Stretchable fabrics and related uses

Abstract

Some aspects of the present disclosure are related to stretchable fabrics, for example, for use in articles of clothing. In some cases, the fabrics comprise various combinations of different types of fibers, which may result in the fabrics having desirable combinations of properties. For instance, in some embodiments, the fabrics may comprise flame -resistant fibers, cellulosic fibers, and / or elastane fibers, wherein the fabrics are relatively soft, stretchable, and flame resistant. Some aspects of the present disclosure are related to articles of clothing comprising the fabrics. According to some embodiments, the articles of clothing may be suitably sized for children's clothing, wherein the combination of properties may enhance wearability and / or safety of the article of clothing, relative to clothing comprising conventional fabrics.

Description

[0001] STRETCHABLE FABRICS AND RELATED USES

[0002] RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 506,345, filed June 5, 2023, and entitled “STRETCHABLE FABRICS AND RELATED USES,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0004] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0005] Stretchable fabrics and related uses are generally described.

[0006] BACKGROUND

[0007] It is desirable for fabrics, for example, for use in articles of clothing, to have certain properties, such as flame resistance. To obtain flame resistance in clothing, flame resistant fibers may be used in the fabric or the fabric may be treated with flame resistant chemical additives. Often times, flame resistant fibers feel scratchy and / or synthetic, making them uncomfortable to wear, whereas flame resistant chemical additives may present other safety hazards that are undesirable.

[0008] An alternative solution to flame-resistance is to make tight-fitting clothing to avoid loose fits. Tight-fitting clothing decreases the likelihood of the article of clothing catching fire when, for instance, around a heat source. In some cases, however, tight- fitting clothing may not be sized correctly and thus may not fit appropriately.

[0009] Accordingly, improved fabrics and articles of clothing comprising fabrics are needed.

[0010] SUMMARY

[0011] Some aspects of the present disclosure are related to stretchable fabrics, for example, for use in articles of clothing. The subject matter of the present disclosure involves, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and / or a plurality of different uses of one or more systems and / or articles.

[0012] Some aspects are related to articles of clothing. In some embodiments, the article of clothing comprises a fabric layer comprising greater than or equal to 1 wt% and less than or equal to 10 wt% elastane fibers, greater than or equal to 20 wt% and less than or equal to 50 wt% cellulosic fibers, and greater than or equal to 40 wt% and less than or equal to 80 wt% flame resistant fibers. In some embodiments, the fabric layer of the article of clothing has a stiffness of no more than 100 N / m according to an ASTM DI 388- 18 standard test. According to some embodiments, the fabric layer of the article of clothing stretches by less than or equal to 2 cm when tested according to an ASTM D2594 / 2594M-21 standard test.

[0013] Some aspects are directed to articles of clothing (e.g., as defined as a tight-fitting garment as defined in 16 CFR 1615.1(c) or 16 CFR 1616.2(m)). In some embodiments, the fabric layer of the article of clothing passes the flammability test according to 16 CFR Part 1615 / 1616. In accordance with some embodiments, the fabric layer of the article of clothing has a basis weight of greater than 100 gsm and less than or equal to 300 gsm. In some embodiments, the fabric layer of the article of clothing has a thickness of greater than 0.1 mm and less than 2 mm. According to some embodiments, the wherein the article of clothing is sized for children’s wear. In some embodiments, the article of clothing of claim 8, wherein a size of the article of clothing is US sizes NB-3M, 3M-6M, 6M-9M, 3M-9M, 9M-12M, 12M-18M, 12M-24M, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T, 5Y-8Y, and foreign equivalents. According to some embodiments, the article of clothing is sized for adult wear. In some embodiments, the article of clothing is configured to stretch such that the article of clothing may fit a range of sizes.

[0014] Some aspects are related to articles of clothing wherein the article of clothing is selected from the group consisting of footies, coveralls, gowns, separates, dresses, rompers, twotie, bibs, hats, headbands, swaddles, pajamas, shirts, coats, underwear, loungewear, gowns, robes, cardigans, nursing wear, and the like. In some embodiments, the article of clothing further comprises a closure. In some such cases, the closure is magnetic fastener. According to some embodiments, the fabric layer of the article of clothing further comprises dyes, pigments, or the like.

[0015] Some aspects are related to articles of clothing, wherein the cellulosic fibers are selected from the group consisting of modal, Lyocell, and rayon. According to some embodiments, the flame-resistant fibers of the article of clothing are selected from the group consisting of modacrylic, rayon, silk, nylon, polyester, and cotton. According to some embodiments, the article of clothing comprises a fabric layer comprising greater than or equal to 55 wt% and less than or equal to 65 wt% modacrylic, greater than or equal to 30 wt% and less than or equal to 40 wt% modal, and greater than or equal to 2 wt% and less than or equal to 8 wt% elastane. In some embodiments, the article of clothing comprises a fabric layer consisting of elastane fibers, cellulosic fibers, and flame-resistant fibers. In some embodiments, the article of clothing comprises a fabric layer consisting of modacrylic fibers, modal fibers, and spandex fibers.

