A PROCESS OF PRODUCING A TEXTILE ARTICLE

The present invention relates to a process of producing a textile article.

Articles produced by the process of the invention are intended particularly,

but not exclusively, for use by babies and children. An example is a comfort

article, such as a small blanket. This type of article is already known but

known types do not possess the necessary physical characteristics and/or

are adversely affected by washing.

According to the present invention there is provided a process of

producing a finished textile product, including the steps of cutting a piece of

raw textile to a desired size and shape, attaching one or more layers of raw

textile to the piece, washing the resultant assembly, subsequently

manipulating the washed assembly whilst still wet to the desired shape and

size of the final product and drying the manipulated product whilst flat.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, peripheral "fingers" of

material may be produced by cutting. The layers of textile attached may be

of any desired shape and size such as square or circular. The layers may be

attached by thread, which may be mercerized polyester thread. The thread

may embroider the attached piece and layers to add an embroidered feature

to the overall product. The assembly may be washed in a conventional

washing machine advantageously with domestic detergent and/or fabric

softener. Preferably the assembly is washed for a period between 30 and 90

minutes, more preferably between 50 and 70 minutes and more preferably still for 60 minutes.

Washing preferably takes place at a temperature between 40 and 90

degrees centigrade, more preferably between 50 and 70 degrees centigrade

and more preferably still at 60 degrees centigrade.

The normal wash cycle of a conventional domestic washing machine

may be used. Depending on the make of machine this may be found under

Easy Care, Whites, Colourfast and cotton base textile cycles. Drying advantageously takes place in a warm environment preferably

away from direct heat and sunlight.

The raw material is preferably a natural handicraft felt of 000 colour,

unbleached, which on occasion is referred to as 'DF25', complying with

EN71 safety regulations as to mechanical and physical properties,

flammability and migration of certain elements. It comprises a mixture of

wool and viscose having the following molecular composition.

Wool 50% carbon

22-24% oxygen

17-17% nitrogen

7% hydrogen

3-5% sulphur

Viscose 40% carbon

7% hydrogen

53% oxygen

Once the product has dried and set to a finished state it can be

washed without shrinking, discolouration or distortion in a conventional

domestic washing machine under the "delicate" cycle where the temperature

may be about 30 degrees centigrade.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood,

embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example with

reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an article prior to treatment in accordance with the

invention and

Figure 2 shows the article of Figure 1 after treatment according to

the process of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 , a piece 1 of raw textile felt fabric of the desired

size and shape is selected. The preferred industry categorization of the

fabric is a natural Handicraft felt of 000 colour, unbleached, (on occasion

referred to as 'DF25') complying with EN71 safety regulations as to:

1 . Mechanical and physical properties

2. Flammability

3. Migration of certain elements

The felt comprises a mixture of wool and viscose having the following molecular composition:

Wool 50% carbon

22-24% oxygen 17-17% nitrogen 7% hydrogen

3-5% sulphur

Viscose 40% carbon 7% hydrogen

53% oxygen

The piece 1 is substantially square and is formed with several cuts 2

extending laterally from one lateral edge 3 of the square to form "fingers" 4.

Several substantially circular pieces 5 of fabric are attached in two rows

along part of the other lateral edge 6 of the piece 1 by means of embroidery

7. Larger diameter circular pieces 8 of fabric are also attached by

embroidery 9. A square piece 10 is attached by embroidery 1 1 in the middle

of piece 1 and a loop 12 substantially is attached by embroidery 13 at the

upper peripheral edge 14. A further loop 15 of a different material is

attached to piece 1 by embroidery 16b. Embroidery 1 1 is in the form of an

animal (sheep) surrounded by a peripheral square. Any other representative

image may of course be used. All embroidery is preferably machined with

mercerized polyester thread.

This assembly of smaller pieces of raw textile on a larger raw textile

stabilized surface enables those smaller pieces to felt further during the

subsequent processing with the end result that the smaller pieces bobble,

flower and shrink. In the subsequent processing the assembly is placed in a

conventional domestic washing machine with domestic detergent and fabric

softener for between 30 and 90 minutes at between 40 and 90 degrees

centigrade on a normal wash cycle (depending on the machine, this "cycle"

is listed under Easy Care, whites, colourfast and cotton base textile cycles).

After the wet (wash) process, and whilst still wet, the felt assembly is

manipulated/stretched and re-shaped to an identified final item size, and

dried flat in a warm environment, away from direct heat and sunlight.

Once the felt has dried, it can be washed in a washing machine at 30

degree/delicate cycle, and will not shrink further, nor discolour or distort.

This processing transforms the assembly shown in Figure 1 into that

shown in Figure 2. The smaller pieces 5 form bobbles of closed form and

the layer pieces 8 tend to form "flower" heads.

The square piece 10 draws in tending to produce a more three

dimensional effect and the fingers 4 also draw in and separate from each

other. There is shrinkage overall so that the processed product approaches half the size of the unprocessed assembly.

Proportionate shrinkage values are between 30% and 70% from the

original textile state to the final textile state. The finished textile is denser,

soft to touch and although further compacted, stronger than the original

which is flat and rough to touch. The finished textile lacks discolouration

and is durable. It also possesses required characteristics regarding final fluff,

hobbling and choking elements.

_. It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described

by way of example only and that many variations are possible without

departing from the scope of the invention.