Indigo-free fabric with a denim appearance

Abstract

This invention relates to an indigo-free fabric having the appearance of denim and a process for manufacturing the fabric.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of denim fabrics and garments and processes for manufacturing such denim fabrics and garments.

Background Art

[0002] Denim is a sturdy and durable fabric having a twill weave in which each warp yarn passes over a number of weft yarns (typically two to four weft yarns). The distinctive appearance of denim fabric is mainly due to the denim weave. Typically, only the warp yarns are dyed (e.g., with indigo), while the weft yarns remain white. Denim is different from other fabrics in that it has diagonal ribs on one side.

[0003] The industrial process for manufacturing denim fabric includes yarn production, yarn dyeing, weaving, and finishing. Indigo, indigo derivatives, and sulfur dyes are the main colorants used to dye the yarn used in the denim manufacturing process. Although indigo, its derivatives, and sulfur dyes are vat dyes, unlike other vat dyes, they have poor affinity for cellulose fibers in reduced and solubilized forms. Due to insufficient dye uptake, a multi-dip padding procedure with aerating in between is usually required to gradually increase the shade. For example, obtaining a dark shade requires up to eight immersions in a leuco-indigo bath, which prolongs the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the dyeing process generates a large amount of wastewater. For example, dyeing one pair of denim jeans consumes approximately 50-100 liters of water with toxic reducing agents and alkalis added, which remain as effluent in the wastewater. Furthermore, while the indigo dyeing processes currently in use allow for the production of yarns and fabrics with a single shade, these must be stored before further processing, which increases production costs. Another drawback of the currently used manufacturing process is back-staining of denim fabrics and / or garments during the finishing stages, particularly during stone washing and / or enzyme washing. Back-staining refers to the staining of the weft and / or pocket lining by detached indigo or leuco-indigo, resulting in a reduction of contrast between the white weft and blue warp threads. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] As a result, there is a need for a process to manufacture fabrics and garments with a denim appearance that mitigates the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, there is a need for a cost-effective and efficient process to manufacture fabrics and garments with a denim appearance that is environmentally friendly (especially in terms of water and energy consumption) and enables the efficient (expedient) production of various fabrics with a denim appearance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an indigo-free process for producing a fabric having the appearance of denim, comprising the following steps: (a) To provide a non-colored fabric containing 70% by weight or more of cellulose fibers; (b) Exposing the uncolored fabric to an alkaline solution; (c) To provide the appearance of the back of denim by inkjet printing a parallel straight line pattern on the back of the above fabric or on a certain area of ​​the back of the above fabric using one or more inks, Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. -1 It has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP); (d) Dry the above fabric; (e) To provide the appearance of the front of denim by inkjet printing on the front of the fabric or on a certain area of ​​the front of the fabric using one or more inks; Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. -1 It has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP); (f) Fixing the above reactive dye to the fabric; and (g) Optionally, wash and dry the above fabric.

[0006] Furthermore, what is claimed and described herein is a process for producing indigo-free garments having the appearance of denim (preferably jeans), which includes the step of converting the fabrics claimed and described herein into garments.

[0007] A further embodiment of the present invention relates to an indigo-free fabric having the appearance of denim. The indigo-free fabric contains 70% by weight or more of cellulose fibers. The cellulose fibers have hydroxyl groups substituted with a portion represented by the general formula Chr-L- (wherein Chr is a chromogen and -L- is a linker that links the chromogen to the oxygen of a hydroxyl group). The back surface of the fabric, or a certain area of ​​the back surface, has an inkjet-printed parallel linear pattern and the appearance of the back surface of denim. The front surface of the fabric, or a certain area of ​​the front surface, has an inkjet-printed pattern having the appearance of the front surface of denim.