[0016] Other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments of the disclosure when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. In cases where the present specification and a document incorporated by reference include conflicting and / or inconsistent disclosure, the present specification shall control.

[0017] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated. In the figures, each identical or nearly identical component illustrated is typically represented by a single numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure, nor is every component of each embodiment of the disclosure shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure. In the figures:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an article of clothing, according to some embodiments.

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Some aspects of the present disclosure are related to stretchable fabrics, for example, for use in articles of clothing. In some cases, the fabrics comprise various combinations of different types of fibers, which may result in the fabrics having desirable combinations of properties. For instance, in some embodiments, the fabrics may comprise flame -resistant fibers, cellulosic fibers, and / or elastane fibers, wherein the fabrics are relatively soft, stretchable, and flame resistant. Some aspects of the present disclosure are related to articles of clothing comprising the fabrics. According to some embodiments, the articles of clothing may be suitably sized for children’s clothing, wherein the combination of properties may enhance wearability and / or safety of the article of clothing, relative to clothing comprising conventional fabrics. Other types of articles of clothing are also possible.

[0022] Advantageously, the fabrics described herein may stretch with the growth of the wearer. By way of example, and without wishing to be limited as such, a child may wear an article of clothing comprising the fabrics described herein having a particular size. The child may grow (e.g., as the child ages), and the fabric layer of the article of clothing may stretch comfortably to accommodate the child’s growth (e.g., beyond the original size of the article). In some embodiments, the blends of fibers described herein (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 wt% and less than or equal to 10 wt% elastane fibers; greater than or equal to 20 wt% and less than or equal to 50 wt% cellulosic fibers; and greater than or equal to 40 wt% and less than or equal to 80 wt% flame resistant fibers) may provide advantageous and desirable stretchability as compared to other fiber blends.

[0023] In some embodiments, it is generally desirable for fabrics, to have certain properties, such as flame resistance. To obtain flame resistance in clothing, in some embodiments, flame resistant fibers may be used in the fabric and / or the fabric may be treated with flame resistant chemical additives. When present in articles of clothing, in some cases, flame resistant fibers may feel scratchy and / or feel synthetic, making the articles of clothing generally uncomfortable to wear. When present in articles of clothing, flame resistant chemical additives may, in some cases, present undesirable safety hazards. In some cases, an alternative solution to flame-resistant fabrics may be to make tight-fitting clothing to avoid loose fits. Tight-fitting clothing decreases the likelihood of the article of clothing catching fire when, for instance, around a heat source. However, in some cases, tight-fitting clothing may not be sized correctly and thus may not fit the wearer appropriately.

[0024] In some embodiments, the fabric layers of the present disclosure may comprise flame-resistant fibers and / or other fibers, for example, cellulosic fibers and / or elastane fibers. The combinations of fibers as disclosed herein advantageously provide desirable properties, in some embodiments, such as flame resistance without undesirable properties such as a scratchy and / or synthetic feel which is common with conventional flame-resistant fabrics. Some of the fiber combinations may be flame resistant, while also being relatively soft and / or stretchable, which may increase the wearability (e.g., comfort of material, size of fit, durability and / or lifespan of the article) of any articles of clothing comprising the fabric layer. For example, in some embodiments, the fiber combinations described herein may desirably stretch, and accordingly may be configured to fit as different sizes and / or a size of ranges (e.g., S-M size clothing, as described in more detail elsewhere herein).

[0025] In some cases, such as when the articles of clothing are designed for children, the flame resistance of the fabric enhances safety, the softness of the fabric provides desired comfort, and / or the stretchability of the fabric may allow for the article of clothing to be worn as a tight-fitting article of clothing for a relatively long time (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 month, greater than or equal to 2 months, greater than or equal to 3 months, or other time periods as disclosed elsewhere herein) without being too small, for instance, as the child grows, as compared to, for example, tight fitting clothing without the inventive combination of fibers disclosed herein.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an article of clothing 100. In some cases, the article of clothing 100 may comprise fabric layer 110, wherein fabric layer 110 is flame-resistant. In some embodiments, the fabric layer is flame-resistant without comprising any flame-resistant chemical additives. However, in some embodiments, the fabric layer may comprise one or more flame-resistant chemical additives.

[0027] While article of clothing 100 in FIG. 1 is generally depicted as a shirt, this is intended for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting. For example, as described herein and below, the article of clothing may comprise any suitable number of types of clothing including, but not limited to, shirts, pants, jackets, bodysuits, etc.

