Stiffened fabric article and method of manufacture

Abstract

Abstract Stiffened fabric articles useful as garment liners are provided, comprised of multi-constituent yarn elements unidirectionally combined therein in the direction of desired stiffness in said fabric article; said multi-constituent yarn elements being spun form at least two different polymeric materials whose melt temperatures differ by at least 10 degree C. such that, in a given element, a first fiber-forming polymeric material defines a matrix and a second higher melting polymeric material is dispersed therein in the form of discontinuous fibrils, said matrix comprising at least about 50 percent by weight of the element and having a lower melting point than said dispersed fibrils; and said fabric article having been heat-treated at a temperature in the range above the melting point of the matrix but below the melting point of the dispersed fibrils such that the desired unidirectional degree of stiffness is imparted thereto, and whereby fabric strength and appearance are retained. The multi-constituent yarn elements are present in the fabric as individual yarn or fill elements in combination with other materials, or are present in a mechanically blended fiber or yarn with other materials.

Inventors

• 👤 George H Collingwood
• 👤 Gene C Weedon
• 👤 Robert C Wincklhofer

Bibliographic Details