to make it easier to read the number of holes. In addition, images of 10 consecutive 10μm × 10μm frames were extracted from an arbitrary fiber surface in the center of the crimp valley in the yarn width direction along the fiber axis, the number of weight loss holes in these images was read, the average value was calculated, and the number was rounded to the first decimal place to be taken as the number of weight loss holes. When the yarn being photographed was a blend of polyester and cotton, the surface of the polyester fibers was measured.

[0057] <Anti-pilling properties> The pilling resistance of the finished fabric was evaluated using JIS-L1076(2012) Method A (method using an ICI type testing machine). A score of 3.5 or higher was judged as passing, and a score of 3.0 or lower was judged as failing.

[0058] <Form stability> The finished fabric was sewn into a dress shirt with a neck circumference of 41 cm and a sleeve length of 84 cm. This shirt was then washed according to the JIS L1930:2017 C4M method and tumble-dried. Shape retention was evaluated using the smoothness of the fabric appearance after washing, as specified in JIS L1924:2017 8.2a. A score of 3.5 or higher was considered a pass, and a score of 3 or lower was considered a fail.

[0059] <Opaque> The opacity index was measured in a dry state using the JIS-L1923:2017 Method B instrumental method. Samples were taken (n=3) from an arbitrary location in the center of the width direction of the finished fabric, and the average value was defined as the opacity index.

[0060] <Texture> The texture was evaluated based on the drape and smoothness of the finished fabric. E / C broadcloth from Comparative Example 3 was used as the standard for comparison, and fabrics were evaluated on a three-point scale: "Same" for those that were equivalent, "Good" for those with better drape (or smoother), and "Poor" for those with poor drape (or inferior smoothness and roughness).

[0061] The methods for producing the spun yarn and filament crimped yarn used in the examples and comparative examples are shown below.

[0062] (1) Manufacturing of spun yarn A Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) short fibers with a single filament fineness of 1.0 dtex (cut length 38 mm, cross-section: round, titanium dioxide content 0.5 mass% (average particle size 0.8 μm), crimp count 15 / 25 mm) were blended using an OHARA blending machine, and then carded sliver was made using an Ishikawa Seisakusho carding machine. Only the longest fibers were kept by a combing machine, and the sliver was passed twice through a Hara Loom Machinery drawing machine to produce a 300 gelen / 6 yd sliver. Further, it was passed through a Toyota Industries roving machine to produce a 140 gelen / 15 yd roving. Next, this roving was subjected to a draft of approximately 31.4 times in a spinning machine to produce a single yarn of English cotton count 28 (twist coefficient 4.0 twist / inch).

[0063] (2) Production of spun yarn B Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) short fibers with a single filament fineness of 1.0 dtex (cut length 38 mm, cross-section: round, titanium dioxide content 2.5% by mass (average particle size 0.8 μm), crimp count 15 / 25 mm) were blended using an OHARA blending machine, and then carded sliver was made using an Ishikawa Seisakusho carding machine. Only the longest fibers were kept by a combing machine, and the sliver was passed twice through a Hara Loom Machinery drawing machine to produce a 300 gelen / 6 yd sliver. Further, it was passed through a Toyota Industries roving machine to produce a 140 gelen / 15 yd roving. Next, this roving was subjected to a draft of approximately 31.4 times in a spinning machine to produce a single yarn of English cotton count 28 (twist coefficient 4.0 twist / inch).

[0064] (3) Production of spun yarn C Using the same card sliver as spun yarn A, the material was passed twice through a drawing machine manufactured by Hara Loom Works to create a sliver with a weight of 300 / 6yd. This was then passed through a roving machine manufactured by Toyota Industries Corporation to produce a roving yarn with a weight of 125 / 15yd. Next, this roving yarn was subjected to a draft of approximately 38 times in a spinning machine to produce a single yarn of English cotton count 38 (twist coefficient 4.0 Twist / inch).