[0008] An additional aspect of the present invention relates to indigo-free garments (preferably jeans) made from or obtained by a manufacturing process claimed and described herein, from an indigo-free denim fabric. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1A]Figure 1 shows a sample of woven fabric and jeans according to the present invention. The fabric and garment were manufactured by the processes claimed herein. The fabric and garment have the appearance and texture of black denim. (A) Back of the fabric with a printed parallel straight line pattern. The lines are printed at a 110° angle to the rib and have a width of 0.3 mm. The distance between two adjacent lines is 0.7 mm; (B) Front of the fabric with the printed pattern; (C) Sample of jeans made from the fabric. [Figure 1B] Figure 1 shows a sample of woven fabric and jeans according to the present invention. The fabric and garment were manufactured by the processes claimed herein. The fabric and garment have the appearance and texture of black denim. (A) Back of the fabric with a printed parallel straight line pattern. The lines are printed at a 110° angle to the rib and have a width of 0.3 mm. The distance between two adjacent lines is 0.7 mm; (B) Front of the fabric with the printed pattern; (C) Sample of jeans made from the fabric. [Figure 1C] Figure 1 shows a sample of woven fabric and jeans according to the present invention. The fabric and garment were manufactured by the processes claimed herein. The fabric and garment have the appearance and texture of black denim. (A) Back of the fabric with a printed parallel straight line pattern. The lines are printed at a 110° angle to the rib and have a width of 0.3 mm. The distance between two adjacent lines is 0.7 mm; (B) Front of the fabric with the printed pattern; (C) Sample of jeans made from the fabric. [Figure 2A]Figure 2 shows samples of woven fabric and garments according to the present invention. The fabric and garments were manufactured by the processes claimed herein. The fabric and garments have the appearance and texture of blue denim. (A) Reverse side of the fabric with a printed parallel straight line pattern. The lines are printed at a 110° angle to the rib and have a width of 0.2 mm. The distance between two adjacent lines is 0.6 mm; (B) Front side of the fabric with the printed pattern; (C) Sample of jeans made from the fabric. [Figure 2B] Figure 2 shows samples of woven fabric and garments according to the present invention. The fabric and garments were manufactured by the processes claimed herein. The fabric and garments have the appearance and texture of blue denim. (A) Reverse side of the fabric with a printed parallel straight line pattern. The lines are printed at a 110° angle to the rib and have a width of 0.2 mm. The distance between two adjacent lines is 0.6 mm; (B) Front side of the fabric with the printed pattern; (C) Sample of jeans made from the fabric. [Figure 2C] Figure 2 shows samples of woven fabric and garments according to the present invention. The fabric and garments were manufactured by the processes claimed herein. The fabric and garments have the appearance and texture of blue denim. (A) Reverse side of the fabric with a printed parallel straight line pattern. The lines are printed at a 110° angle to the rib and have a width of 0.2 mm. The distance between two adjacent lines is 0.6 mm; (B) Front side of the fabric with the printed pattern; (C) Sample of jeans made from the fabric. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to address the need for a cost-effective process for manufacturing fabrics and garments that have the appearance of denim, excellent colorfastness, no risk of back-staining during washing, are environmentally friendly, and enable the efficient production of various fabrics having the appearance of denim. This object is achieved by the manufacturing process described in claims 1 and 10, the fabric described in claims 11 and 14, and the garment described in claim 15. Preferred embodiments are disclosed herein and in dependent claims.

[0011] The present invention will be described in more detail below.

[0012] Where this specification refers to “preferred” embodiments / features, combinations of these “preferred” embodiments / features are also deemed to be disclosed, insofar as the specific combination of “preferred” embodiments / features is technically meaningful.

[0013] Unless otherwise specified, the following definitions shall apply to this specification: When used herein, the terms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar terms used in the context of the present invention (particularly in the context of the claims) should be construed to include both singular and plural forms unless otherwise indicated herein or unless the context clearly contradicts this.

[0014] As used herein, the phrase "and / or" means that all or only one of the elements of the above group may be present. For example, "A and / or B" means "A only, B only, or both A and B." In the case of "A only," the term also includes the possibility that B is not present, i.e., "A only and B not present."

[0015] As used herein, the terms "including", "containing", and "comprising" are used in their non-limiting sense herein. It should be understood that various embodiments, preferences, and ranges can be arbitrarily combined.