[0028] For example, in some embodiments, the fabric layers of the present disclosure may consist of modal, modacrylic, and / or elastane fibers and may be flame resistant, relatively soft, and / or stretchable. In some cases, the fabric comprises greater than or equal to 35 wt% of modal fibers and elastane fibers, neither of which are generally considered flame-resistant. Accordingly, the inventors have recognized that, in some such cases, despite the relatively large wt% of non-flame-resistant fibers, flame-resistant fabrics may still be obtained by using the combinations of fibers as described herein, wherein the resulting fabric layers have other desirable properties (e.g., softness and / or stretchability). As mentioned above, the present disclosure is generally related to fabrics and articles of clothing comprising the fabrics, wherein the fabrics may exhibit desirable properties such as enhanced softness, stretchability, and / or flammability resistance, relative to conventional fabrics. In some cases, articles of clothing comprising a fabric layer are described, wherein the fabric layer comprises greater than 1 wt% and less than 10 wt% elastane fibers, greater than 20 wt% and less than 50 wt% cellulosic fibers, and greater than 40 wt% and less than or equal to 80 wt% flame resistant fibers.

[0029] The fabric layers described in the present disclosure may comprise a variety of suitable fibers, in some cases. Different fibers present within the fabric layers, according to some embodiments, may impart desirable properties to the fabric layer such as enhanced softness, stretchability, and / or flammability resistance, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may comprise elastane fibers, cellulosic fibers, and / or flame-resistant fibers. According to some embodiments, the fabric layer may consist of elastane fibers (e.g., spandex fibers), cellulosic fibers, and / or flame-resistant fibers. Exemplary cellulosic fibers include modal, Lyocell, cotton, and rayon. Non-limiting cases of flame-resistant fibers include modacrylic, nylon, olefin, wool, polyester, and acrylic. In some cases, the fabric layer may comprise modacrylic fibers, modal fibers, and / or spandex fibers. The fabric layer may consist of fibers selected from the group of modacrylic fibers, modal fibers, and / or spandex fibers, according to an exemplary set of embodiments.

[0030] In some cases, the fabric layer comprises flame-resistant fibers (e.g., modacrylic, rayon, silk, nylon, polyester, and / or cotton fibers). According to some embodiments, flame-resistant fibers are present in the fabric layer in an amount of greater than or equal to 40 wt%, greater than or equal to 42 wt%, greater than or equal to 44 wt%, greater than or equal to 46 wt%, greater than or equal to 48 wt%, greater than or equal to 50 wt%, greater than or equal to 52 wt%, greater than or equal to 54 wt%, greater than or equal to 55 wt%, greater than or equal to 56 wt%, greater than or equal to 57 wt%, greater than or equal to 58 wt%, greater than or equal to 59 wt%, greater than or equal to 60 wt%, greater than or equal to 61 wt%, greater than or equal to 62 wt%, greater than or equal to 63 wt%, greater than or equal to 64 wt%, greater than or equal to 65 wt%, greater than or equal to 66 wt%, greater than or equal to 68 wt%, greater than or equal to 70 wt%, greater than or equal to 72 wt%, greater than or equal to 74 wt%, greater than or equal to 76 wt%, greater than or equal to 78 wt%, or greater than or equal to 80 wt% of the total weight of the fabric layer. In some cases, flame-resistant fibers are present in an amount of less than or equal to 80 wt%, less than or equal to 78 wt%, less than or equal to 76 wt%, less than or equal to 74 wt%, less than or equal to 72 wt%, less than or equal to 70 wt%, less than or equal to 68 wt%, less than or equal to 66 wt%, less than or equal to 65 wt%, less than or equal to 64 wt%, less than or equal to 63 wt%, less than or equal to 62 wt%, less than or equal to 61 wt%, less than or equal to 60 wt%, less than or equal to 59 wt%, less than or equal to 58 wt%, less than or equal to 57 wt%, less than or equal to 56 wt%, less than or equal to 55 wt%, less than or equal to 54 wt%, less than or equal to 52 wt%, less than or equal to 50 wt%, less than or equal to 48 wt%, less than or equal to 46 wt%, less than or equal to 44 wt%, less than or equal to 42 wt%, or less than or equal to 40 wt% of the total weight of the fabric layer. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 55 wt% and less than or equal to 65 wt%, greater than or equal to 40 wt% and less than or equal to 80 wt%). Other ranges are also possible.

