Flame resistant fabrics and garments having the appearance of denim

Abstract

Disclosed are flame resistant fabrics and garments having the appearance of denim. In one embodiment, a piece-dyed, flame resistant fabric includes first flame resistant yarns that extend along the fabric in a first direction and second flame resistant yarns that extend along the fabric in a second that is different from the first direction so as to interweave the second flame resistant yarns with the first flame resistant yarns, wherein the first flame resistant yarns are dyed due to the piece dyeing and the second flame resistant yarns are substantially undyed to create the denim appearance.

1 . A piece-dyed, flame resistant fabric having the appearance of denim, the fabric comprising: 
 first flame resistant yarns that extend along the fabric in a first direction; and    second flame resistant yarns that extend along the fabric in a second that is different from the first direction so as to interweave the second flame resistant yarns with the first flame resistant yarns;    wherein the first flame resistant yarns are dyed due to the piece dyeing but the second flame resistant yarns are substantially undyed to create the denim appearance.    
   
   
       2 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns are warp yarns.  
   
   
       3 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns comprise inherently flame resistant material.  
   
   
       4 . The fabric of  claim 3 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns comprise at least one of para-aramid fibers and uncrystallized meta-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       5 . The fabric of  claim 3 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns comprise modacrylic fibers.  
   
   
       6 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns comprise flame resistant cellulosic fibers.  
   
   
       7 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns are dyed one of blue and black.  
   
   
       8 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second flame resistant yarns are filling yarns.  
   
   
       9 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second flame resistant yarns comprise inherently flame resistant material.  
   
   
       10 . The fabric of  claim 9 , wherein the second flame resistant yarns comprise at least one of para-aramid fibers and crystallized meta-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       11 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second flame resistant yarns resist dyeing such that the first flame resistant yarns can be dyed without dyeing the second flame resistant yarns in a piece-dyeing process.  
   
   
       12 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is a plain weave.  
   
   
       13 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is a twill.  
   
   
       14 . The fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric has a weight ranging from approximately 4 to 15 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       15 . A piece-dyed, flame resistant fabric, comprising: 
 flame resistant warp yarns; and    flame resistant filling yarns;    wherein the warp yarns are dyed due to the piece dyeing, but the second flame resistant yarns are not dyed despite the piece dyeing.    
   
   
       16 . The fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the warp yarns comprise at least one of aramid fibers and modacrylic fibers.  
   
   
       17 . The fabric of  claim 16 , wherein the warp yarns further comprise flame resistant cellulosic yarns.  
   
   
       18 . The fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the warp yarns are dyed one of blue and black.  
   
   
       19 . The fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the filling yarns comprise at least one of para-aramid fibers and crystallized meta-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       20 . The fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the fabric is one of a plain weave and a twill.  
   
   
       21 . The fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the fabric has a weight ranging from approximately 4 to 15 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       22 . A protective garment composed of a piece-dyed fabric, comprising: 
 first flame resistant yarns that extend along the fabric in a first direction; and    second flame resistant yarns that extend along the fabric in a second that is different from the first direction so as to interweave with the first flame resistant yarns;    wherein the first flame resistant yarns are dyed due to the piece dyeing and the second flame resistant yarns are substantially undyed to create an appearance of denim for the fabric and the garment.    
   
   
       23 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns are warp yarns and the second flame resistant yarns are filling yarns.  
   
   
       24 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein the first flame resistant yarns comprise at least one of para-aramid fibers, uncrystallized meta-aramid fibers, modacrylic fibers, and flame resistant cellulosic fibers.  
   
   
       25 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein the second flame resistant yarns comprise at least one of para-aramid fibers and crystallized meta-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       26 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein the garment fabric is one of a plain weave and a twill.  
   
   
       27 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein the garment fabric has a weight ranging from approximately 4 to 15 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       28 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein the garment comprises one of a jacket, a shirt, pants, and overalls.  
   
   
       29 . A method for dyeing a flame resistant fabric, the method comprising: 
 contacting a flame resistant fabric comprising flame resistant yarns extending in first and second directions along the fabric so as to interweave with a dye bath; and    heating the dye bath such that dye is fixed within the flame resistant yarns extending in the first direction but not in the flame resistant yarns extending in the second direction so as to create the appearance of denim.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein contacting a flame resistant fabric comprises piece dyeing a fabric that includes warp yarns that accept dyeing and filling yarns that resist dyeing.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein contacting a flame resistant fabric comprises piece dyeing a fabric that includes warp yarns that resist dyeing and filling yarns that accept dyeing.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein contacting a flame resistant fabric comprises piece dyeing a flame resistant fabric including first yarns and second yarns that interweave the first yarns, the first yarns comprising at least one of aramid fibers, modacrylic fibers, and flame resistant cellulosic fibers, the second yarns comprising at least one of para-aramid fibers and crystallized meta-aramid fibers.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein contacting a flame resistant fabric with a dye bath comprises contacting the fabric with a dye bath comprising a dye selected from the group consisting of a direct/disperse dye, a fiber reactive/disperse dye, a direct/basic dye, a fiber reactive/basic dye, a direct dye, a fiber reactive dye, a vat dye, a sulfur dye, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein contacting a flame resistant fabric with a dye bath comprises contacting the fabric with a dye bath comprising a dye-assistant selected from the group consisting of N-cyclohexylpyrrolidone, benzyl alcohol, N,N-dibutylformamide, N,N-diethylbenzamide, hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium salt, N,N-dimethylbenzamide, N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, N-octylpyrrolidone, aryl ether, Halcomid M-8/10 (an approximately 50/50 blend of N,N-dimethylcaprylamide and N,N-dimethylcapramide), and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein heating the dye bath comprises heating the dye bath to a peak temperature that does not exceed 190° F.