[0016] Thus, for example, a solution containing compound A can contain compounds other than A. However, the term "containing" includes, as a particular embodiment thereof, the more limiting meanings of "consisting essentially of" and "consisting of", and thus, for example, "a solution containing A, B, and optionally C" may (essentially) consist of A and B, or (essentially) consist of A, B, and C. As used herein, the transitional phrase "consisting essentially of" (and grammatical variants thereof) is to be construed as encompassing the recited materials or steps as not materially affecting the basic and novel characteristics of the invention recited in the claims. Thus, the term "consisting essentially of" should not be construed as equivalent to "containing".

[0017] As used herein, the term "about" means that the quantity or value in question can be the specific value specified, or any other value in the vicinity thereof. Generally, the term "about" indicating a value is intended to indicate a range within ±5% of that value. As an example, the phrase "about 100" indicates a range of 100 ± 5, i.e., a range of 95 to 105. Preferably, the range indicated by the term "about" is within ±3% of the value, more preferably within ±1% of the value. Generally, when the term "about" is used, it can be expected that similar results or effects according to the present invention can be obtained within the range of ±5% of the indicated value.

[0018] Surprisingly, a process comprising the following steps: (a) providing a non-coloured fabric containing 70% by weight or more of cellulose fibers; (b) Contacting the uncolored fabric with the alkaline solution; (c) To provide the appearance of the back surface of denim by inkjet printing (preferably piezo inkjet printing) a parallel straight line pattern using one or more inks on the back surface of the fabric or on a certain area of ​​the back surface of the fabric; Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. -1 It has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP); (d) Dry the above fabric; (e) To provide the appearance of the front of the denim by inkjet printing (preferably piezo inkjet printing) on ​​the front of the fabric or on a certain area of ​​the front of the fabric using one or more inks, Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. -1 It has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP); (f) Fixing the above reactive dye to the above fabric; and (g) Optionally, wash and dry the above fabric; However, it was found that this resulted in an indigo-free fabric with a realistic denim appearance, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, for example. The color gamut, high quality, and printing speed (up to 600m) of inkjet printing technology are also advantages. 2As per the above, the manufacturing process claimed in this application is capable of reproducing a variety of fabrics (including low-volume fabrics having the appearance of denim) and enables cost-effective and efficient manufacturing. The use of reactive dyes prevents the backstain phenomenon that occurs in manufacturing processes that use indigo as a coloring agent. Advantageously, the manufacturing process claimed and described in this application does not generate large amounts of wastewater, unlike manufacturing processes that use indigo as a coloring agent, and is environmentally friendly (particularly in terms of energy and water consumption).

[0019] Preferably, the parallel lines printed in step (c) have a width of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, and the distance between each of two adjacent lines is 0.1 mm to 5 mm. More preferably, the width of the lines is 0.1 mm to 1 mm, and / or the distance between each of two adjacent lines is 0.1 mm to 1 mm.

[0020] As used herein, the term "indigo-free process" refers to a process in which neither indigo nor indigo derivatives are used to dye the fabric.

[0021] The term "indigo derivative" refers to an indigo molecule substituted with one or more substituents. Substitution can occur at any available position on the indole moiety. Examples of substituents include, but are not limited to, alkyl groups, alkoxy groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, acyl groups, fluoro groups, chloro groups, bromo groups, and iodo groups.

[0022] The term "non-colored fabric" refers to a fabric made from fibers that have never been in contact with a coloring agent. The non-colored fabrics described herein may be any knitted or woven fabric containing 70% by weight or more cellulose fibers.

[0023] Preferably, the uncolored fabric is a cotton fabric, lyocell fabric, linen fabric, viscose fabric, hemp fabric, or recycled cellulose fabric, and more preferably, optionally, a cotton fabric containing elastane fibers and / or polyester (PES) fibers. Examples of cotton fabrics include, but are not limited to, 100% cotton, a 70% / 30% blend of cotton and PES, and a 94-97% / 6-3% blend of cotton and elastane.

[0024] As used herein, a certain area of ​​the back / front of a fabric encompasses 70% or more, preferably 80% or more, of the entire surface of the back / front of the fabric. Complementary non-printed areas of the back and / or front of the fabric may be used to personalize the fabric and the garment by adding, for example, photographs, patterns, or logos.