[0031] In some cases, the fabric layer comprises cellulosic fibers (e.g., modal, Lyocell, and / or rayon fibers). According to some embodiments, cellulosic fibers are present in the fabric layer in an amount of greater than or equal to 20 wt%, greater than or equal to 22 wt%, greater than or equal to 24 wt%, greater than or equal to 26 wt%, greater than or equal to 28 wt%, greater than or equal to 30 wt%, greater than or equal to 31 wt%, greater than or equal to 32 wt%, greater than or equal to 33 wt%, greater than or equal to 34 wt%, greater than or equal to 35 wt%, greater than or equal to 36 wt%, greater than or equal to 37 wt%, greater than or equal to 38 wt%, greater than or equal to 39 wt%, greater than or equal to 40 wt%, greater than or equal to 42 wt%, greater than or equal to 44 wt%, greater than or equal to 46 wt%, greater than or equal to 48 wt%, or greater than or equal to 50 wt% of the total weight of the fabric layer. In some cases, cellulosic fibers are present in an amount of less than or equal to 50 wt%, less than or equal to 48 wt%, less than or equal to 46 wt%, less than or equal to 44 wt%, less than or equal to 42 wt%, less than or equal to 40 wt%, less than or equal to 39 wt%, less than or equal to 38 wt%, less than or equal to 37 wt%, less than or equal to 36 wt%, less than or equal to 35 wt%, less than or equal to 34 wt%, less than or equal to 33 wt%, less than or equal to 32 wt%, less than or equal to 31 wt%, less than or equal to 30 wt%, less than or equal to 28 wt%, less than or equal to 26 wt%, less than or equal to 24 wt%, less than or equal to 22 wt%, or less than or equal to 20 wt% of the total weight of the layer. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 30 wt% and less than or equal to 40 wt%, greater than or equal to 20 wt% and less than or equal to 50 wt%). Other ranges are also possible.

[0032] In accordance with some embodiments, the fabric layer comprises elastane fibers (e.g., spandex fibers). According to some embodiments, elastane fibers are present in the fabric layer in an amount of greater than or equal to 1 wt%, greater than or equal to 2 wt%, greater than or equal to 3 wt%, greater than or equal to 4 wt%, greater than or equal to 5 wt%, greater than or equal to 6 wt%, greater than or equal to 7 wt%, greater than or equal to 8 wt%, greater than or equal to 9 wt%, or greater than or equal to 10 wt% of the total weight of the fabric layer. In some cases, elastane fibers are present in an amount of less than or equal to 10 wt%, less than or equal to 9 wt%, less than or equal to 8 wt%, less than or equal to 7 wt%, less than or equal to 6 wt%, less than or equal to 5 wt%, less than or equal to 4 wt%, less than or equal to 3 wt%, less than or equal to 2 wt%, or less than or equal to 1 wt% of the total weight of the layer. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 2 wt% and less than or equal to 8 wt%, greater than or equal to 1 wt% and less than or equal to 10 wt%). Other ranges are also possible.

[0033] The fabric layer, in some embodiments, may comprise flame resistant fibers (e.g., modacrylic, rayon, silk, nylon, polyester, and / or cotton fibers), cellulosic fibers (e.g., modal, Lyocell, and / or rayon fibers), and / or elastane fibers (e.g., spandex fibers). In some cases, the weight of flame resistant fibers, cellulosic fibers, and elastane fibers in the fabric layer is greater than or equal to 61 wt%, greater than or equal to 65 wt%, greater than or equal to 70 wt%, greater than or equal to 75 wt%, greater than or equal to 80 wt%, greater than or equal to 85 wt%, greater than or equal to 87 wt%, greater than or equal to 88 wt%, greater than or equal to 89 wt%, greater than or equal to 90 wt%, greater than or equal to 91 wt%, greater than or equal to 92 wt%, greater than or equal to 93 wt%, greater than or equal to 94 wt%, greater than or equal to 95 wt%, greater than or equal to 96 wt%, greater than or equal to 97 wt%, greater than or equal to 98 wt%, greater than or equal to 99 wt%, or up to 100 wt% of the total weight of the fabric layer. In accordance with some embodiments, the weight of flame resistant fibers, cellulosic fibers, and elastane fibers in the fabric layer is less than or equal to 100 wt%, less than or equal to 99 wt%, less than or equal to 98 wt%, less than or equal to 97 wt%, less than or equal to 96 wt%, less than or equal to 95 wt%, less than or equal to 94 wt%, less than or equal to 93 wt%, less than or equal to 92 wt%, less than or equal to 91 wt%, less than or equal to 90 wt%, less than or equal to 89 wt%, less than or equal to 88 wt%, less than or equal to 87 wt%, less than or equal to 85 wt%, less than or equal to 80 wt%, less than or equal to 75 wt%, less than or equal to 70 wt%, less than or equal to 65 wt%, or less than or equal to 61 wt% of the total weight of the fabric layer. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 87 wt% and less than or equal to 100 wt%, greater than or equal to 61 wt% and less than or equal to 100 wt%, greater than or equal to 61 wt% and less than or equal to 87 wt%). Other ranges are possible.

