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Title:
A BICOMPONENT GEORGETTE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/152998
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The present disclosure provides a woven fabric prepared from high twisted bicomponent yarn of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) and second twisted yarn selected from a polyamide yarn, polyolefin yarn, polyester yarn, a bicomponent yarn, or combinations thereof. The resulting high twist yarns are twisted with a turns per meter (TPM) in the range of about 500 to 2500 in the warp or weft direction.

Inventors:
GUPTA NITIN (IN)
KUMAR AKSHAY (IN)
NAGARAJAN GOWRI (IN)
VERMA NEELMANI (IN)
Application Number:
PCT/US2015/015621
Publication Date:
October 08, 2015
Filing Date:
February 12, 2015
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
DU PONT (US)
International Classes:
D02G3/04; D03D15/00; D02G3/28; D02G3/30
Domestic Patent References:
WO2013074539A12013-05-23
WO2013074539A12013-05-23
Foreign References:
JPH1193038A1999-04-06
US20070135009A12007-06-14
EP1772543A12007-04-11
EP0095537A11983-12-07
JP2006132022A2006-05-25
JPH1193038A1999-04-06
JPS62170552A1987-07-27
JPS5739248A1982-03-04
JPS50196A1975-01-06
Other References:
LUO ET AL., TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL, vol. 81, no. 8, 2011, pages 865 - 870
YOON ET AL., FIBERS AND POLYMERS, vol. 4, no. 2, 2003, pages 84 - 88
HARWOOD ET AL., JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF DYERS AND COLOURISTS, vol. 106, no. 2, 1990, pages 64 - 68
TAYLOR, M.A.: "Technology of Textile Properties, 3rd ed.", 1990, FORBES PUBLICATIONS
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
SCOTT, Robert S. (Legal Patent Records CenterChestnut Run Plaza 721/2640,974 Centre Roa, PO Box 2915 Wilmington Delaware, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

1 . A woven fabric comprising twisted multifilament yarns, said woven fabric comprising a. a first twisted yarn consisting essentially of a first bicomponent yarn having 25 wt% to 75 wt% poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) in a connected side-by-side configuration; and

b. a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof; wherein either first twisted yarn or the second twisted yarn is a warp yarn while the other is the weft yarn.

2. The woven fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first twisted yarn is the warp yarn and the second twisted yarn is the weft yarn.

3. The woven fabric of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the second twisted yarn consists essentially of the second bicomponent yarn.

4. The woven fabric of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the cross sections of the individual filaments in the twisted multifilament yarns are retained. 5. The woven fabric of claim 4 wherein the cross sections of the individual filaments in the twisted multifilament yarns are round.

6. The woven fabric of claim 1 , 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the second bicomponent yarn is, based on the weight of the second bicomponent yarn, 25 wt% to 75 wt% poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET).

7. The woven fabric of any of the preceeding claims wherein the fabric has stretch properties in the range of 8 to 60.

8. The woven fabric of any of the preceeding claims wherein the woven fabric has growth of less than 5.

9. The woven fabric of any of the preceeding claims wherein the warp and weft yarns are twisted in the range of 500-2500 turns/m in S direction and in the range of 500-2500 turns/m in Z direction. 10. The woven fabric of any of the preceeding claims wherein the woven fabric is georgette.

1 1 . The woven fabric of any of the preceeding claims wherein the width of the finished fabric is not less than 106.7 cm.

12. The woven fabric of any of the preceeding claims wherein the PTT is bio- based.

13. The woven fabric of any of the preceeding claims wherein the woven fabric is used for manufacturing apparels, furnishings, decorative textiles, and the like.

14. An apparel, a furnishing, or a decorative textile comprising the woven fabric of claim 1 .

15. A process to make the woven fabric of claim 1 comprising the steps of: a. providing: i. a first twisted yarn consisting essentially of a first bicomponent yarn having 25 wt% to 75 wt%

poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) in a connected side-by- side configuration; and ii. a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof; wherein either first twisted yarn or the second twisted yarn is a warp yarn while the other is the weft yarn; b. heat treating (setting) the warp yarn and weft yarn at a temperate range of 90 °C to 120°C for a period of time ranging from 30 to 90 minutes in a vacuum setter; c. warping and weaving the first twisted yarn and the second twisted yarn to form a fabric; d. subject the fabric of (c) to relaxation; e. heat setting the relaxed fabric from step (d); f. subjecting the fabric product of step (e) to weight reduction; g. optionally dyeing the fabric product of step (f); h. heat setting the fabric product of step (g); i. printing setting the fabric product of step (h) ; j. finishing the fabric product of step (i); and k. sanforizing the fabric product of step (j). 16. The product produced by the process of claim 15.

Description:
TITLE

A BICOMPONENT GEORGETTE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

THEREOF

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of India Provisional Patent Application No. 398/DEL/2014, filed February 12, 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a woven fabric made of at least one twisted bicomponent yarn comprising poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) and a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof. The fabric has improved characteristics like springiness, bulk, luster, smooth, and soft feel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Georgette fabric is a sheer, lightweight, dull-finished crepe fabric named after the early 20th century French dressmaker Georgette de la Plante. Originally made from silk, georgette is made with highly twisted yarns. Its characteristic crinkly surface is created by alternating S- and Z-twist yarns in both warp and weft. Georgette is made in solid colors and prints and is used for blouses, dresses, evening gowns, and trimmings.