[0025] To obtain a fabric having the appearance and texture of denim, the uncolored fabric is preferably a woven fabric with diagonal ribs (for example, a twill weave fabric in which each warp thread passes through a number of weft threads, and parallel straight lines are printed at an angle of 60° to 120° to the ribs). Therefore, a preferred manufacturing process according to the present invention includes the following steps: (a) To provide a non-colored fabric containing 70% by weight or more of cellulose fibers, wherein the fabric is a woven fabric having diagonal ribs; (b) Contacting the above fabric with an alkaline solution; (c) To provide the appearance of the reverse side of denim by inkjet printing a parallel straight line pattern on the reverse side of the fabric or on a certain area of ​​the reverse side of the fabric using one or more inks; Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. -1The material has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP), the lines are printed at an angle of 60° to 120° to the rib, preferably the lines have a width of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, and the distance between each of two adjacent lines is 0.1 mm to 5 mm; (d) Dry the above fabric; (e) To provide the appearance of the front of the denim by inkjet printing on the front of the fabric or on a certain area of ​​the front of the fabric using one or more inks. Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. -1 It has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP); (f) Fixing the above reactive dye to the above fabric; and (g) Optionally, wash and dry the above fabric.

[0026] In the process claimed and described herein, step (c) is performed before step (e), i.e., the reverse side of the fabric is printed before the front side of the fabric. Performing steps (c), (d), and (e) sequentially reduces the risk of color contamination from the front side and ensures high quality of the parallel linear pattern printed on the reverse side of the fabric.

[0027] The use of inkjet printing technology in the manufacturing process claimed and described herein makes it possible to manufacture a fabric having different shades and / or colors on the front and back of the fabric. In a preferred process according to the present invention, the resulting fabric has at least two different shades on the front. In a more preferred process according to the present invention, the resulting fabric has a first shade on the front and a second shade on the back, wherein the first shade is different from the second shade.

[0028] One or more inks used in inkjet printing in steps (c) and (e) of the manufacturing process claimed and described in this application contain a reactive dye. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the reactive dye contains a chromogen or chromophoric part and one or more reactive functional groups linked to the chromogen via crosslinking units. The chromophore or chromophoric part imparts color to the dye. One or more reactive functional groups react with cellulosic fibers in the fabric via a nucleophilic substitution or nucleophilic addition mechanism to form covalent bonds. The strong covalent bonds between the dye and the cellulosic fibers provide the reactive dye with remarkable fastness. Examples of suitable reactive dyes include NOVACRON® C Yellow C-5G (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Orange CG (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Red C-2G (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Red CR (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Blue C-4R (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Turquoise C-GN (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Black CN (supplier: Huntsman), EVERPLUS Yellow L-6G (supplier: EVERLIGHT), EVERPLUS Orange L-2R (supplier: EVERLIGHT), EVERPLUS CYAN LG (supplier: EVERLIGHT), and EVERPLUS Blue L-3R (supplier: EVERLIGHT; CAS). Nr:61968-93-2), EVERPLUS Red L-6B (Supplier: EVERLIGHT;CAS Nr:113653-03-5), and EVERPLUS BLACK SGR (Supplier: EVERLIGHT;CAS Nr.17096-24-8).

[0029] Preferably, one or more inks used in steps (c) and / or (e) of the manufacturing process claimed and described herein are used at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. -1 Therefore, it has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP), and / or • 10-25% by weight of reactive dye; • 25-28% by weight of a wetting agent; • 0.25-1% by weight of biocides; • 0.02-0.5% by weight of surfactant; • 0.5-2% by weight of a complexing agent; • 2-15% by weight of solubilizer; • 0.25-1% acid; • A thickening agent up to 2% by weight; and • Remaining water Includes.

[0030] The ink may contain 15% by weight of NOVACRON® C Yellow C-5G, or 17% by weight of NOVACRON® C Orange CG, or 18% by weight of NOVACRON® C Red C-2G, or 20% by weight of NOVACRON® C Red CR, or 21% by weight of NOVACRON® C Blue C-4R, or 18% by weight of NOVACRON® C Turquoise C-GN, or 23% by weight of NOVACRON® C Black CN.

