This invention relates to a flexible fabric, which can be used for clothing, fashion, furniture, interior and exterior design products, such as, for example, shoes, fashion and/or furniture items and accessories, and/or for automotive products.

The invention also relates to a clothing, furniture and/or automotive product made with this fabric. Nowadays, not only traditional fabrics, such as wool, cotton, silk, viscose materials, etc. are used for the production of products, in particular clothing, fashion and furniture, but also fabrics made of innovative materials and having particular physical/chemical characteristics.

Among these types of fabrics it is worth noting, for example, fabrics including carbon fibre, carbon/polyester blend, glass fibre or other natural fibres such as linen.

For example, carbon fibre fabrics, which have 100% carbon filaments and/or combined with other types of synthetic or natural filaments, are already known, as previously mentioned, in the clothing, leather goods and footwear sector, in the production of fabrics for the furnishing of vehicles and boats, etc.

Other known types of carbon fibre fabrics comprise an intertwining of thin filaments of the fibres arranged perpendicularly to each other. These known fabrics are impregnated with polymeric resins and superimposed according to suitable directions. The resins are polymerized to obtain rigid materials with a high specific resistance, which are designed for the making of structural parts or aesthetic parts. These materials, however, due to their stiffness, cannot be applied directly in the indicated sectors; in fact, for example in the clothing sector, flexible fabrics are required which can be sewn and folded. This also excludes the use of raw carbon fibre fabrics, which tend to fray and which are unable to maintain the arrangement of the fibres unchanged once deformed. The aim of the invention is therefore to provide a flexible fabric free from such drawbacks and which, thanks to its particular characteristics, can be advantageously used for fashion, design and furniture products and accessories for motor vehicles, as well as for other applications wherein a flexible fabric with the above-mentioned technical characteristics is required.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a flexible fabric which does not fray even when the fibres are stressed by any seams.

An additional aim of the invention is to provide a flexible fabric which, even if deformed, maintains a substantially perpendicular arrangement and a limited longitudinal sliding by the fibres, so as to avoid permanent damage to its structure.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a fabric that is not only flexible, but also elastic, malleable, with high resistance to traction, tearing and repeated bending, as well as breathable, soft, waterproof and dimensionally stable, such that it can be widely used in different production contexts.

Not least, the aim of the invention is to provide a flexible fabric which has a wearability equal to that of traditional fabrics.

Said aims are achieved by means of a flexible fabric free from such drawbacks and the main characteristics of which are specified in independent claim 1 ; other detailed characteristics are indicated in the remaining dependent claims.

The subject of the invention is therefore a fabric which is pleasant to touch, with a high resistance, higher than that of a fabric made with traditional materials, and with an extreme flexibility, which also allows folds or hems to be formed on it without compromising the integrity.

Moreover, the possibility that the above-mentioned fabric comprises a reverse side consisting of particular technical materials, such as nylon combined with polyurethane, allows the creation of a fabric with a very high resistance to traction, tearing and repeated bending, while maintaining softness, breathability and impermeability. Again advantageously, the fabric according to the invention, thanks to the particular application layers, has a correct arrangement of the weft, even following deformations; for this reason it is possible to deform it without causing slippage between the fibres.

Advantageously, according to other preferred embodiments, the fabric according to the present invention can comprise a particular protective layer adapted to improve its treatment.

A further advantageous aspect of the invention relates to the fact that the protective layer described above adheres perfectly both to the most superficial fibres and to the innermost layers of the fibres that make up the fabric, so as to obtain an easily foldable and flexible fabric, avoiding the creation of air bubbles in areas subject to prolonged use of folds and/or resting.

The invention is now described, by way of non-limiting example, according to example and preferred, but non-limiting embodiments, and with particular reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of the flexible fabric, according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of a further embodiment of the fabric of Figure 1 , according to the invention.

With reference to Figure 1 , it can be seen that the fabric 1 according to the invention comprises at least one blend of yarns 2.

Advantageously, the above-mentioned blend of yarns 2 comprises carbon fibres (in particular Carbon 1 K) and denim fibres (composed of wool, cotton and acrylic) with different percentage compositions; according to preferred embodiments, there are 20% of denim fibres and 80% of carbon fibres.

In a preliminary operative phase, in order to ensure the regularity and a good aesthetic finish of the blend of yarns 2, the fabric 1 is brushed and/or ironed at a temperature of between 30 °C and 200 °C and/ or at a pressure of between the 10 and 200 bar by means of two cylinders or two plates designed to exert a variable pressure. In a first step of making the fabric 1 there is the manual or rotary press coupling between an internal side of the blend of yarns 2 and a reverse side 3, which can be made of different materials and, preferably, it is made of nylon fibre combined with a polymer, such as polyurethane. Advantageously, the reverse side 3 can have dimensions ranging from 0.3 microns to 2.0 microns.

The above-mentioned coupling takes place through the application of adhesive elements, in particular aliphatic water-based glues. Advantageously, this coupling allows the final fabric 1 to be given a high resistance to traction, tearing and repeated bending, while maintaining softness, dimensional stability, breathability and at the same time impermeability.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the fabric 1 can be coupled, in a second operating step of the process, to a layer 4 of transparent film applied to the outer side of the blend of yarn 2, that is, on the opposite side with respect to the reverse side 3 and therefore on the visible side of the fabric 1 .

The aforementioned application can take place by means of a sublimation treatment with a heat press of the layer 4 of transparent or semi-transparent film, in such a way as to increase the resistance, impermeability and improve the aesthetic finish of the fabric 1 .

The above-mentioned film layer 4 can be based on aliphatic or aromatic resins which are micro-perforated.

Advantageously, the micro-perforation of the layer 4 of film allows the air to be eliminated that is created during the hot coupling step, simulating a vacuum effect which guarantees a perfect adhesion both to the surface filaments of the blend of yarns 2 and to those which are deeper.

Moreover, again advantageously, the above-mentioned process prevents the finished fabric 1 from creating air bubbles in the areas thereof which are subject to prolonged use of folds or resting.

For the above-mentioned reasons, advantageously, the application of the above-mentioned layer 4 of transparent film allows the external part of the above-mentioned fabric 1 to be protected, making it pleasant to the touch and increasing its resistance, while guaranteeing flexibility.

According to an alternative embodiment, the layer 4 of transparent film can be applied to the blend of yarns 2, in the manner described above, before applying the reverse side 3.

In any case, the final result is a fabric 1 that can be sewn and used in the world of fashion, furniture, design, automotive products and clothing.

By virtue of the foregoing, the flexible fabric, which is the object of the invention, achieves the aims and the above-mentioned advantages.

In particular, the advantages achieved include:

- the creation of a flexible fabric that can be used for products and accessories for clothing, fashion, furniture, design, furniture for cars and boats, etc;

- the creation of a more resistant and, at the same time, elastic and malleable flexible fabric;

- the creation of a flexible, soft, dimensionally stable, breathable and waterproof fabric;

- the creation of an insulating, semi-transparent, non-transparent and/or opaque fabric;

- the possibility of deforming the fabric without compromising the weft and without causing fraying between the fibres;

- the creation of a fabric resistant to surface wear;

- the creation of a flexible fabric with a fit equal to that of traditional fabrics whilst still maintaining more efficient mechanical and physical characteristics;

- the creation of an elastic fabric with a better aesthetic finish than the known art.

Variations and/or additions may be made by experts in the field to the embodiment of the invention described and illustrated herein without thereby departing from the following claims.