A CLOTH FOR REMOVING HAIR DYE MARKS FROM THE SKIN OF

Technical field

This invention relates to a cloth for removing hair dye marks from the skin of the person and a method for the treatment of a fabric which constitutes the cloth.

The use has increased over recent years of "DIY" hair dyes, that is, dyes which are purchased in supermarkets, or in specialised shops, and which allow the consumer to dye the hair at home with considerable savings in terms of time and money.

During the dyeing process, the consumer must pay great attention to the distribution of the product on the scalp since the emulsions designed to colour the hair can mark the forehead, ears, neck and hands of the user. These marks are particularly stubborn to remove and, for this reason, specific removal products are available on the market which are often the cause of skin irritations due to the aggressive nature of the components present.

As an alternative to the removal products, cloths for cosmetic use impregnated with tepid water or detergent solutions have been used to remove the dye marks.

However, it has been found that the cloths currently on the market are not able to completely remove the marks from the skin of the user, leaving undesired residues.

Moreover, since the cloths for cosmetic use available on the market are coloured white, they tend to have dye marks on the relative surface even after successive operations for washing the cloth. 1

DESCRIPTION

CLOTH FOR REMOVING HAIR DYE MARKS FROM THE SKIN OF THE

PERSON.

Technical field

This invention relates to a cloth for removing hair dye marks from the skin of the person and a method for the treatment of a fabric which constitutes the cloth.

Background art

The use has increased over recent years of "DIY" hair dyes, that is, dyes which are purchased in supermarkets, or in specialised shops, and which allow the consumer to dye the hair at home with considerable savings in terms of time and money.

During the dyeing process, the consumer must pay great attention to the distribution of the product on the scalp since the emulsions designed to colour the hair can mark the forehead, ears, neck and hands of the user. These marks are particularly stubborn to remove and, for this reason, specific removal products are available on the market which are often the cause of skin irritations due to the aggressive nature of the components present.

As an alternative to the removal products, cloths for cosmetic use impregnated with tepid water or detergent solutions have been used to remove the dye marks.

However, it has been found that the cloths currently on the market are not able to completely remove the marks from the skin of the user, leaving undesired residues.

Moreover, since the cloths for cosmetic use available on the market are coloured white, they tend to have dye marks on the relative surface even after successive operations for washing the cloth. 2

Disclosure of the invention

The need is therefore felt of making a cloth with microfibre which allows removal of the dye marks on the skin without irritating it.

Preferably, the need is felt of making a cloth with microfibre having a dark pigmentation colour, in particular black.

In this context, one aspect of this invention is that of providing a method for treating a fabric consisting of 85% polyester and 15% polyamide; the fabric comprising a support made of 100% polyester and a curly effect thread made of 100% bicomponent microfibre, which is made of 70% polyester and 30% polyamide; the method comprises one or more steps of heat setting the unbleached fabric and following the heat setting step the method comprises a step of dyeing the fabric.

Advantageously, the heat setting step and the step of dyeing the fabric surface makes it possible to subdivide and open the surface part of the fabric composed of a curly effect bicomponent thread made of polyester and polyamide into a plurality of filaments.

These threads perform a mechanical action on the skin of the person which is more effective than that of the prior art, enabling the dye marks to be removed efficiently, thus satisfying at least one of the aspects of this invention.

Brief description of drawings

Further features and advantages of this invention are more apparent in the non-limiting description which follows of a method for treating a fabric consisting of 85% polyester and 15% polyamide and of a cloth for removing hair dye marks from the skin of the person comprising the treated fabric, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates by means of a block diagram a method for treating a fabric consisting of 85% polyester and 15% polyamide according to this invention; 3

- Figure 2 illustrates a portion of the unbleached fabric before treatment according to the method schematically illustrated in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 illustrates a portion of fabric finished using the method schematically illustrated in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 4 illustrates a scaled-up view of the surface part of the unbleached fabric of Figure 2;

- Figure 5 illustrates a scaled-up view of the surface part of the finished fabric of Figure 3;

- Figure 6 illustrates a schematic perspective view of the cloth according to this invention comprising the treated, or finished, fabric.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The numeral 1 denotes a cloth for removing hair dye marks from the skin of the person according to this invention.

The cloth 1 comprises a fabric 2.

The fabric 2 comprises 85% polyester and 15% polyamide.

The fabric 2 consists of 85% polyester and 15% polyamide.

The fabric 2 comprises a support, not illustrated, consisting of 100% polyester, in particular smooth polyester. The support, not illustrated, comprises a base thread, not illustrated, consisting of 100% polyester and a chain thread, not illustrated, consisting of 100% polyester.

The fabric 2 comprises a curly effect thread 6 made of 100% bicomponent microfibre.

The bicomponent microfibre consists of 70% polyester and 30% polyamide.

The free ends 7 of the curly effect thread 6 define the surface part 3 of the fabric 2 or of the cloth 1 . 4

With reference to the unbleached fabric 2, shown in Figure 4, the components of the bicomponent microfibre, made of polyester and polyamide, are associated to a single thread, the curly effect thread 6. The polyamide of the microfibre gives to the cloth 1 an absorbent action. The polyester of the microfibre gives to the cloth 1 a degreasing action. Following the treatment method according to this invention, the components of the bicomponent microfibre, made of polyester and polyamide, are separated in the end part 7 of each curly effect thread 6 into a plurality of open or split microfilaments 8, according to a radial cross section of each curly effect thread 6.