The crepe-like texture of georgette fabric makes it very springy. Georgette fabric also drapes very well, making it a popular choice for women's fashions in which clingy, flowing fabrics are favored. Georgette fabric is thin; therefore it is also lightweight and can be used as a layer in a larger garment without making the garment heavy or bulky. This makes georgette fabric a preferred choice when it comes to designing cloths such as gowns with layers of fabric. There is demand for georgette based fabrics for characteristics like, springiness, bright color, soft feel and bounce better than regular rayon or synthetic georgette fabric.

Generally in a georgette fabric structure, yarns are highly twisted; the individual filament is deformed and packed densely and this makes the yarn crisp.

Furthermore, the fabric made from these yarns undergoes a chemical processing treatment such as drumming, weight reduction followed by dyeing/printing making the fabric further crispier and springier. Finally, in the individual filament, in yarns of the georgette fabric, contours are completely fragmented due to strong alkali treatment and a highly twist structure. The appearance is also dull because the yarn and the filament cross section are irregular.

Woven fabrics made from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) or

poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) filaments are known in the art and have been studied for elasticity (Luo et ai, Textile Research Journal (201 1 ), 81 (8), 865-870) and stretchability (Yoon et al., Fibers and Polymers (2003), 4(2), 84-88) (see also WO2013/074539 A1 ). Preparation of woven fabrics of PTT twisted yarns for women's wear is also reported in JP2006132022. Manufacture of polyester (PET) georgette fabric is reported in JP1 1093038, JP62170552, and JP57039248. JP50000196 reports a drumming process for polyester georgette fabrics.

The apparel/garment segment is one where customers or end users keep craving for novelty and uniqueness. There is always a need for fabrics with newer texture, aesthetic appeal and durability. Conventional georgettes have a dull finish and pose the problem of fading of colors when exposed to sun light apart from not being color-fast. Therefore the fabric should be dyeable, able to retain dye for longer time and must be amenable to be used in contemporary designs as a much desired feature. While experimenting with yarns and fabrics, the inventors observed that a woven fabric manufactured by using a first twisted yarn consisting essentially of a bicomponent yarn having 25 wt% to 75 wt% PTT and 75% to 25 wt% PET and a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof is characterized by more springiness , luster, softness, comfort and bulkiness as compared to conventionally available fabrics.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of this disclosure is to provide a woven fabric comprising twisted multifilament yarns, said woven fabric comprising

a. a first twisted yarn consisting essentially of a first bicomponent yarn having 25 wt% to 75 wt% poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) in a connected side- by-side configuration; and

b. a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof;

wherein either first twisted yarn or the second twisted yarn is a warp yarn while the other is the weft yarn. Preferably, the woven fabric is a georgette fabric.

Another object is to provide a woven fabric having property of high shrinkage even at very low twist level.

Still another object is to provide a process for making a woven fabric which has a finished fabric width of not less than 42 inches (~106.7 cm).

The woven fabric preferably is characterized by a smooth surface which results in better optical brightness. Another object is to provide woven fabric characterized by better dyeability and color fastness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A woven fabric is provided comprising twisted multifilament yarns, said woven fabric comprising

a. a first twisted yarn consisting essentially of a first bicomponent yarn having 25 wt% to 75 wt% poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% polyethylene terephthalate)(PET) in a connected side-by-side configuration; and

b. a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof; wherein either first twisted yarn or the second twisted yarn is a warp yarn while the other is the weft yarn.

In one embodiment, the first twisted yarn is the warp yarn and the second twisted yarn is the weft yarn.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the second twisted yarn consists essentially of the bicomponent yarn.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the cross sections of the individual filaments in the twisted multifilament yarns are retained.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the cross sections of the individual filaments in the twisted multifilament yarns are round.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the second bicomponent yarn is, based on the weight of the second bicomponent yarn, 25 wt% to 75 wt% poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET).

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the fabric has stretch properties in the range of 8 to 60. In addition to any of the above embodiments, the woven fabric has growth of less than 5.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the warp and weft yarns are twisted in the range of 500-2500 turns/m in S direction and in the range of 500-2500 turns/m in Z direction.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the woven fabric is georgette. In addition to any of the above embodiments, the width of the finished fabric is not less than 106.7 cm.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the PTT is bio-based.

In addition to any of the above embodiments, the woven fabric is used for manufacturing apparels, furnishings, decorative textiles, and the like.

In another embodiment, an apparel, a furnishing, or a decorative textile is also provided comprising the above woven fabric.

In another embodiment, a process to make the above woven fabric is provided comprising the steps of:

a. providing:

i. a first twisted yarn consisting essentially of a first bicomponent yarn having 25 wt% to 75 wt%

poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) in a connected side-by- side configuration; and

ii. a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof;

wherein either first twisted yarn or the second twisted yarn is a warp yarn while the other is the weft yarn;

b. heat treating (setting) the warp yarn and weft yarn at a temperate range of 90 °C to 120°C for a period of time ranging from 30 to 90 minutes in a vacuum setter; c. warping and weaving the first twisted yarn and the second twisted yarn to form a fabric;

d. subjecting the fabric of (c) to relaxation;

e. heat setting the relaxed fabric from step (d);

f. subjecting the fabric product of step (e) to weight reduction g- optionally dyeing the fabric product of step (f); h. heat setting the fabric product of step (g);

i. printing setting the fabric product of step (h) ; j- finishing the fabric product of step (i); and

k. sanforizing the fabric product of step (j).

In another embodiment, a product produced by the above process is also provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This disclosure is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which, like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Figure. 1 is a representation of a woven fabric showing warp and weft.

1 - Warp

2- Weft

Figure 2 is a representation of S- and Z-twist.