[0065] (4) Production of spun yarn D Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) staple fibers with a single filament fineness of 1.5 dtex (cut length 38 mm, cross-section: round, titanium dioxide content 0.5 mass%, crimp count 22 / 25 mm) and American cotton (Supima, effective fiber length 35 mm, single filament fineness 1.5 dtex) were used in a mass ratio of 50% each. These were spun using general blending, carding, combing, drawing, roving, and ring spinning methods to obtain a spun yarn with an English cotton count of 45 (twist coefficient 4.0 Twist / inch). The proportion of fibers with irregular cross-sections in this spun yarn was 50%.

[0066] (5) Manufacturing of filament crimped yarn F A partially oriented yarn (POY) with a round cross-section of 280 dtex / 72 filament was obtained by melt spinning polyethylene terephthalate containing 2.0 mass% titanium dioxide with an average particle size of 0.8 μm and an intrinsic viscosity [η] = 0.635 at a spinning temperature of 275°C and a draw speed of 3100 m / min. Subsequently, false twisting was performed using a two-heater friction false twisting machine (IVF-334AD, manufactured by Ishikawa Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) to obtain a false twisted yarn of 167 dtex / 72 filament. The processing conditions were: draw ratio = 1.67, D / Y ratio = 2.8, T1 tension (false twisting region tension): 3.1 cN (T2 / T1: 1.98), first heater temperature: 195°C, second heater temperature: 160°C, and yarn speed: 350 m / min. The crimp recovery rate of this filament crimped yarn F was 32.2%.

[0067] (6) Manufacturing of filament crimped yarn G Except for changing the titanium dioxide content to 4.0% by mass, the same conditions as for filament crimp yarn F were used to obtain a partially oriented yarn (POY) with a round cross-section of 280 dtex / 72 filament. This was processed using the same equipment and under the same conditions as filament crimp yarn F to obtain a false-twist yarn of 167 dtex / 72 filament. The crimp recovery rate of this filament crimp yarn G was 32.0%.

[0068] (7) Manufacturing of filament crimped yarn H Using the same partially oriented yarn (POY) as filament crimp yarn F, a belt-type stretching false twist machine, Mach Crimper NO.33H (manufactured by Murata Machinery Co., Ltd.), was used to perform stretching false twist at a first heater temperature of 195°C, a second heater temperature of 160°C, and a stretch ratio of 1.67 times, yielding a false twisted yarn of 167 dtex / 72 filament. The processing conditions were a belt crossing angle of 102.5°, a belt speed to delivery roller speed ratio (B / Y) of 1.50, and a winding speed of 400 m / min. The crimp recovery rate of this filament crimp yarn H was 16.5%.

[0069] (8) Production of filament crimped yarn I A partially oriented yarn (POY) with a round cross-section of 185 dtex / 72 filament was obtained by melt spinning polyethylene terephthalate containing 2.0 mass% titanium dioxide with an average particle size of 0.8 μm and an intrinsic viscosity [η] = 0.635 at a spinning temperature of 275°C and a draw speed of 3100 m / min. Subsequently, false twisting was performed using a two-heater friction false twisting machine (IVF-334AD, manufactured by Ishikawa Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) to obtain a false twisted yarn of 110 dtex / 72 filament. The processing conditions were: draw ratio = 1.68, D / Y ratio = 2.8, T1 tension (false twisting tension): 3.0 cN (T2 / T1: 1.95), first heater temperature: 195°C, second heater temperature: 160°C, and yarn speed: 350 m / min. The crimp recovery rate of this filament crimped yarn I was 23.3%.

[0070] (Example 1) Spinned yarn A was warped and sizing agent mainly composed of polyvinyl alcohol to form the warp threads. For the weft, a round cross-section 167 dtex / 72 filament polyethylene terephthalate filament crimp yarn F was used to produce the fabric on an air-jet loom. The weave structure of this fabric was plain weave, with a warp density of 95 threads / 2.54 cm and a weft density of 85 threads / 2.54 cm.