Advantageously, the microfilaments 8 obtained by dividing the curly effect thread 6 of the fabric 2 or of the cloth 1 are provided with numerous edges which are able to fragment and collect the dye marks from the skin of the person by a non-abrasive mechanical action.

The method for treating the fabric 2 comprises one or more steps of heat setting the unbleached fabric 2.

The heat setting step is performed in a stenter machine, schematically illustrated in Figure 1 with the numeral 9.

The step of heat setting the unbleached fabric 2 is performed in a temperature range of between 180 and 200°C, preferably at a temperature equal to 180°C.

The step of heat setting the unbleached fabric 2 is performed at a speed at least equal to 10 metres a minute.

Advantageously, the speed of processing of the fabric 2 and maintaining the temperature preferably at 180°C promotes a first subdivision of the curly effect thread 6 into the microfilaments 8.

Following the heat setting step the method comprises a step of dyeing the fabric 2.

The dyeing step is performed in an overflow dyeing machine, schematically illustrated in Figure 1 with the numeral 10.

The dyeing step comprises a prewashing step with caustic soda and detergent for fabrics.

The prewashing step is performed at a temperature of at least 98°C for a period of time at least equal to 20 minutes.

The pre-washing step cleans the fabric 2 of the impurities originating during the spinning of the fabric.

This is followed by one or more successive rinsing steps, preferably in water.

Preferably, each rinsing step lasts 20 minutes.

The rinsing step makes it possible to eliminate any alkalinity from the fabric 2.

The dyeing step comprises a step of colouring the fabric 2.

The step of colouring the fabric 2 includes the use of dispersed colour of dark pigmentation, in particular black.

The colouring step is performed with the use of auxiliaries for levelling the colour and dispersed colour.

The step of colouring the fabric 2 occurs at a temperature greater than 100°C, preferably at a temperature of 130°C, for a period of time greater than 45 minutes, preferably 60 minutes.

The step for colouring the fabric 2 occurs at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.

The step for colouring the fabric 2 is followed by a step for cooling the fabric 2.

After the step of dyeing the fabric 2 one or more washing steps, also known as "stripping", are performed in a reducing environment, in particular with hydrosulphite.

The washing step is performed at a temperature of at least 70°C for a period of time at least equal to 20 minutes.

The washing step makes it possible to remove the excess colour and increase the fastness of the colour of the fabric 2.

Preferably, the washing step, or "stripping", is performed twice with a step for rinsing the fabric 2 in water. Advantageously, it has been found that the washing steps, or "stripping", promotes a further subdivision of each curly effect thread 6 consisting of bicomponent microfibre into respective microfilaments 8.

Advantageously, it has been found that the washing steps, or "stripping", favour the colour fastness of the fabric 2.

Advantageously, the dyeing step is performed in an alkaline/basic environment.

The method comprises a step of finishing the fabric 2 after the dyeing step.

The finishing step comprises a step of squeezing the fabric 2.

The squeezing step is performed in a foulard machine, schematically illustrated in Figure 1 with the numeral 1 1 .

During the squeezing step at least 30% of moisture is eliminated from the fabric 2.

A step of drying in the stenter machine 9 follows the squeezing step.

The drying step is performed at a temperature of at least 160°C at a speed at least equal to 20 metres a minute.

By using the drying step the fabric is positioned vertically to recover its actual dimensions.

In order to definitively fix the colour and further stress the microfilaments 8 derived from the subdivision of the curly effect thread 6 and to subdivide them further, the method comprises one or more steps of washing the fabric 2.

The washing step is performed by an industrial washing machine, schematically illustrated in Figure 1 with the numeral 12.

Preferably, the method comprises two steps of industrial washing of the fabric 2.

The washing step is preferably performed using detergents.

The industrial washing is performed at a temperature of at least 30°C. A drying step, preferably using a drum drying machine 13 follows the washing step. 7

The drying step is performed at a temperature of between 30-40°C for at least 30 minutes.

At this point, the treated, or finished, fabric 2 is subdivided into a plurality of pieces each of which is preferably hemmed and labelled to define the cloth 1 .

According to an alternative embodiment, the fabric 2 is subdivided into a plurality of pieces each of which is preferably hemmed and labelled to define the cloth 1 before the above-mentioned industrial washing step. In this way, a plurality of cloths 1 are treated with the industrial washing steps and the subsequent drying step.

It should be noted that for the purposes of the treatment of the fabric 2 according to this invention it is not significant that it is in the form of cloth 1 , since the cloth 1 itself comprises the fabric 2.

The cloth 1 made from the treated, or finished, fabric 2, using the method according to this invention, comprises the ends 7 of the curly effect threads 6 subdivided, according to a radial cross section of each thread, into a multiplicity of microfilaments 8 which are able to remove the hair dye marks from the skin of the person without irritating it (see Figure 5).

The method according to this invention allows the ends 7 of the curly effect threads 6 to be stressed in such a way as to render the cloths 1 with microfibre which is more effective in the removal of dye marks from the skin compared with the prior art cosmetic cloths.

The method according to this invention allows the fabric 2 or the cloth 1 to be permanently fixed with the dark colour, in particular black pigmentation, preventing it from being released during use of the cloth 1 , considering that one of the features of the fabric 2 with microfibre is to repel dark colourings.

The cloth 1 according to this invention can be applied on the skin of the person since it is free of formaldehyde, phthalates, aromatic cancerogenic amines.

The cloth 1 is skin-compatible and dermatologically tested. 8

The starting yarn of the fabric 2 and the processes for treating the fabric 2 do not contain SVCH, that is, "Substances of Very High Concern".

All the products used in the various steps for processing the fabric comply with EU Regulation No. 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).