[0034] The fabric layer, in some cases, comprises greater than or equal to 55 wt% and less than or equal to 65 wt% modacrylic fibers, greater than or 30 wt% and less than or equal to 40 wt% modal fibers, and greater than or equal to 2 wt% and less than or equal to 8 wt% of spandex fibers. In one set of embodiments, the fabric layer consists of greater than or equal to 55 wt% and less than or equal to 65 wt% modacrylic fibers, greater than or 30 wt% and less than or equal to 40 wt% modal fibers, and greater than or equal to 2 wt% and less than or equal to 8 wt% of spandex fibers. In some embodiments, the fabric layer comprises 60 wt% modacrylic fibers, 35 wt% modal fibers, and 5 wt% spandex fibers.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the fabric layer may be relatively soft, which may be advantageous, for example, when wearing articles of clothing comprising the fabric layer. In some embodiments, soft fabric layers may have a relatively low stiffness, which may be measured by an ASTM DI 388- 18 standard test. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may have a stiffness of greater than or equal to 1 N / m, greater than or equal to 2 N / m, greater than or equal to 3 N / m, greater than or equal to 5 N / m, greater than or equal to 10 N / m, greater than or equal to 50 N / m, greater than or equal to 100 N / m, greater than or equal to 200 N / m, greater than or equal to 300 N / m, greater than or equal to 500 N / m, greater than or equal to 800 N / m, or greater than or equal to 1000 N / m. According to some embodiments, the fabric layer may have a stiffness of less than or equal to 1000 N / m, less than or equal to 800 N / m, less than or equal to 800 N / m, less than or equal to 800 N / m, less than or equal to 800 N / m, less than or equal to 800 N / m, less than or equal to 800 N / m, less than or equal to 800 N / m, less than or equal to 5 N / m, less than or equal to 3 N / m, less than or equal to 2 N / m, or less than or equal to 1 N / m. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 N / m and less than or equal to 100 N / m). Other ranges are also possible.

[0036] The fabric layer, in some embodiments, may be stretchable. Advantageously, an article of clothing comprising stretchable fabric layer may be configured to stretch such that the article of clothing may fit a range of sizes. According to some embodiments, the stretchable fabric may facilitate a comfortable fit when wearing an article of clothing comprising the fabric. For example, in some embodiments, the article of clothing may be sized such that it may be defined as a tight-fitting garment according to 16 CFR 1615.1(c) and / or 16 CFR 1616.2(m) and may also be stretchable such that it may also fit larger sizes than its initial size (e.g., by stretching). In some embodiments, after stretching, fabric may recover its original dimensions and / or grow (e.g., stretch without returning to its original dimensions).

[0037] In accordance with some embodiments, the fabric layer may stretch and / or grow after being stretched. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may not grow after being stretched. The stretch and the growth of the fabric layer, in some embodiments, may be determined by using a ASTM D2594 / D2594M-21 standard test. For example, the fabric layer may be stretched by greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 1 cm, greater than or equal to 2 cm, greater than or equal to 5 cm, greater than or equal to 8 cm, or greater than or equal to 10 cm when tested. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may be stretched by less than or equal to 10 cm, less than or equal to 8 cm, less than or equal to 5 cm, less than or equal to 2 cm, less than or equal to 1 cm, less than or equal to 5 mm, or less than or equal to 1 mm when tested. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 cm and less than or equal to 10 cm). Other ranges are also possible. Advantageously, the stretching and / or growth of the fabric layer may stretch and / or grow with a wearer. For example, a child may wear an article of clothing comprising the fabric layer. The child may grow (e.g., as the child ages), and the fabric layer of the article of clothing may stretch to accommodate the child’s growth.

[0038] In some embodiments, after stretching, the fabric layer may stretch (e.g., reversibly stretch or irreversibly stretch). In other embodiments, the fabric layer may not stretch. According to some embodiments, the fabric layer may stretch by greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 1 cm, greater than or equal to 2 cm, greater than or equal to 5 cm, greater than or equal to 8 cm, or greater than or equal to 10 cm after being stretched. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may stretch by less than or equal to 10 cm, less than or equal to 8 cm, less than or equal to 5 cm, less than or equal to 2 cm, less than or equal to 1 cm, less than or equal to 5 mm, or less than or equal to 1 mm after being stretched. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 cm and less than or equal to 10 cm). Other ranges are also possible. In some embodiments, the stretching of the fabric layer may be considered from an initial dimension of the fabric layer. For example, the fabric layer may have an initial dimension, where the fabric layer may stretch by greater than or equal to 1 mm, 5 mm, 1 cm, or so forth as described above to a stretched dimension. In some embodiments, the initial dimension of the fabric layer may be stretched to a stretched dimension that is greater than or equal to 1%, greater than or equal to 5%, greater than or equal to 10%, greater than or equal to 20%, greater than or equal to 30%, greater than or equal to 40%, greater than or equal to 50%, or greater than or equal to 75% larger than the initial dimension. According to some embodiments, the initial dimension of the fabric layer may be stretched to a stretched dimension that is less than or equal to 100%, less than or equal to 75%, less than or equal to 50%, less than or equal to 40%, less than or equal to 30%, less than or equal to 20%, less than or equal to 10%, or less than or equal to 5% larger than the initial dimension. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible, Other ranges are also possible.

