Yarns spun from olefin and cotton fibers and products made therefrom

Abstract

A textile yarn consisting of a blend lightweight olefin fibers that has a specific gravity of 0.91 to 1.0 blended with cotton fibers that have a specific gravity of more that 1.0 made using commercially available cotton spinning systems, and the textile articles manufactured using said yarn. This invention takes advantage of the fact that during the spinning process, centrifugal force slings most of the heavier cotton fiber to the outside while the lighter weight olefin remains mostly in the core of the yarn thus formed. The system is especially useful when using cotton open end or air jet spinning systems. Novel fabrics can be made from the new yarns.

1 . A spun yarn comprising a blend of cotton and olefin fibers, wherein at least 25% of the blend comprises cotton fibers and at least 20% of the blend comprises olefin fibers, said cotton fibers being predominantly in an outer sheath of the yarn and said olefin fibers being predominantly in a inner core of said yarn.  
   
   
       2 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein said yarn is comprised substantially exclusively of cotton and olefin fibers.  
   
   
       3 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 (a) said cotton fibers comprise from 25% to 80% of the blend, and    (b) said olefin fibers comprise from 20% to 75% of the blend.    
   
   
       4 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 (a) said cotton fibers comprise about 60% of the blend, and    (b) said olefin fibers comprise about 40% of the blend.    
   
   
       5 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein the yarn is spun by open end, air jet or cotton ring spinning systems.  
   
   
       6 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein said yarn is dyed with cotton dyes.  
   
   
       7 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein said yarn is at least 40/1-cotton count.  
   
   
       8 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 (a) said cotton fibers are predominantly in the range of 0.75 inch to 1.06 inch in length, and    (b) said olefin fibers are predominantly about 1.5 inches in length.    
   
   
       9 . A spun yarn according to  claim 1 , wherein said olefin fibers have a specific gravity of from about 0.91 to about 1.0.  
   
   
       10 . A knitted or woven fabric constructed with the yarn of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       11 . A fabric according to  claim 10 , wherein the fabric has been dyed using a cotton dye system.  
   
   
       12 . A fabric according to  claim 11 , wherein the fabric is a denim fabric and has been dyed using an indigo dye system.  
   
   
       13 . A fabric according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 (a) said yarn comprises at least 60% cotton.    
   
   
       14 . A fabric according to  claim 11 , which comprises 
 (a) at least one end of yarn of a first blend of cotton and olefin fibers, and    (b) at least one end of yarn of a second blend of cotton and olefin fibers different from said first blend, and    (c) said fabric is dyed using a cotton dye system to achieve a multi-color effect.    
   
   
       15 . A woven fabric made with the yarn of  claim 1 , wherein 
 (a) warp yarns of said fabric are dyed using a cotton dye system, and    (b) fill yarns of said fabric are undyed.    
   
   
       16 . A woven fabric according to  claim 15 , wherein 
 (a) said yarns comprise at least 60% cotton and at least 20% olefin.    
   
   
       17 . A woven fabric according to  claim 16 , wherein said fabric is dyed using an indigo dye system.