Figure 3 is a stereo microscope picture of PET georgette fabric taken at 10 X.

Figure 4 is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) picture of yarn cross section of PET georgette fabric at 1000X.

Figure 5 is a stereo microscope picture of PET-PTT bicomponent georgette fabric taken at 10 X.

Figure 6 is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) of yarn cross section of PET- PTT bicomponent georgette fabric at 1000X.

Figure 7 is a NMR spectrum of grey fabric where "1 " is PET+PTT, "2" is PET, and "3" is PTT.

Figure 8 is a NMR spectrum of finished fabric where "1 " is PET+PTT, "2" is PET, and "3" is PTT. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, "woven fabric" consists of two or more thread systems that cross each other at right angles, known as the warp and the weft.

"Warps" are the yarns along the length of the fabrics and are also called ends.

"Weft" is another set of threads or yarn that move perpendicular to warps. Wefts are interlaced with warps in a crosswise direction to make a fabric. The warp threads run in the direction of production, and are wound onto a warp beam in the desired width and spacing (ends per inch or ends per centimeter).

The fabrics of this disclosure are woven by the techniques well known in the art such as plain weaving, satin weaving, twill weaving, and the like.

The term "twist", as used herein, refers to the number of turns about its axis per unit of length of a yarn or other textile strand. It is expressed as turns per inch (tpi), turns per meter (tpm), or turns per centimeter (tpcm). Yarn has S-twist if when it is held vertically, the spirals around its central axis slope in the same direction as the middle portion of the letter S, and Z-twist if they slope in the same direction as the middle portion of the letter Z as shown in Figure 2. When two or more yarns, either single or plied, are twisted together, the letters S and Z are used in a similar manner to indicate the direction of the last twist inserted.

As used herein, the term "high twist' refers to 500-2500 number of turns per meter of yarn.

The phrase "highly twisted", as used herein, refers to greater than 2600 number of turns per meter of yarn. As used herein, the term "georgette effect" refers to crinkly or grainy surface created by alternating S- and Z-twist yarns in both warp and weft.

The term "renewably sourced ingredient", as used herein, refers to an ingredient used to make a product which is sourced from a renewable source. In the present disclosure, such an ingredient is 1 ,3-propanediol, commonly known as PDO, which has been made from renewable source like corn sugar by a fermentation route and has been reacted with terephthalic acid to make the polyester poly(trimethylene terephthalate) or PTT.

Further, a "renewable resource", as used herein, refers to a natural resource with the ability of being replaced through biological or other natural processes. The term "twisting" refers to the process of combining filaments into yarn by twisting them together or combining two or more parallel singles yarns (spun or filament) into plied yarns or cords. For example, cables are made by twisting plied yarns or cords. Twisting is also employed to increase strength, smoothness, and uniformity, to bring in newer effects in yarn. The term "warping", as used herein, refers to the operation of winding warp yarns onto a beam usually in preparation for slashing, weaving, or warp knitting.

Warping the first yarn into a warp beam helps in preparing even sheets of yarn and making the yarn strong enough to handle the stress of weaving without too much end breaking. The second yarn which forms the weft component is inserted across the warp to produce a grey woven fabric.

The term "weaving", as used herein, refers to a process where the fabric is manufactured on a loom in weaving process with warp threads coming from weavers beam interlace, with weft yarns put in width wise direction. The term "relaxation", as used herein, refers to a treatment done to reduce tension and produce more uniform shrinkage or torque. Relaxation produces more uniform dyeing characteristics in regular filament yarns.

The term "weight reduction", as used herein, refers to the process of treating the fabric with sodium hydroxide, which results in saponification of the ester bonds in which some of the ester bonds in the polymer chains are split, forming disodium terephthalate and ethylene glycol. During the process, the surface of the polyester fibers is removed layer by layer. The character of the fiber surface is changed and craters and deep holes are formed. The fiber becomes delustred, and this in turn improves the handling, appearance and flow properties of fabrics, giving them a soft, silk-like texture.

As used herein, the term "heat setting" refers to the process of conferring stability upon fibers, yarns, or fabrics by means of steam or dry heat.

As used herein, the term "dyeing" used herein refers to a process where the fabric after bleaching is dyed with a color.

As used herein, the term "finishing" used herein refers to a process performed on yarn or fabric after weaving or knitting to improve the look, performance, or "hand" (feel) of the finished textile or clothing. The different finishing techniques are bio-polishing, raising, fulling, calendaring, anti-microbial finishing, anti-static finishing, non-slip finishing and others known in the art. Suitable finishing agents are required for these finishes.

As used herein, the term "drumming" refers to a process involving a mechanical action from rotation of a material inside the drums, use of swelling agents, water, heat and pressure to swell the polyester yarns and assisting in untwisting of the yarns to generate a grainy texture in the fabric . As used herein, the term "jet-dyeing" refers to a process of wet mechanical action under high temperature and pressure used to untwist the yarns in the fabric.

As used herein, the term "filament" means a fiber of indefinite or extreme length, some of them may be miles long. Silk is a natural filament, while nylon and polyester are synthetic filaments. Filament fibers are generally made into yarn without the spinning operation required of shorter fibers, such as wool and cotton. The abbreviation for this is "f .

"Denier" is the term used to define the diameter or fineness of a continuous or filament fiber such as silk or man-made fibers. Denier is the weight in grams of a 9000-meter length of fiber or yarn. The higher the number correlates with the thicker the fiber. The abbreviation for Denier is "d" or "D".