[0071] The manufactured raw fabric was dyed in the following order for general lightweight shirt fabrics: singeing, desizing, scouring, heat setting, alkali weight reduction, and finishing. In the singeing process, both sides of the fabric were singed using a gas burner singeing machine. In the desizing and scouring process, the singed fabric was immersed in a desizing and scouring solution containing 2 g / L sodium hydroxide, 2 g / L sodium dodecyldiphenyl ether disulfonate, and 0.2 g / L pentasodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate. After immersion, the fabric was squeezed to 100% wringing capacity, subjected to moist heat treatment with steam at 95°C for 40 minutes, washed in a continuous water washing machine, dewatered, and cylinder dried. It was then heat-set at 200°C for 1 minute using a tenter. Next, using a high-pressure liquid-flow dyeing machine (circular test machine) manufactured by Hisaka Works, alkaline weight reduction processing was performed using 8% caustic soda owf (on the weight of fabric), 5 g / L of weight reduction accelerator (quaternary ammonium salt), 1 g / L of softener in the bath, a bath ratio of 1:20, and heating at 130°C for 90 minutes, increasing the temperature at 1°C / min up to 130°C. The weight reduction rate of the fabric due to alkaline weight reduction processing was 18%. After that, polyethylene-based sewability improver, antistatic agent, and fluorescent whitening agent were applied by padding, and then the fabric was heat-set in a tenter at 160°C for 1 minute and sanforized. The finished fabric had a warp density of 102 threads / 2.54 cm and a weft density of 85 threads / 2.54 cm. Figure 1 shows an SEM image of the fiber surface of the weft at the contact point of the warp and weft intersection of the fabric from Example 1.

[0072] (Example 2) Spinned yarn B was warped and sizing agent mainly composed of polyvinyl alcohol to form the warp threads. Filament crimped yarn F was used as the weft thread, and a raw fabric was manufactured using an air-jet loom. The weave structure of this fabric was plain weave, with a warp density of 95 threads / 2.54cm and a weft density of 85 threads / 2.54cm. This raw fabric was subjected to the same processing conditions as in Example 1 to finish the fabric.

[0073] (Example 3) The same raw fabric as in Example 1 was manufactured, except that the weft yarn was changed to filament crimp yarn G. The raw fabric had the same warp density as in Example 1, with 95 threads / 2.54cm and weft density of 85 threads / 2.54cm. This raw fabric was subjected to the same processing conditions as in Example 1 to finish the fabric.

[0074] (Example 4) Using spun yarn C for the warp, a raw fabric was manufactured on an air-jet loom with a warp density of 110 threads / 2.54cm and a weft density of 85 threads / 2.54cm. This raw fabric was subjected to the same processing conditions as in Example 1 to finish the fabric.

[0075] (Example 5) In Example 1, the dough was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the caustic soda concentration for the alkali weight reduction process was changed from 8% owf to 12% owf, and the weight reduction rate was set to 25%.

[0076] (Example 6) In Example 1, the caustic soda concentration for the alkali weight reduction process was changed from 8% owf to 5% owf, and the weight reduction rate was set to 10%, but otherwise the fabric was finished in the same manner as in Example 1. Figure 2 shows an SEM image of the fiber surface of the weft at the contact point where the warp and weft intersect in the fabric of Example 6.

[0077] (Example 7) The raw fabric was prepared and the finished fabric was made in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the weft yarn used was a filament crimp yarn H processed with a belt false twisting machine, which had a different crimping rate.

[0078] (Example 8) The same raw fabric as in Example 1 was prepared, except that the weft yarn was changed to a low-density filament crimp yarn I, and the weft density was increased accordingly. The density of the raw fabric was 95 warp threads / 2.54cm and 92 weft threads / 2.54cm. This raw fabric was finished into a fabric using the same processing conditions as in Example 1.

[0079] (Comparative Example 1) Except for not performing alkali weight reduction processing, the raw fabric was prepared and finished into a cloth in the same manner as in Example 1. Figure 3 shows an SEM image of the fiber surface of the weft at the contact point where the warp and weft intersect in the fabric of Comparative Example 1.