[0039] In accordance with some embodiments, the stretching of the fabric layer may occur after the fabric layer is stretched for greater than or equal to 1 second, greater than or equal to 10 seconds, greater than or equal to 30 seconds, greater than or equal to 1 minute, greater than or equal to 5 minutes, greater than or equal to 30 minutes, greater than or equal to 1 hour, greater than or equal to 6 hours, greater than or equal to 12 hours, or greater than or equal to 24 hours. In some embodiments, the stretching of the fabric layer may occur after the fabric layer is stretched for less than or equal to 24 hours, less than or equal to 12 hours, less than or equal to 6 hours, less than or equal to 1 hour, less than or equal to 30 minutes, less than or equal to 5 minutes, less than or equal to 1 minute, less than or equal to 30 seconds, less than or equal to 10 seconds, or less than or equal to 1 second. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 12 hours and less than or equal to 24 hours, for example, wearing an article of clothing comprising the fabric layer). Other ranges are also possible.

[0040] In some embodiments, the fabric layer (e.g., articles of clothing comprising the fabric layer) may be configured to retain its initial dimensions and / or stretch a minimal amount as described above after being stretched for long times. For example, in some embodiments, the fabric layer may retain its initial dimensions after stretching occurs for greater than or equal to 1 second, greater than or equal to 10 seconds, greater than or equal to 30 seconds, greater than or equal to 1 minute, greater than or equal to 5 minutes, greater than or equal to 30 minutes, greater than or equal to 1 hour, greater than or equal to 6 hours, greater than or equal to 12 hours, or greater than or equal to 24 hours. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may retain its initial dimensions and / or stretch a minimal amount as described above after stretching occurs for less than or equal to 24 hours, less than or equal to 12 hours, less than or equal to 6 hours, less than or equal to 1 hour, less than or equal to 30 minutes, less than or equal to 5 minutes, less than or equal to 1 minute, less than or equal to 30 seconds, less than or equal to 10 seconds, or less than or equal to 1 second. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 12 hours and less than or equal to 24 hours, for example, wearing an article of clothing comprising the fabric layer). Other ranges are also possible. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the fabric layer may change less than or equal to 10%, less than or equal to 8%, less than or equal to 5%, less than or equal to 3%, or less than or equal to 2% from an initial size, e.g., after being stretched for an amount of time in accordance with any of the foregoing ranges. In some such embodiments, small deviations in fabric layer dimensions indicate dimensional stability of the fabric layer, which may be advantageous for long-term use (e.g., wearing the article of clothing more than once, wearing the article of clothing for a long time, etc.) of an article of clothing comprising the fabric layer when considering stretching as described elsewhere herein or shrinking (e.g., after washing a fabric layer) of the fabric layer.

[0041] According to some embodiments, the fabric layer (e.g., articles of clothing comprising the fabric layer) may be configured to retain its initial dimensions and / or stretch a minimal amount as described above after being stretched multiple times. For example, being stretched once, as described above, may comprise being stretched for greater than or equal to 12 hours and less than or equal to 24 hours. In other embodiments, being stretched once may comprise a relatively short time period such as less than or equal to 5 minutes. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may be configured to retain to retain its initial dimensions and / or stretch a minimal amount after being stretched at least 1 time, at least 5 times, at least 10 times, at least 30 times, at least 60 times, at least 90 times, at least 120 times, at least 150 times, at least 180 times, at least 240 times, at least 360 times, at least 500 times, at least 750 times, or at least 1000 times. According to some embodiments, the fabric layer may be configured to retain to retain its initial dimensions and / or stretch a minimal amount after being stretched no more than 1000 times, no more than 750 times, no more than 500 times, no more than 360 times, no more than 240 times, no more than 180 times, no more than 150 times, no more than 120 times, no more than 90 times, no more than 60 times, no more than 30 times, no more than 10 times, no more than 5 times, or no more than 1 time. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., at least 60 times and no more than 120 times, at least 360 times and no more than 1000 times). Other ranges are also possible.

[0042] The stretchability of the fabric may also be considered based on the tensile modulus. In some embodiments, the tensile modulus of the fabric is greater than or equal to 10 kPa, greater than or equal to 100 kPa, greater than or equal to 1 MPa, greater than or equal to 10 MPa, greater than or equal to 100 MPa, or greater than or equal to 1 GPa. In some embodiments, the tensile modulus of the fabric layer is less than or equal to 1 GPa, less than or equal to 100 MPa, less than or equal to 10 MPa, less than or equal to 1 MPa, less than or equal to 100 kPa, or less than or equal to 10 kPa. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 100 kPa and less than or equal to 10 MPa).

