Textile finishing agents and methods of digitally printing textiles

Abstract

A composition for finishing a textile is provided. The composition includes a finishing agent and a binder component that is conducive to forming a bond with the textile and a bond with a dye. A method of digitally printing a textile is also provided, which includes applying a finishing agent to the textile so that the finishing agent forms a first bond with a component of the textile and digitally printing a dye on the textile after applying the finishing agent so that the dye forms a second bond with the finishing agent. A digitally printed textile having a textile with a finishing agent and a binding component is provided. The binding component forms a bond with a component of the textile and a dye is bound to the binding component.

1 . A composition for finishing a textile, comprising: 
 a finishing agent; and    a binder component that is conducive to forming a bond with the textile and a bond with a dye.    
     
     
         2 . The composition as in  claim 1 , wherein said finishing agent is selected from the group consisting of a fabric softener, a stain repellent, a fire retardant agent, a static control agent, a wrinkle control agent, a microbial control agent, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The composition as in  claim 1 , further comprising water.  
     
     
         4 . The composition as in  claim 3 , wherein said finishing agent comprises a softener.  
     
     
         5 . The composition as in  claim 3 , wherein said softener is selected from the group consisting of a cationic softener, a non-ionic softener, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The composition as in  claim 3 , wherein said binder component is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous acrylic emulsion, an acrylic butadiene/acrylonitrile emulsion, a self crosslinking acrylic resin, an aliphatic polyester polyurethane dispersion, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The composition as in  claim 3 , wherein said finishing agent comprises a cationic softener or a non-ionic softener in an amount of between about 8% to about 17%, said binder component in an amount of between about 1% to about 6%, and said water in an amount of between about 77% to about 91%, where the percent is measured as percent-by-volume of the composition.  
     
     
         8 . A method of digitally printing a textile, comprising: 
 applying a finishing agent to the textile so that said finishing agent forms a first bond with a component of the textile; and    digitally printing a dye on the textile after applying said finishing agent so that said dye forms a second bond with said finishing agent.    
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 8 , further comprising producing a garment from the textile.  
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 9 , wherein said digital printing step is performed before, during, or after said garment producing step.  
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 9 , wherein said finishing agent application step is performed before, during, or after said garment producing step.  
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein said finishing agent application step comprises applying said finishing agent to the textile while the textile is in a wide-good state.  
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 12 , wherein said finishing agent application step is a process selected from the group consisting of immersing the textile in a bath of said finishing agent, spraying said finishing agent on the textile, and padding said finishing agent on the textile.  
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 8 , further comprising curing said finishing agent on the textile at a temperature of between about 285 degrees to about 360 degrees Fahrenheit.  
     
     
         15 . The method as in  claim 8 , further comprising knitting the textile.  
     
     
         16 . The method as in  claim 15 , wherein the knitting the textile step is a process selected from the group consisting of a circular knitting process, a warp knitting process, and a flat knitting process.  
     
     
         17 . A digitally printed textile comprising: 
 a textile having a finishing agent and a binding component, said binding component forming a bond with a component of said textile; and    a dye bound to said binding component.    
     
     
         18 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 17 , wherein said textile is selected from the group consisting of a woven textile, a knitted textile, a non-woven textile, a tufted textile, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 17 , wherein said textile is a woven textile selected from the group consisting of a satin weave, a poplin weave, and a crepe weave.  
     
     
         20 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 17 , wherein said textile comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 17 , wherein said finishing agent is selected from the group consisting of a fabric softener, a stain repellent, a fire retardant agent, a static control agent, a wrinkle control agent, a microbial control agent, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 17 , wherein said finishing agent is selected from the group consisting of a cationic softener, a non-ionic softener, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 17 , wherein said said binder component is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous acrylic emulsion, an acrylic butadiene/acrylonitrile emulsion, a self crosslinking acrylic resin, an aliphatic polyester polyurethane dispersion, and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 17 , wherein said textile is configured as at least a portion of an apparel garment.  
     
     
         25 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 24 , wherein said intimate apparel garment is selected from the group consisting of shirt, a sweat shirt, a man's brief, a woman's panty, a sock, and a pair of hosiery.  
     
     
         26 . The digitally printed textile as in  claim 24 , wherein said dye defines an information tag of said apparel garment.