[0031] Examples of wetting agents include, but are not limited to, propylene glycol (IUPAC name: propane-1,2-diol). Examples of biocides include, but are not limited to, Proxel GXL (IUPAC name: benzisothiazolinone; supplier: Azelis Switzerland). Examples of surfactants include, but are not limited to, Zonyl FSO (a fluorosurfactant commercially available from Sigma-Aldrich). Examples of complexing agents include, but are not limited to, Trilon® M (supplier: BASF). Examples of solubilizing agents include, but are not limited to, caprolactam (IUPAC name: azepan-2-one). Examples of acids include, but are not limited to, citric acid. Examples of thickeners include, but are not limited to, polyglycol P41 (commercially available from Omya).

[0032] While not bound by theory, in the manufacturing process claimed and described herein, a blendable CMYK set of inks (i.e., cyan (C) ink, magenta (M) ink, yellow (Y) ink, and black (K) ink) is considered sufficient to achieve the full color space of denim. To enable an extended color space, additional inks such as orange, blue, green, and green inks may be used in steps (c) and / or (e). An example of an ink suitable for the process of the present invention is an ink having the following composition:

[0033] [Table 1]

[0034] Further inks suitable for the manufacturing process of the present invention include SwissJet NR7 HD inks commercially available from SPC Switzerland (e.g., SwissJet NR7 HD Yellow, SwissJet NR7 HD Magenta, SwissJet NR7 HD Cyan, SwissJet NR7 HD Black).

[0035] In preferred embodiments, the reactive dyes present in one or more inks used in step (c) and one or more inks used in step (e) are mono-reactive dyes having one reactive functional group. The reactive functional group is preferably selected from a mono-chlorotriazine reactive functional group, a mono-fluorotriazine reactive functional group, and a mono-vinyl sulfone reactive functional group, more preferably from a mono-chlorotriazine reactive functional group and a mono-vinyl sulfone reactive functional group. Suitable single-reactive dyes include, but are not limited to, EVERPLUS Yellow L-6G (supplier: EVERLIGHT), EVERPLUS Orange L-2R (supplier: EVERLIGHT), EVERPLUS CYAN LG (supplier: EVERLIGHT), EVERPLUS Blue L-3R (supplier: EVERLIGHT; CAS Nr: 61968-93-2), EVERPLUS RED L-6B (supplier: EVERLIGHT; CAS Nr: 113653-03-5), and EVERPLUS BLACK SGR (supplier: EVERLIGHT; CAS Nr: 17095-24-8). In this embodiment, step (b) is: (b-1) Uncolored fabric, • 120-200 g / L of urea; • 80-150 g / L of thickening agent (such as alginate thickener); • 30-45 g / L of sodium carbonate; • 2-5 g / L of degassing agent (e.g., Croscolor PTM (supplier: Eurodye-CTC); and • 10-20 g / L of reducing agent (e.g., Croscolor ARI (supplier: Eurodye-CTC), etc.) Padding with an aqueous alkaline solution containing; and (b-2) Dry the fabric from step (b-1) at a temperature of 120°C to 140°C for at least one minute. It is preferable to include it.

[0036] The alkaline aqueous solution preferably does not contain organic solvents (i.e., water is the only solvent present). Deaerating agents, also known as air release agents or deaerators, as is well known in the field of textile chemistry, are textile auxiliarys designed to rapidly release air from fabrics, for example, during fabric pretreatment / dyeing / finishing processes. Due to their wetting, defoaming, and penetrating properties, deaerating agents remove hidden air pockets from fabrics (including tightly packed, densely woven fabrics) (for example, during pretreatment), thereby ensuring better ink penetration and performance. Examples of suitable deaerating agents include known silicone-based deaerating agents and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP). Examples of commercially available degassing agents include Croscolor PTM (supplier: Eurodie-CTC), sodium hexametaphosphate, DYNAPAN 360F (supplier: SILITEX), and TEGO Antifoam 1488 (supplier: EVONIK). As is well known in the field of textile chemistry, an "anti-reducing agent" or "anti-reduction agent" is an oxidizing agent that prevents the reduction of dyes (e.g., reactive dyes) during printing and dyeing processes. As used herein, the term "anti-reducing agent" refers to an anti-reducing agent for reactive dyes and includes sodium metanitrobenzenesulfonate and the degassing agent marketed under the trade name Croscolor ARI.