[0043] The fabric layer, in some embodiments, may have a relatively high flame resistance, which may provide safety when wearing articles of clothing comprising the fabric layer. For example, in some embodiments, children may be safer when wearing articles of clothing comprising the flame-resistant fabric layer, e.g., in comparison to relatively low flame-resistant clothing. In some embodiments, articles of clothing comprising and / or consisting of the fabric layer may pass the flammability test according to 16 CFR Part 1615 / 1616, and thus may be suitable as children’s wear, infant garments, and / or tight-fitting garments. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may have any of a variety of suitable thicknesses. In some embodiments, the fabric layer may have a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.1 mm, greater than or equal to 0.2 mm, greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, greater than or equal to 0.7 mm, greater than or equal to 0.9 mm, greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 1.2 mm, greater than or equal to 1.5 mm, greater than or equal to 1.8 mm, or greater than or equal to 2 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the fabric layer is less than or equal to 2 mm, less than or equal to 1.8 mm, less than or equal to 1.5 mm, less than or equal to 1.2 mm, less than or equal to 1 mm, less than or equal to 0.9 mm, less than or equal to 0.7 mm, less than or equal to 0.5 mm, less than or equal to 0.3 mm, less than or equal to 0.2 mm, less than or equal to 0.1 mm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 2 mm). Other ranges are also possible.

[0044] Any of a variety of basis weights may be suitable for the fabric layer. In some embodiments, the basis weight of the fabric layer is greater than or equal to 100 gsm, greater than or equal to 120 gsm, greater than or equal to 140 gsm, greater than or equal to 160 gsm, greater than or equal to 180 gsm, greater than or equal to 190 gsm, greater than or equal to 200 gsm, greater than or equal to 220 gsm, greater than or equal to 240 gsm, greater than or equal to 260 gsm, greater than or equal to 280 gsm, or greater than or equal to 300 gsm. In some embodiments, the basis weight of the fabric layer is less than or equal to 300 gsm, less than or equal to 280 gsm, less than or equal to 260 gsm, less than or equal to 240 gsm, less than or equal to 220 gsm, less than or equal to 200 gsm, less than or equal to 190 gsm, less than or equal to 180 gsm, less than or equal to 160 gsm, less than or equal to 140 gsm, less than or equal to 120 gsm, or less than or equal to 100 gsm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 100 gsm and less than or equal to 300 gsm, greater than or equal to 160 gsm and less than or equal to 200 gsm). Other ranges are also possible.

[0045] There may be any of a variety of articles of clothing comprising the fabric layers as described herein. In some embodiments, the article of clothing is selected from the group consisting of footies, coveralls, gowns, separates, dresses, rompers, twotie, bibs, hats, headbands, swaddles, pajamas, shirts, coats, underwear, loungewear, gowns, robes, cardigans, nursing wear, and the like. In some embodiments, the article of clothing is sized for children’s wear. For example, in some embodiments, the size of the article of clothing is US sizes NB-3M, 3M-6M, 6M-9M, 3M-9M, 9M-12M, 12M-18M, 12M-24M, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T, 5Y-8Y, and / or foreign equivalents (e.g., Europe 50 cm, 56 cm, 68 cm, 72 cm, 80 cm, 86 cm, 92 cm, 98 cm, 104 cm, 110 cm, 116 cm, 122 cm, 128 cm, 134 cm, 140 cm, 146 cm, 152, and ranges and / or combinations thereof). . According to some such embodiments, the article of clothing may be tight fitting as described in 16 CFR 1615. l(o) and / or 16 CFR 1616.2(m).

[0046] In accordance with some embodiments, the article of clothing may be configured to stretch such that it may fit a range of sizes. As detailed elsewhere herein, in some embodiments, the article of clothing may comprise a fabric layer having a relatively high stretchability, wherein the stretchability allows the article of clothing to fit a range of sizes. According to some such embodiments, the article of clothing may be defined as tight-fitting for a specified size (e.g., NB-3M), but may be stretchable such that it may also fit and be defined as tight-fitting for a larger size (e.g., 3M-6M). Advantageously, this may extend the lifetime over which the article of clothing may be worn by a growing child. In accordance with some embodiments, as described elsewhere herein, the article of clothing may be stretched (e.g., during wear) but may retain its original dimensions (e.g., may revert back to within 10%, 8%, etc., of its original dimensions). In some such embodiments, the article of clothing may be suitable for being comfortably worn by different children.

[0047] In some cases, the article of clothing is sized for adult wear. For instance, in some embodiments, the size of the article of clothing is XXXS, XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, and / or foreign equivalents. In some embodiments, the article of clothing may be configured to stretch such that it may fit a range of sizes, for example, S-M.