The term "Ibf or "pound" or "pound force" refers to a unit of force used in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and the British Gravitational System.

As used herein, the term "fiber" or "fibre" means a fundamental component used in making textile yarns and fabrics. Fibers are fine substances with a high ratio of length to thickness. They can be natural or synthetic (man-made). Therefore 75 D/ 36 f means a fiber having 75 g in 9000 m length and 36 filaments in the fiber.

The term "yarn" means a continuous strand of textile fibers that may be composed of endless filaments or shorter fibers twisted or otherwise held together. The present woven fabrics are comprised of a warp yarn and a weft yarn.

The term "bicomponent yarn" means a continuous strand of textile fibers that may be composed of two different endless filaments or two different shorter fibers twisted or otherwise held (connected) together. In one aspect, the bicomponent yarn is in a core / sheath configuration (for example, formed by a process where one component is completely surrounded by the other) or a connected side-by-side configuration (for example, formed by a process where the polymers fed exit from a spinneret opening side-by-side). In a preferred aspect, the bicomponent yarn is in a side-by-side configuration. The bicomponent yarn may be further twisted to form a twisted bicomponent yarn.

"Round cross section" refers to a shape of the yarn when the yarn diameter at a point on the yarn at different angles is exactly same. There is a correlation between yarn diameter and the yarn cross-section at that point on the yarn. It can be said that yarn diameter can decide the cross-section shape of the yarn. Different cross-sectional shapes have different stiffness as well as different packing index with ideal geometry of filament yarns. The low-stress mechanical properties and hand behavior of fabric are also altered by change in cross- sectional shape of filaments. A number of factors affect the cross-sectional shape of yarn such as twist, chemical resistance, yarn diameter, etc.

The term "fabric" means any cloth woven or knitted from fibers.

As used herein, the term "scouring" refers to the process of washing or cleansing a fabric of grease, soil, and stain in a water/soap/alkali solution.

The term "dyeability" refers to color fastness to washing as measured by the America Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) 61 :2010-2A method.

As used herein, the term "stretch" or "stretchability" refers to the ability of an article to be stretched at least eight percent in the warp or weft direction (that is, at least 1 .08 times its original length), preferably at least ten percent, and then the fabric returns to a value closer to its original dimensions after release of the stretching force as per the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) method D6614:2007. A stretch garment stretches and springs back under movement. Bicycle shorts, bathing suits, tights, body hugging dresses and stirrup pants are non-limiting examples of garments that are predominately or totally stretch garments. As used herein, the term "springiness" refers to the tendency of an article to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed. Springiness is measured by a stretch recovery test.

The term "bounce" refers to the elastic property of a fabric wherein the textile fibre can recover when released from tension or stretch. Bounce can be measured by Kawabata compression test (Harwood et al., Journal of the Society of Dyers and Colourists,{ 1990) Volume 106, Issue 2, pages 64-68).

As used herein, the term "bulk" refers to the bulk modulus of the material in terms of response to uniform pressure and is measured by Kawabata method.

As used herein, the term "lustre" or "luster" refers to the property of a fabric to concentrate the reflected light in certain directions from a unidirectional incident beam. In the present disclosure, a round cross section of the individual filaments is preserved due to robustness in shape provided by the high chemical resistance of the PTT polymer. The preservation of round cross section as shown by microscopic picture imparts lustre to the fabric.

As used herein, the term "crisp" refers to an apparel characteristic that is identified by versioning. It defines a garment, which has its own shape and body. A crisp garment tends to resist draping and movement while being worn. Dress business shirts are a good example of a predominately, or totally crisp garment. Crispness is measured by Kawabata method (Harwood et al., Journal of the Society of Dyers and Colourists,^ 990) Volume 106, Issue 2, pages 64-68). "Versioning", as used herein, means a method for identifying the apparel characteristics of any particular garment, using those apparel characteristics to determine the desired finishing benefits most appropriate for that garment, and then selecting one or more compositions for use with the present disclosure to impart the most appropriate or desired finishing benefits on that garment.

As used herein, "soft Feel" refers to visual aesthetics of the garment, giving the overall impression of comfort to the garment. The soft feel is measured by Kawabata evaluation system (KES). As used herein, "surface smoothness" refers to the friction force associated with the surface texture of a fibrous material and is measured by a Kawabata evaluation system (KES-FB4) method.

The term "FDY" or "fully drawn yarn" ,as used herein, is defined as a melt-spun continuous filament yarn which has been highly oriented, either by drawing at a high draw ratio or by spinning at a high wind-up speed having little residual drawability.

As used herein, "drapability" is defined as the way in which a fabric hangs (falls) over a three-dimensional form; the flow of fabric into folds. Different fabrics drape differently, for example, limply like jersey fabric, stiffly like taffeta, and falling in soft folds like chiffon (Taylor, M.A. 1990. Technology of Textile Properties, 3 * Ed., Forbes Publications, London).

As used herein, "texture" is a term describing the surface effect of a fabric, such as dull, lustrous, wooly, stiff, soft, fine, coarse, open, or closely woven; the structural quality of a fabric. "Conditioning" of the twisted yarns by heat setting is done to relax yarns, to prevent them from snarling, to enable them to be worked efficiently in the following processes and to fix yarn-twisting.

As used herein, "colour fastness" is a term used in the dyeing of textile materials, meaning resistance of the material's colour to fading or running. The term is usually used in the context of clothes.

The georgette structure of the present disclosure consists essentially of at least one twisted bicomponent yarn made of 25 wt% to 75 wt% PTT and 75 wt% to 25 wt% PET and a second twisted yarn selected from group consisting of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and combinations (blends) thereof.

