Chambray fabric, bedding articles, and related manufacturing methods

Abstract

A woven chambray fabric, including a method and system for forming same includes a plurality of warp yarns, each warp yarn including natural fibers. The woven fabric includes a plurality of weft yarns interwoven with the plurality of warp yarns. Each weft yarn defines a weft yarn assembly that has a first weft yarn, a second weft yarn that extends alongside the first weft yarn, and a plurality of consolidation regions where the first weft yarn and the second weft yarn are coupled to each other. The first weft yarn is a spun staple yarn that includes natural fibers and the second weft yarn is a dyed continuous filament yarn. The second weft yarn is dyed a color that is different from a color of the first weft yarn and each warp yarn so as to define the woven chambray fabric.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A woven chambray fabric, comprising:
 a plurality of warp yarns, each warp yarn including natural fibers;   a plurality of weft yarns interwoven with the plurality of warp yarns, each weft yarn defining a weft yarn assembly, the weft yarn assembly having a first weft yarn, a second weft yarn that extends alongside the first weft yarn, and a plurality of consolidation regions where the first weft yarn and the second weft yarn are coupled to each other, and the first weft yarn is a spun staple yarn that includes natural fibers and the second weft yarn is a dyed continuous filament yarn, wherein the second weft yarn is dyed a color that is different from a color of the first weft yarn and each warp yarn so as to define the woven chambray fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the woven fabric is substantially colorfast to one or more cosmetic ingredients. 
     
     
         3 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more cosmetic ingredients include benzoyl peroxide, retinol, and salicylic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the woven fabric is substantially colorfast to chlorine bleach and non-chlorine bleach. 
     
     
         5 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second weft yarn is a dope dyed continuous filament yarn. 
     
     
         6 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second weft yarn is a not a dope dyed continuous filament yarn. 
     
     
         7 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second weft yarn includes continuous filaments that have an internal filament morphology, wherein the second weft yarns have dye molecules that are integrated into the internal filament morphology. 
     
     
         8 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the natural fibers of the warp yarns are cotton fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the warp yarns include a blend of the natural fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the warp yarns include a blend of the natural fibers and synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the natural fibers of the first weft yarn are cotton fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second weft yarn is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) continuous filament yarn. 
     
     
         13 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , where each warp yarn has a yarn count in a range between about 20 Ne to about 120 Ne. 
     
     
         14 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein each weft yarn assembly has a count in a range between about 20 Ne to about 120 Ne. 
     
     
         15 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the first weft yarn has a count between about 60 Ne and about 120 Ne, and the second weft yarn has a count in between about 50 denier and about 200 denier. 
     
     
         16 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the natural fibers of the warp yarns are cotton fibers, and the natural fibers of the first weft yarn are cotton fibers, such that, the woven fabric is between 50% to about 80% by weight of cotton fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , further comprising of a total thread count from 100 to 1000. 
     
     
         18 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 17 , wherein the total thread count is from 100 and 500. 
     
     
         19 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 17 , wherein the total thread count is from 500 and 700. 
     
     
         20 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 17 , wherein the total thread count is from 700 and 1000. 
     
     
         21 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , further comprising a) from 50 warp ends per inch to 350 warp ends per inch, and b) from 50 weft ends per inch to 700 weft end per inch. 
     
     
         22 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the first weft yarn and the second weft yarn are substantially parallel with respect to each other along a length of the weft yarn assembly that extends between adjacent consolidation regions. 
     
     
         23 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the length is between about 0.25 cm to about 3.00 cm. 
     
     
         24 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the length is between about 1.00 cm and about 2.50 cm. 
     
     
         25 . The woven chambray fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the consolidation regions are where the first weft yarn and the second weft yare are entangled with each other. 
     
     
         26 . A coordinated bedding system comprising:
 a plurality of bedding articles that includes at least two of a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, a pillow case, a sham, a comforter, a duvet, a bed-skirt, and a blanket,   wherein the bedding articles include the woven fabric according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         27 . A method of manufacturing a woven chambray fabric, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a yarn assembly that includes a first yarn, a second yarn that extends alongside the first yarn, and a plurality of consolidation regions where the first yarns and the second yarns are coupled together, wherein the first yarn is a spun staple yarn that includes natural fibers and the second yarn is a continuous filament yarn; and   weaving a plurality of warp yarns with a plurality of the yarn assemblies to form the woven fabric, wherein the warp yarns include natural fibers.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising applying color to the second yarn. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of forming the yarn assembly includes coupling the first and second yarns together with an air punch device so as to define the plurality of consolidation regions. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of forming the yarn assembly includes arranging the first and second yarns so as to be substantially parallel with respect to each other along a length of the yarn assembly between adjacent consolidation regions. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising applying color to the second yarn prior to weaving. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein applying color to the second yarn prior to weaving includes dope dyeing the second yarn. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the second weft yarn is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn, wherein applying color to the second yarn prior to weaving includes applying disperse dyes to the second yarn. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising applying color to the second yarn after weaving. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the second weft yarn is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn, and applying color to the second yarn after weaving includes applying disperse dyes to the woven fabric.