[0048] The article of clothing may further comprise a closure, in some cases. Any of a variety of closures are possible with the articles described herein. Non-limiting examples of closures include magnetic fasteners, clips, buttons, hook-and-loop fasteners, zippers, clasps, and hook-and-eye fasteners. In some cases, the closure is a magnetic fastener as described, for example, in US 8,528,117, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The fabric layer may further comprise dyes, pigments, or the like, according to some embodiments. Dyes, pigments, and / or other components may be useful in changing the apparent color of the fabric layer and / or article of clothing comprising the fabric layer, in some cases. In some embodiments, articles of clothing comprising fabric layers comprising dyes, pigments, and / or other components may maintain their color over time and have considerably high color fastness, e.g., after repeated wearing and / or washing of the article of clothing.

[0049] Additionally, in some embodiments wherein the article of clothing comprises a fabric layer comprising dyes, pigments, and / or other components, the article of clothing does not cross stain other articles when washed. That is, the dyes, pigments, and / or other components of the article of clothing that may change the color of the article of clothing, in some embodiments, may be strongly bound to the article of clothing and thus do not substantially leach or otherwise transport away from the article of clothing during, for example, washing of the article of clothing.

[0050] The following examples are intended to illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention, but do not exemplify the full scope of the invention.

[0051] EXAMPLE 1

[0052] The following describes the results of a flammability test performed on an exemplary fabric.

[0053] The flammability test was performed according to 16 CFR 1615 / 1616 Standard for the Flammability of Children’s Sleepwear Sizes 0 through 6X (FF3-71) / Sizes7 Through 14 (FF5-74). The tested fabric comprised 60 wt% modacrylic, 35 wt% modal, and 5 wt% spandex. The results of the test are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0054] Table 1. Flammability test results from sample 1 of the tested fabric (the first yard of the material was tested).

[0055] Table 2. Flammability test results from sample 2 of the tested fabric (the last yard of the material was tested).

[0056] Because none of the tests from Table 1 or 2 had a char length of greater than or equal to 10.0 inches and the average char length in each of Table 1 and 2 was less than or equal to 7.0 inches, the fabric passed the test according to 16 CFR 1615 / 1616.

[0057] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and / or structures for performing the functions and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and / or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is / are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and / or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.

[0058] The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

[0059] The phrase “and / or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and / or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and / or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A without B (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B without A (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0060] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and / or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of’ or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0061] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and / or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0062] As used herein, “wt%” is an abbreviation of weight percentage.

[0063] Some embodiments may be embodied as a method, of which various examples have been described. The acts performed as part of the methods may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include different (e.g., more or less) acts than those that are described, and / or that may involve performing some acts simultaneously, even though the acts are shown as being performed sequentially in the embodiments specifically described above.

[0064] Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.

[0065] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An article of clothing, comprising: a fabric layer, the fabric layer comprising: greater than or equal to 1 wt% and less than or equal to 10 wt% elastane fibers; greater than or equal to 20 wt% and less than or equal to 50 wt% cellulosic fibers; and greater than or equal to 40 wt% and less than or equal to 80 wt% flame resistant fibers.

2. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer has a stiffness of no more than 100 N / m according to an ASTM D1388-18 standard test.

3. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer stretches by less than or equal to 2 cm when tested according to an ASTM D2594 / 2594M-21 standard test.

4. The article of clothing of 3, wherein the article of clothing is defined as a tight- fitting garment as defined in 16 CFR 1615. l(o) or 16 CFR 1616.2(m).

5. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer passes the flammability test according to 16 CFR Part 1615 / 1616.

6. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer has a basis weight of greater than 100 gsm and less than or equal to 300 gsm.

7. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer has a thickness of greater than 0.1 mm and less than 2 mm.

8. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article of clothing is sized for children’s wear.

9. The article of clothing of claim 8, wherein a size of the article of clothing is US sizes NB-3M, 3M-6M, 6M-9M, 3M-9M, 9M-12M, 12M-18M, 12M-24M, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T, 5Y-8Y, and foreign equivalents.

10. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article of clothing is sized for adult wear.

11. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article of clothing is configured to stretch such that the article of clothing may fit a range of sizes.

12. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article of clothing is selected from the group consisting of footies, coveralls, gowns, separates, dresses, rompers, twotie, bibs, hats, headbands, swaddles, pajamas, shirts, coats, underwear, loungewear, gowns, robes, cardigans, nursing wear, and the like.

13. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article of clothing further comprises a closure.

14. The article of clothing of claim 13, wherein the closure is magnetic fastener.

15. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer further comprises dyes, pigments, or the like.

16. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cellulosic fibers are selected from the group consisting of modal, Lyocell, and rayon.

17. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flame- resistant fibers are selected from the group consisting of modacrylic, rayon, silk, nylon, polyester, and cotton.

18. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer comprises greater than or equal to 55 wt% and less than or equal to 65 wt% modacrylic, greater than or equal to 30 wt% and less than or equal to 40 wt% modal, and greater than or equal to 2 wt% and less than or equal to 8 wt% elastane.

19. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer consists of elastane fibers, cellulosic fibers, and flame-resistant fibers.

20. The article of clothing of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer consists of modacrylic fibers, modal fibers, and spandex fibers.

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