The shrinkage tendency of bicomponent yarn is utilized to get springiness at very low twist level compared to a PET only georgette fabric. Further, the feel of fabric becomes more soft, porous and lustrous because the round cross section of individual filaments in the bicomponent yarn is preserved due to robustness in shape provided by high chemical resistance of the PTT component. Also due to good alkali resistance property of PTT, there is a preferential reduction of the PET component during the fabric "finishing" process and a majority proportion of the soft PTT component remains in the finished fabric which further enhances softness of the fabric.

Further to the round cross-section, if the yarn diameter at a point on the yarn at different angles is about the same, then the yarn is said to have a round cross- section shape at that point. Examples of round cross-section shapes are shown in Figure 6. The present georgette fabric has improved characteristics like springiness, luster, smooth and soft feel that are far better than the georgette fabric found in the present industry. This is because parameters like twist are optimized to reduce harshness. In a conventional georgette fabric made from only PET, individual filaments making up the yarn are deformed and densely packed. In comparison, the round cross section of a filament comprising a portion of which is PTT is preserved and does not deform to get better luster and silk-like feel. The inherited shrinkage tendency of the yarn is utilized to impart springiness to the fabric. Further, filaments are not packed as densely as in conventional PET only georgette. The georgette fabric of the present disclosure imparts a more porous, comfortable and bulkier look to the final fabric.

The georgette fabrics reported so far suggest different twisting characteristics of PET/PTT bicomponent yarns in warp and weft. However, the twisting and wet- processing route isn't optimized in the manner to get the structure achieved according to present disclosure. The new structural factors like porosity, luster, softness and bulkier look is imparted in the structure by carefully selecting the twist level and preferentially reducing PET polymer component in the fabric.

Also, the fabric produced by suggested conventional process routes was found to be poor in dimensional stability, and would shrink the fabric during storage and settle at a fabric width which was lower than the desired fabric width of 44" for commercial applications like saree. The challenge persisted irrespective of the pre-setting fabric width on the pin-stenter.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a woven fabric made of twisted multifilament yarns wherein a warp yarn consists essentially of bicomponent yarn and a weft yarn consisting of PET, bicomponent yarn and blends thereof. aspect, a process is provided to make a woven fabric comprising the of: a. providing: i. a first twisted yarn consisting essentially of a first bicomponent yarn having 25 wt% to 75 wt% poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and 75 wt% to 25wt% poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) in a connected side-by-side configuration; and ii. a second twisted yarn consisting essentially of a polyamide yarn, a polyolefin yarn, a polyester yarn, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn, a second bicomponent yarn, and blends thereof; wherein either first twisted yarn or the second twisted yarn is a warp yarn while the other is the weft yarn; b. heat treating (setting) the warp yarn and weft yarn at a temperate range of 90 °C to 120°C for a period of time ranging from 30 to 90 minutes in a vacuum setter; c. warping and weaving the first twisted yarn and the second twisted yarn to form a fabric; d. subjecting the fabric of (c) to relaxation; e. heat setting the relaxed fabric from step (d); f. subjecting the fabric product of step (e) to weight reduction; g. optionally dyeing the fabric product of step (f); h. heat setting the fabric product of step (g); i. printing setting the fabric product of step (h) ; j. finishing the fabric product of step (i); and k. sanforizing the fabric product of step (j).

The grey fabric is relaxed in a long jet machine during which time the high twisted yarns in the warp and weft tend to relax. Due to its lower torsion rigidity, PTT FDY (fully drawn yarn) is comparatively easier to twist and untwist. The grainy texture generation in case of georgette fabrics is by virtue of relaxation or untwisting of twisted yarns in the fabric.

In PET fabrics, a combination of wet mechanical action under high temperature and pressure is used to untwist the yarns in the fabric. Although the high temperature and pressure is possible in the case of a conventional jet dyeing machine, the mechanical action on the fabric in the jet dyeing machine is not enough to untwist the yarns in the fabric for grainy texture generation. So, mechanical agitation needs to be given in the drumming process. The drumming process involves mechanical action from rotation of the material inside the drums, use of swelling agents, water, heat and pressure to swell the polyester yarns and assist in untwisting of the yarns to generate grainy texture in the fabric.

Trials on PTT/PET bicomponent FDY based georgette fabrics have shown that the mechanical agitation of the conventional jet dyeing machine is suitable for untwisting of the yarns in the fabric which leads to a generation of grainy texture in the fabric. This would lead to advantages of eliminating manual labor (to cut, pile and stitch fabric in 100 meter lots). Downgrades could be spread over larger fabric length (corresponding to increased batch length from jet dyeing machine), uniform fabric quality (gsm and texture).

The following examples are only illustrated to further describe the disclosure and should in no way be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. TEST METHODS

Unless otherwise noted, the following apply: "gf/cm" is gram force per centimeter; "ASTM" means the American Society for Testing and Materials, "AATCC" means America Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, "ml_" means milliliter(s), "°C" means Celsius, "min" means minutes, "s" means second(s), "hr" means hour(s), "CRE" means constant-rate-of-extension; "KES" means Kawabata evaluation system, "m" means meters, "mm" means millimeters, "cm" means centimeters, "kPa" means kilopascals, "glm" means grams per linear meter, "GPa" means gigapascals; "Ibf means pounds force.

Stretch recovery was measured by an ASTM D6614:2007 method using a CRE machine. The load used was 4 Ibf, bench mark was 250 mm.

Fabric width was measured by a ASTM D3774: 1996(2004) method.