[0037] Preferably, step (b-2) is carried out by exposing the fabric obtained in step (b-1) to air having a temperature of 120°C to 140°C for less than 5 minutes (preferably less than 3 minutes), for example, 2 minutes.

[0038] To fix the single-reactive dye to the fabric, the fabric obtained in step (e) is preferably steam-treated at a temperature of 100°C to 105°C for 5 to 15 minutes (preferably 7 to 13 minutes). Therefore, step (f) preferably includes steam-treating the fabric at a temperature of 100°C to 105°C for 5 to 15 minutes.

[0039] In another, more preferred embodiment, the reactive dye present in one or more inks used in step (c) and one or more inks used in step (e) is a bi-reactive dye having a first reactive functional group and a second reactive functional group. The first and second reactive functional groups are independently selected from a monochlorotriazine reactive functional group, a monofluorotriazine reactive functional group, a monovinylsulfone reactive functional group, and a fluorochloropyrimidine reactive functional group. The bi-reactive dye may, for example, have a mono-vinylsulfone reactive functional group and a fluorochloropyrimidine reactive functional group, or a mono-fluorotriazine reactive functional group and a mono-vinylsulfone reactive functional group. Examples of suitable bireactive dyes include, but are not limited to, NOVACRON® C Yellow C-5G (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® Orange CG (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Red C-2G (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Red CR (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Blue C-4R (supplier: Huntsman), NOVACRON® C Turquoise C-GN (supplier: Huntsman), and NOVACRON® C Black CN (supplier: Huntsman). In this embodiment, step (b) is: (b-3) Uncolored fabric, 15-35 g / L (preferably 15-25 g / L) of sodium hydroxide; 60-80 g / L (preferably 70 g / L) of sodium alginate Padding with an alkaline aqueous solution containing; and (b-4) Dry the fabric from step (b-3) at a temperature of 120°C to 140°C for at least 1 minute (preferably 2 minutes). It is preferable to include it.

[0040] The alkaline aqueous solution preferably does not contain organic solvents (i.e., water is the only solvent it contains). Step (b-4) is preferably carried out by exposing the fabric obtained in step (b-3) to air having a temperature of 120°C to 140°C. In order to fix the bireactive dye to the fabric, the fabric obtained in step (e) is preferably maintained at a temperature of 20°C to 30°C for 5 to 9 hours. Therefore, step (f) preferably includes maintaining the fabric at a temperature of 20°C to 30°C for 5 to 9 hours.

[0041] In step (d) of the manufacturing process of the present invention, the fabric obtained in step (c) is dried to remove the solvent contained in one or more inks used to print on the back of the fabric. Drying is preferably carried out by exposing the fabric to hot air (for example, air having a temperature of 120°C to 140°C).

[0042] The process claimed and described in this application may optionally include step (g): (g) Wash and dry the fabric. Washing may include soaping the fabric and then rinsing it with water. The washed fabric can then be dried by exposing it to hot air (for example, air having a temperature of 120°C to 140°C).

[0043] Advantageously, steps (c)–(e) of the claimed and described process can be fully automated and carried out on a digital printing press for direct printing of fabrics integrated with an air dryer (e.g., the Reggiani ReNoir PRO Digital Printing Machine, commercially available from EFI).

[0044] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a process for manufacturing indigo-free garments having the appearance of denim, comprising the step of converting the obtained denim fabric into garments. The garments having the appearance of denim are preferably selected from jeans, jackets, shirts, skirts, and dresses. In a preferred embodiment, the garments having the appearance of denim are jeans.

[0045] The process for manufacturing indigo-free garments claimed and described in this application may further include step (h): (h) To finish clothing.

[0046] The finishing process allows for altering the appearance of the garment, thereby enabling customization of the garment by, for example, removing color, creating contrast effects such as a worn-out visual effect, and / or softening the surface of the fabric. Where present, the finishing process preferably involves laser treatment and subsequent washing with water to remove decomposed reactive dyes. Laser treatment is a fast, precise, and most environmentally friendly finishing process that allows for customization of the garment by creating cuts, holes, fraying, and a “vintage” effect. Advantageously, backstaining does not occur in the manufacturing processes described herein.

