Nylon-cotton fabric having high durability and breathability.

Abstract

Included are lightweight nylon-cotton (NYCO) fabrics having high durability and breathability made from nylon staple fibers having a denier per filament of about 1.0 to 3.0, a tenacity T at break of at least about 6.0, and a load-bearing capacity, T7, of greater than about 2.5, including greater than 3.2. Such nylon staple fibers may be produced by preparing tows of nylon filaments, drawing and annealing such tows via a multi-stage drawing and annealing operation and then cutting or otherwise converting the drawn and annealed tows into the desired high strength nylon staple fibers.