Color fastness to washing was measured by a AATCC 61 :2010-2A method using following conditions:

Temp- 60°C Liquid Volume- 150 ml_

Time- 45 min

Steel balls- 50

Detergent- 0.15% WOB (without optical brightener)

Dimensional change after 3 rd washing was measured by the AATCC 135:2010 method using following conditions:

Machine wash at 60°C

Normal cycle; and Tumble Dry medium.

Tensile strength was measured by the ASTM D5034:2009 method using a constant-rate-extension (CRE) machine.

Tear strength was measured by a ASTM D1424:2009 method.

Seam slippage was by the ASTM D434:1995 method using a CRE machine @ 6.0 mm seam opening.

Compression is measured by testing a 2 cm 2 area and is measured with the Kawabata evaluation system (KES-FB3) compression tester at an appropriate force for material type being tested.

Kawabata evaluation system (KES) is a series of instruments used to measure those textile properties that enable predictions of the aesthetic qualities perceived by human touch. Kawabata evaluation system provides a unique capability, not only to predict human response, but also to provide an understanding of how the variables of fibre, yarn, fabric construction and finish contribute to perceptions of comfort. For the present disclosure properties like bulk, crisp, surface smoothness and soft feel were measured by Kawabata evaluation system.

Following testing parameters were used for Kawabata evaluation system (KES)

Shear (degree/s)

Strain(per

second)

Shear 2 * 5 0.00834 0.2 ±8°

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE A

A PET (RECRON ; Recron Malaysia Sdn Bhd; Reliance Industries Ltd, India) yarn of 50 D/ 24 f was subjected to a twisting procedure (S and Z twist) on a Alidhra FHT-100 Two-for-one (TFO) twister (Alidhra Weavetech Pvt Ltd, India) to provide a twisted yarn of 2700 turns/m forming the warp component of the fabric. Another PET (RECRON®) yarn of 50D/24 f was subjected to a twisting procedure (S and Z twist) on a Alidhra FHT-100 Two-for-one (TFO) twister to provide a twisted yarn of 2700 turns/m forming the weft component of the fabric . The warp yarns and weft yarns were heat treated at a temperature of 100° C for 90 minutes in a vacuum setter at 70mm Hg (-9.33 kPa) vacuum pressure. This was followed by warping and weaving using the following specifications:

Warp density- 100 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Reed space- 58 inches

Denting pattern- 2

Pick density- 78 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Linear density- 66 glm

The grey fabric thus obtained was relaxed by drumming for 130° C for 120 min on a traditional drumming machine. The fabric was heat-set on a Dhall stenter machine (Dhall Enterprises, India) at a temperature of 200°C for 30 seconds to maximum width of 42 inches (-106.7 cm). The fabric was then subjected to weight reduction on a TEXFAB Terelena machine (Texfab Engineers Pvt. Ltd, India) using caustic soda at 100°C for 45 min so as to achieve linear density of 60 glm. This was followed by washing and neutralization. The fabric was heat set on Dhall stenter frame at 165°C for 30 sec at 45 inches (-1 14.3 cm) width for making it ready for printing. The fabric was printed using Disperse Dye print paste, dried at 130°C and cured at 175°C for 7 minutes for print-fixation. This was followed by washing the fabric of un-fixed color. The fabric was dried and final-set at 45 inches (-1 14.3 cm) on stenter frame at 165°C for 30 sec. This fabric was then passed on a Dhall Zero-Zero machine where the fabric moves in between a steam heated cylinder at 105°C and 10 mpm speed, the set-up maintained at 8 kg/cm 2 pressure. The fabric returned with a crispy hand-feel and good bounce with a width of 44 inches (~1 1 1 .8 cm) as a result of the relaxation in the Zero-Zero machine.

Figure 3 shows the fabric photograph and fiber state as analyzed by stereomicroscope at 10X and Figure 4 shows a photograph taken using a scanning electron microscope at 1000 X of yarn cross section used in the fabric. As can be seen from Figure 4, the PET filament in cross section is deformed, packed and abraded.

Table 1 : Fabric test results for 50 D/ 24 f PET yarn

a = 4.44822 X Ibf (pounds force)= Newtons (N)

EXAMPLE 1

PET/PTT (75 D/ 36 f) bicomponent yarns (R531 from Reliance Industries Ltd) was subjected to a high twisting procedure (1700 turns/m in S direction and 1800 turns/m in Z direction) on a Alidhra FHT-100 Two-for-one (TFO) twister forming the warp and weft component of the fabric The warp yarns and weft yarns were heat treated at a temperature of 85° C for 60 minutes at 70mm Hg (-9.33 kPa) vacuum pressure in a vacuum setter.

This was followed by warping and weaving using following specifications:

Warp density- 64 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Reed space- 66 inches

Denting pattern- 2

Pick density- 64 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Linear density- 75 glm

The grey fabric thus obtained was relaxed by drumming at 125° C for 90 min in a traditional drumming machine.

The fabric was heat-set on a Dhall stenter machine at a temperature of 195°C for 60 seconds to maximum width of 45 inches (-1 14.3 cm). The fabric was then subjected to weight reduction on a TEXFAB Terelena machine using caustic soda at 100°C for 90 min so as to achieve linear density of 65 glm. This was followed by washing and neutralization. The fabric was heat set on Dhall Stenter Frame at 165°C for 60 sec at 47 inches (-1 19.4 cm) width for making it ready for printing. The Fabric was printed using disperse dye print paste, dried at 130°C and cured at 175°C for 7 minutes for print-fixation. This was followed by washing the fabric of un-fixed color. The fabric was dried and final-set at 46 inches (-1 16.8 cm) on stenter frame at 165°C for 30 sec. This fabric was then passed on a Dhall Zero-Zero machine where the fabric moves in between a steam heated cylinder at 105°C at 10 mpm speed, the set-up maintained at 8 kg/cm 2 pressure. The fabric returned with a super soft and smooth hand-feel and good bounce with a width of 38 inches (~ 96.5 cm) as a result of the relaxation in the Zero-Zero machine.