[0080] (Comparative Example 2) Using spun yarn A for both the warp and weft, a raw fabric was manufactured on an air-jet loom with a warp density of 95 threads / 2.54cm and a weft density of 80 threads / 2.54cm. This raw fabric was dyed under the same conditions as in Example 1, in the order of singeing, desizing, scouring, heat setting, and alkali weight reduction. Furthermore, fluorescent dyes were added, followed by heat setting and sanforization to finish the fabric.

[0081] (Comparative Example 3) A raw fabric was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that spun yarn D was used for both the warp and weft, and the warp density was changed to 136 threads / 2.54cm and the weft density to 72 threads / 2.54cm. This raw fabric was subjected to singeing, desizing, scouring, and bleaching, and then reduced in weight under the same conditions as in Example 6, and further finished with heat setting and sanforizing. However, since the scouring and bleaching conditions included cotton, the desizing and scouring treatment solution was changed to one containing 12 g / L sodium hydroxide, 6 g / L sodium persulfate, 2 g / L sodium dodecyldiphenyl ether disulfonate, and 0.2 g / L pentasodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate. The singed fabric was immersed in this solution, then the fabric was wrung out at 100% wringing, and the fabric was subjected to moist heat treatment with steam at 95°C for 40 minutes. After the moist heat treatment, the fabric was washed with water in a continuous washing machine, then dehydrated and cylinder dried. The overall weight reduction rate of the finished fabric was 6% (estimated to be around 12% for polyester based on the blend ratio).

[0082] Table 1 shows the details and evaluation results of the fabrics from Examples 1-8 and Comparative Examples 1-3. [Table 1]

[0083] As is clear from Table 1, the fabrics of Examples 1 to 8 exhibited good shape retention, anti-pilling properties, opacity, and texture (drape and smoothness). On the other hand, Comparative Example 1, which did not undergo alkali weight reduction processing, had significantly inferior anti-pilling properties and texture, as well as poor shape retention. Comparative Example 2, which did not use filament crimp yarn in the weft, was inferior in shape retention, anti-pilling properties, opacity, and texture (drape). Furthermore, Comparative Example 3, which used spun yarn with a low polyester content, had a standard texture, but was inferior in shape retention, anti-pilling properties, and opacity. [Industrial applicability]

[0084] The fabric of the present invention combines pilling resistance and shape retention, and also possesses an excellent texture as a thin fabric, making it extremely suitable for shirt applications such as dress shirts and casual shirts, and thus making a significant contribution to the industry.

Claims

1. A woven fabric for lightweight clothing, comprising 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate fibers, wherein the warp threads use spun yarn of English cotton count 25 to 45 containing 80% by mass or more of polyethylene terephthalate short fibers, and the weft threads use crimped filament yarn containing 80 to 250 dtex polyethylene terephthalate, characterized in that at least one of the warp threads or weft threads contains 1.0 to 5.5% by mass of inorganic fine particles, and weight-reducing pores are present on the fiber surface located at the contact points of the intersections of the warp and weft threads.

2. The weight loss pores on the fiber surface of a yarn containing 1.0 to 5.5% by mass of inorganic fine particles have a unit area of ​​100 μm. ２ The lightweight garment fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that there are 5 to 50 of them per unit area.

3. A lightweight garment fabric according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fabric has a cover factor of 2000 to 3000.

4. The lightweight garment fabric according to claim 3, characterized in that the ratio of the warp cover factor (B) to the weft cover factor (A) of the fabric ((B) / (A)) is 1.1 to 1.

5.

5. A lightweight garment fabric according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the crimp recovery rate of the crimped filament yarn of the weft is 15 to 35%.

6. A dress shirt, casual shirt, student shirt, uniform shirt, or Middle Eastern ethnic costume characterized by using the fabric described in claim 1 or 2 for the body of the garment.

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