[0047] A third aspect of the present invention relates to an indigo-free fabric having the appearance of denim. The fabric contains 70% by weight or more of cellulose fibers. The cellulose fibers contain hydroxyl groups substituted with a portion represented by the general formula Chr-L- (wherein Chr is a chromogen and -L- is a linker that links the chromogen to the oxygen of the hydroxyl group). The back surface of the fabric, or a certain area of ​​the back surface, has an inkjet-printed parallel linear pattern, preferably with a distance of 0.1 mm to 5 mm between two adjacent lines and a line width of 0.1 mm to 2 mm. The front surface of the fabric, or a certain area of ​​the front surface, has an inkjet-printed pattern having the appearance of denim. The indigo-free fabric claimed and described herein exhibits excellent colorfastness and is free from the risk of backstaining during washing.

[0048] Chromogen Chr is a chromogen derived from a reactive dye (e.g., a monoreactive dye or a direactive dye). The linker-L- that links the chromogen to the oxygen of the hydroxyl group comprises the crosslinking unit of the reactive dye and the remaining portion of the reactive functional group obtained after nucleophilic substitution or nucleophilic addition with the hydroxyl group of the cellulose fiber (e.g., mono-chlorotriazine, mono-fluorotriazine, mono-vinyl sulfone of the above reactive dye). For example, if the reactive dye used for printing on fabric has the following structure:

[0049] [ka]

[0050] Chromogen Chr has the following structure:

[0051] [ka]

[0052] Linker-L has the following structure:

[0053] [ka]

[0054] A preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to an indigo-free fabric as described herein, where the fabric is a woven fabric having diagonal ribs, and parallel lines are printed at an angle of 60° to 120° with respect to the ribs. Such an indigo-free fabric has not only the appearance but also the texture of denim.

[0055] The indigo-free fabrics described herein may have different colors and / or shades on the front and back. For example, the indigo-free fabric may have two or more different shades on the front, or the fabric may have a first shade on the front and a second shade on the back, the first shade being different from the second shade.

[0056] A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to an indigo-free fabric having the appearance of denim, obtained by a process claimed and described herein.

[0057] A fifth aspect of the present invention relates to indigo-free garments having the appearance of denim, including indigo-free fabrics claimed and described herein. The garments are preferably selected from jeans, jackets, shirts, skirts, and dresses, and more preferably jeans.

[0058] To further illustrate the present invention, the following embodiments are provided. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0059] <Examples> A non-colored woven fabric containing 70% or more by weight of cellulose fibers (supplier: Evlox) was padded with an alkaline aqueous solution containing 120 g / L of urea, 100 g / L of alginate thickener, 30 g / L of sodium carbonate, 2 g / L of Croslor PTM (supplier: urodye-CTC; deaeration agent), and 10 g / L of Croscolor ARI (supplier: urodye-CTC; anti-reducing agent) (pickup: 70-80%).

[0060] After drying at a temperature of 120-140°C for 2 minutes, the fabric roll was loaded into a Reggiani ReNoir PRO Digital Printing Machine (manufactured by EFI) connected to an air dryer for inkjet printing a linear pattern parallel to the back of the fabric. The fabric was dried by exposing it to hot air (120-140°C) for 1 minute, and the pattern was inkjet printed on the front of the fabric. The color containers of the printing machine were filled with SwissJet NNR7 HD Yellow ink, SwissJet NR7 HD Magenta ink, SwissJet NR7 HD Cyan ink, and SwissJet NR7 HD Black ink (all commercially available from SPC Switzerland).

[0061] The fabric was then steam-treated at approximately 102°C for 8 minutes to fix the reactive dyes.

[0062] Next, the inkjet-printed fabric was treated with soap at a temperature of 95°C to 98°C and dried with hot air (120°C to 140°C) for 2 minutes.

[0063] The fabric obtained as described above was used to manufacture jeans.

[0064] Figures 1 and 2 are photographs of the two types of fabric and jeans obtained as described above (Figure 1: black fabric and jeans; Figure 2: blue fabric and jeans).