Table 2: Fabric test results for 75 D/ 36 f PET/PTT Bicomponent yarns

Stretch ASTM D6614:2007 % Warp 20.4

Weft 25.6

Growth ASTM D6614:2007 % Warp 1 .2

Weft 2.4

Tensile strength ASTM D5034:2009 Ibf Warp 38.0

Weft 30.4

Tear strength ASTM D1424:2009 Ibf Warp 5.2

Weft 3.9

Dimensional AATCC 135:2010 % Warp -1 .2 stability Weft -0.4

Seam slippage ASTM D434:1995 Ibf Warp 29.6

Weft 33.5

4.44822 X Ibf (pounds force)= Newtons (N)

EXAMPLE 2

PET/PTT (75 D/ 36 f) bicomponent yarn was subjected to a high twisting procedure (1700 turns/m in S direction and 1800 turns/m in Z direction) on a Alidhra FHT-100 Two-for-one (TFO) twister forming the warp and weft component of the fabric.

The warp yarns and weft yarns were heat treated at a temperature of 85° C for 60 minutes at 70mm Hg (-9.33 kPa) vacuum pressure in a vacuum setter.

This was followed by warping and weaving using following specifications:

Warp density- 64 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Reed space- 66 inches

Denting pattern- 2

Pick density- 64 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Linear density- 75 glm

The grey fabric thus obtained was relaxed in a TEXFAB Long-jet machine using the following conditions:

Conditions:

Loading at room-temperature (~ 21 °C)

Rate of Rise of Temperature: 0.5°C / min

Treatment time: 30 minutes at 95°C The fabric was heat-set on a Dhall stenter machine at a temperature of 200°C for 60 seconds to maximum width of 50 inches (-127.0 cm). The fabric was then subjected to weight reduction on a TEXFAB Terelena machine using caustic soda at 100°C for 90 min so as to achieve linear density of 65 glm. This was followed by washing and neutralization. The fabric was heat set on Dhall Stenter Frame at 200°C for 60 sec at 50 inches width for making it ready for printing. The Fabric was printed using disperse dye print paste, dried at 130°C and cured at 175°C for 7 minutes for print-fixation. This was followed by washing the fabric of un-fixed color. The fabric was dried and final-set at 50 inches (-127.0 cm) on stenter frame at 200°C for 60 sec. This fabric was then passed on a Dhall Zero- Zero machine where the fabric moves in between a steam heated cylinder at 105°C at 10 mpm speed, the set-up maintained at 8 kg/cm 2 pressure. The fabric returned with a super soft and smooth hand-feel and good bounce with a width of 42 inches (~ 106.7 cm) as a result of the relaxation in the Zero-Zero machine. Table 3: Fabric test results for 75 D/ 36 f PET/PTT Bicomponent yarns

a = 4.44822 X Ibf (pounds force)= Newtons (N)

EXAMPLE 3 PET/PTT (75 D/ 36 f) bicomponent yarns was subjected to a high twisting procedure (1700 turns/m in S direction and 1800 turns/m in Z direction) on a Alidhra FHT-100 Two-for-one (TFO) twister forming the warp and weft component of the fabric

The warp yarns and weft yarns were heat treated at a temperature of 85 °C for 60 minutes at 70 mm Hg (-9.33 kPa) vacuum pressure in a vacuum setter.

This was followed by warping and weaving using following specifications:

Warp density- 64 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Reed space- 66 inches

Denting pattern- 2

Pick density- 64 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Linear density- 75 glm

The grey fabric was heat-set on a Dhall stenter machine at a temperature of 205°C for 60 seconds to maximum width of 61 inches (~154.9 cm).

The fabric was then subjected to weight reduction on a TEXFAB Terelena machine using caustic soda at 100°C for 120 min so as to achieve linear density of 65 glm. This was followed by washing and neutralization. The Fabric was printed using disperse dye print paste, dried at 130°C and cured at 175°C for 7 minutes for print-fixation. This was followed by washing the fabric of un-fixed color. The fabric was heat set on Dhall Stenter Frame at 200°C for 60 sec at 47 inches (-1 19.4 cm) width for making it ready for printing. The fabric was dried and final-set at 48 inches (~ 121 .9 cm) on stenter frame at 185°C for 60 sec. This fabric was then passed on a Dhall Zero-Zero machine where the fabric moves in between a steam heated cylinder at 105°C at 10 mpm speed, the set-up maintained at 8 kg/cm 2 pressure. The fabric returned with a super soft and smooth hand-feel and good bounce with a width of 44 inches (~1 1 1 .8 cm) as a result of the relaxation in the Zero-Zero machine. Table 4: Fabric test results for 75 D/ 36 f PET/PTT Bicomponent yarns Test Method type Units Results

Warp (Bico) Threads/Inch 64

Weft (Bico) Threads/Inch 64

Width of finished ASTM Inches 44

fabric D3774:1996(2004)

