The present invention relates to a knitted fabrics comprising lyocell and cotton, and the use thereof in clothing and other articles.

Lyocell is a natural fiber on a natural basis. The raw material for this fiber is wood pulp, as well as viscose (rayon), while it is also spun through the wet spinning process. The wood pulp usually originates from the eucalyptus tree and is processed into cellulose fibers. The characteristic difference is in the dissolution of the wood fibers. In contrast to viscose, the lyocell process is environmentally friendly, as it uses a closed cycle where the solvent is recovered. The properties of the fiber are generally similar to viscose, but the wet strength is better and the fiber creases less. Lyocell is mainly produced by the Austrian company Lenzing AG and marketed under the trade name Tencel®.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LyocelL

Lyocell is strong, absorbs moisture and is super soft on the skin. The fabric is used in clothing, as a duvet filling, but also as ticking. Combinations of lyocell and cotton as clothing fabric are also known, for example for trousers and shirts.

In a scientific study, Alaa Arafa, Badr, et al., Alexandria Engineering Journal (2016) 55, 2439-2447, D0l:10.1016/j.aej.2016.02.031 (6 Aug. 2016) describe the Influence of Tencel/cotton blends on knitted fabric performance" . The use of elastane is neither mentioned nor suggested.

CN 103911742 B of Wuhan Miiow Garments Co. Ltd. 6 Apr. 2016, discloses a constant-temperature cotton fabric made of a fiber composed of 65-74 wt.% of regenerated cellulose, 24-30 wt.% of chinlon (nylon) and 2-5 wt.% of spandex. It is mentioned that underwear made of this constant-temperature cotton fabric can obtain a good temperature adjusting function, is comfortable to wear and good in hand feeling. Spandex is also known under the terms elastane or Elastan.

The internet site https://www.alibaba.eom/g/lyocell-spandex-fabric.html offers a knitted fabric made of cotton, spandex and lyocell with a weight ratio of 53% cotton, 2.5% spandex and 44.5 % lyocell. Fabrics with a combination of lyocell and spandex in a weight ratio of 95% lyocell and 5% spandex are also offered and are therefore known.

Because of the favorable properties of knitted fabrics with lyocell and cotton which are known from the prior art, there is a need to investigate other compositions and ratios of these fabrics for their properties and to improve or at least to match them.

The object of the invention is to provide new knitted fabrics which essentially comprise lyocell and cotton, with improved properties. It is aimed that the new knitted fabrics are stronger than the known fabrics made of 95% lyocell, and at the same time softer than the known fabrics having about 50-55 wt.% cotton and 47-43 wt.% lyocell, while retaining the advantages of lyocell over conventional or organic cotton, or with at least similar properties to comparable fabrics according to the state of the art.

It has now surprisingly been found that knitted fabrics comprising lyocell, cotton and elastane show unexpected and favorable properties. In one aspect the invention therefore provides a knitted fabric in particular for manufacturing garments, wherein the fabric comprises lyocell, cotton and elastane. In a preferred embodiment the fabric comprises about 58-78 wt.% lyocell, about 40-15 wt.% cotton and about 2-7 wt.% elastane. In a more preferred embodiment these percentages are about 62-75 wt.% lyocell, about 35- 20 wt.% cotton and about 3-5 wt.% elastane. Most preferably, these percentages are about 65-70 wt.% lyocell, about 32-25 wt.% cotton and about 3-5 wt.% elastane. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the knitted fabric comprises about 68 wt.% lyocell, about 28 wt.% cotton and about 4 wt.% elastane.

The fabrics according to the invention show the following properties:

- very good ventilation (breathable fabrics)

- very good color fastness

- improved moisture regulation, they absorb more moisture than cotton

- exceptionally soft (softer than cotton and softer than the known fabrics with about 47-43 wt.% lyocell and 50-55 wt.% cotton).

- sufficient strength (better than the known fabrics with 95% lyocell)

- antibacterial (better than cotton)

- temperature regulating (warmer in winter, cooler in summer)

- hardly any shrinkage (better than cotton or bamboo)

- pill free (better than cotton or bamboo)

- easy to dye (better than cotton or other fibers, such as bamboo).

Generally stated, in knitted fabrics comprising lyocell, cotton and elastane, lyocell provides the softness, cotton provides the strength and elastane provides the elasticity.

The weight ratios of these three components according to the invention provide a surprising optimization of properties, which goes beyond what could be expected on the basis of the properties of individual components.

The fabrics according to the invention are preferably used in clothing, in particular undergarments. Examples are, in men's fashion: boxer shorts, trunks and the like, t-shirts (undershirts and regular t-shirts as outerwear), polo shirts, long sleeves, socks; and in women's fashion: briefs, hipsters and the like, singlets, nightdresses, tops, socks, t-shirts. The fabrics are also suitable for other applications, for example as curtain fabrics.

The specific weight of these fabrics for the said applications is preferably in the range of about 140-260 g/m ² , more preferably about 180-220 g/m ² and most preferably about 200 g/m ² .

The lyocell fibers used in the fabrics of the invention are widely commercially available. Lenzing Tencel® is preferably used, which is produced by the Austrian firm Lenzing AG in an environmentally friendly manner. The fibers originate from the Eucalyptus tree from sustainable wood plantations and are checked and certified in Europe. They are biodegradable. The process is 99.6% recyclable.

Organic cotton is preferably used as cotton, but cotton produced in a different way is also suitable.

The elastane used is commercially available, for example under the trade names Dorlastan® (Bayer) and Lycra® (DuPont). The fabrics according to the invention can be made by any conventional knitting process, as is known to one skilled in the knitted fabrics and knitting processes.

It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that modifications and adaptations can be made to the knitted fabrics described in this application and their use inter alia in clothing without departing from the gist of the invention. These modifications and adaptations are therefore all within the scope of this invention, which is defined by the following claims.