Claims

1. The indigo-free process for producing denim-like fabrics includes the following steps: (a) To provide a non-colored fabric containing 70% by weight or more of cellulose fibers; (b) Contacting the uncolored fabric with an alkaline solution; (c) To provide the appearance of the back of denim by inkjet printing a parallel straight line pattern on the back of the fabric or on a certain area of ​​the back of the fabric using one or more inks. Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. －１ It has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP); (d) Dry the fabric; (e) To provide the appearance of the front of the denim by inkjet printing on the front of the fabric or on a certain area of ​​the front of the fabric using one or more inks. Here, each of the one or more inks contains a reactive dye, preferably at 25°C and a shear rate of 200-400 s. －１ It has a viscosity of 5 cP to 9 cP (more preferably 6 to 7 cP); (f) Fixing the reactive dye to the fabric; and (g) Optionally, wash and dry the fabric.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the distance between each of two adjacent lines is 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the width of the lines is 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the fabric is a woven fabric having diagonal ribs, and the parallel lines are printed at an angle of 60° to 120° with respect to the ribs.

4. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reactive dye present in one or more inks used in step (c) and one or more inks used in step (e) is a mono-reactive dye having one reactive functional group, preferably the reactive dye is selected from a mono-chlorotriazine reactive functional group, a mono-fluorotriazine reactive functional group, and a mono-vinylsulfone reactive functional group.

5. Step (b) is, (b-1) The uncolored fabric, 120-200 g / L of urea; • Thickening agent in amounts of 80-150 g / L; 30-45 g / L of sodium carbonate; - 2-5 g / L of degassing agent; and • Anti-reducing agent 10-20 g / L Padding with an aqueous alkaline solution containing; and (b-2) Dry the fabric from step (b-1) at a temperature of 120°C to 140°C for at least one minute. The process according to claim 4, including the process described in claim 4.

6. The process according to claim 4 or 5, wherein step (f) includes steaming the fabric at a temperature of 100°C to 105°C for 5 to 15 minutes.

7. The reactive dye present in one or more inks used in step (c) and one or more inks used in step (e) is a bi-reactive dye having a first reactive functional group and a second reactive functional group. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first reactive functional group and the second reactive functional group are independently selected from a monochlorotriazine reactive functional group, a monofluorotriazine reactive functional group, a monovinylsulfone reactive functional group, and a fluorochloropyrimidine reactive functional group.

8. Step (b) is, (b-3) The uncolored fabric, 15-35 g / L sodium hydroxide; 60-80 g / L sodium alginate Padding with an alkaline aqueous solution containing; and (b-4) Dry the fabric from step (b-3) at a temperature of 120°C to 140°C for at least one minute. The process according to claim 7, including the process described in claim 7.

9. The process according to claim 7 or 8, wherein step (f) includes maintaining the fabric at a temperature of 20°C to 30°C for 5 to 9 hours.

10. A process for producing an indigo-free garment having the appearance of denim (preferably jeans), comprising the step of converting a fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 9 into a garment.

11. An indigo-free fabric having the appearance of denim, The back surface of the fabric, or a portion of the back surface, has an inkjet-printed parallel straight line pattern and the appearance of the back surface of denim. The front surface of the fabric, or a portion of the front surface, has an inkjet printed pattern having the appearance of the front surface of denim. The fabric contains 70% by mass or more of cellulose fibers having hydroxyl groups substituted with a portion represented by the general formula Chr-L-, where Chr is a chromogen and -L- is a linker that links the chromogen to the oxygen of the hydroxyl group. Indigo-free fabric.

12. The fabric according to claim 11, wherein the distance between each of two adjacent lines is 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the width of the lines is 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

13. The fabric according to claim 12, wherein the fabric is a woven fabric having diagonal ribs, and the parallel lines are printed at an angle of 60° to 120° with respect to the ribs.

14. The parallel linear pattern printed by inkjet is a parallel linear pattern printed by piezo inkjet, The fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the inkjet-printed pattern is a piezo-inkjet-printed pattern.

15. An indigo-free garment having the appearance of denim (preferably jeans), comprising the indigo-free fabric described in any one of claims 11 to 14.

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