Stretch ASTM D6614:2007 % Warp 10.4

Weft 24.8

Growth ASTM D6614:2007 % Warp 0.8

Weft 2.8

Tensile strength ASTM D5034:2009 Ibf Warp 41 .7

Weft 33.9

Tear strength ASTM D1424:2009 Ibf Warp 3.2

Weft 2.7

Dimensional AATCC 135:2010 % Warp -4.0 stability Weft -2.0

Seam slippage ASTM D434:1995 Ibf Warp 15.2

Weft 34.4 a = 4.44822 X Ibf (pounds force)= Newtons (N)

EXAMPLE 4

PET/PTT (75 D/ 36 f) bicomponent yarn was subjected to a high twisting procedure (800 turns/m in S and Z twist direction) on a Alidhra FHT-100 Two-for- one (TFO) twister forming the warp component of the fabric. Another PET (RECRON®) yarn of 50D/48 f was subjected to a twisting procedure (S, Z twist) on an Alidhra FHT-100 Two-for-one (TFO) twister to provide a twisted yarn of 1800 turns/m forming the weft component of the fabric. The warp yarns were heat treated at a temperature of 1 10° C for 60 minutes at 55 mm Hg (~ 7.3 kPa) vacuum pressure in a vacuum setter and weft yarns were heat treated at 85° C for 90 minutes at 55 mm Hg (~ 7.3 kPa) vacuum pressure in a vacuum setter.

This was followed by warping and weaving using following specifications:

Warp density- 72 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Reed space- 68 inches

Denting pattern- 2 Pick density- 72 threads per inch (2S twist yarns alternating with 2 Z yarns) Linear density- 82 glm

Grey fabric width - 63 inches

The grey fabric thus obtained was relaxed by drumming at 130° C for 120 min in a traditional drumming machine.

The fabric was heat-set on a Dhall stenter machine at a temperature of 195°C for 60 seconds to maximum width 58 inches (~ 147.3 cm) with overfeed 17%. The fabric was then subjected to weight reduction on a TEXFAB Terelena machine using Caustic Soda at 100°C for 90 minutes so as to achieve linear density of 66 glm. This was followed by washing and neutralization. The fabric was heat set on Dhall Stenter Frame at 165°C for 30 sec at 61 inches (-154.9 cm) width with 17 % over feed for making it ready for printing. The Fabric was printed using disperse dye print paste, dried at 130°C and cured at 175°C for 7 minutes for print-fixation. This was followed by washing the fabric of un-fixed color. The fabric was dried and final-set at 61 inches (~154.9 cm) on stenter frame at 165°C for 30 sec. This fabric was then passed on a Dhall Zero-Zero machine where the fabric moves in between a steam heated cylinder at 105°C at 10 mpm speed, the setup maintained at 8 kg/cm 2 pressure. The fabric returned with a soft and smooth hand-feel and good bounce with good stretch in warp direction with a width of 61 inches (~154.9 cm) as a result of the relaxation in the Zero-Zero machine.

Table 5: Fabric test results for 75 D/ 36 f PET/PTT Bicomponent yarns

and 50D/48 f PET in weft

Weft 23.8

Tear strength ASTM D1424:2009 Ibf Warp 5.8

Weft 5.1

Dimensional AATCC 135:2010 % Warp -5.9 stability Weft -1 .3

Seam slippage ASTM D434:1995 Ibf Warp 7.5

Weft 28.2

4.44822 X Ibf (pounds force)= Newtons (N)

As can be seen from Figure 6, filaments in cross-section have defined boundary, openly packed and solid with round yarn cross section.

Table 5: Tensile properties of the fabric as evaluated by Kawabata Evaluation system (KES)

Tensile strain measures the extensibility of the fabric, therefore the georgette of the present disclosure is more extensible.

Linearity in extension provides a measure for softness, higher the value, stiffer the fabric. Therefore as can be seen from Table 5, the bicomponent georgette of present disclosure has soft feeling compared to the comparative polyester georgette.

Table 6: Bending properties of the fabric as evaluated by Kawabata Evaluation system (KES)

A higher value of bending rigidity means that fabric is stiff or resistant to bend. A larger value of bending moment indicates inelastic behavior. Therefore as can be seen from Table 6, polyester georgette is stiff and inelastic whereas bicomponent georgette is soft and easily bendable and recoverable from bend.

Table 7: Shear properties of the fabric as evaluated by Kawabata Evaluation system (KES)

5 deg angle

A larger value of shear rigidity makes fabric stiff and paper like. A larger value of shear hysteresis causes inelastic behavior in shearing. A larger value of shear hysteresis at 5 deg angle causes inelastic property in shearing and wrinkle problems. As can be seen from Table 7, bicomponent georgette of present disclosure is soft, elastic and has fewer wrinkles as compared to polyester georgette.

Table 8: Surface properties of the fabric as evaluated by Kawabata Evaluation system (KES)

Too high values of mean frictional coefficient yield unusual surface feeling whereas higher value of surface frictional roughness causes roughness to fabric. Too high values of surface geometrical roughness yield unusual surface feeling.

As can be seen from Table 8, bicomponent georgette fabric of present disclosure tested by KES method shows better softness and smoothness over the

conventional polyester georgette.

Table 9: Polymer % in grey and finished fabric

As can be seen from NMR spectrum shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8 and test results in Table 9, PTT% increased by 15% from grey to finished fabric in bicomponent georgette, making structure softer.

Table 10: Process parameters for the examples

set width

Example 3 205°C for No No 44

60 s at 61

inch width

Example 4 No Drumming at 195°C for 60 61

130°C for 120 seconds to

min maximum width

58 inches