Hygro materials for use in making yarns and fabrics

Abstract

A process is described wherein pile yarn is woven with cotton weft and warp yarns to produce terry fabrics, such as towels. The fabric is then washed in warm water to dissolve the PVA fibers. The amount of fibers dissolved, depends upon the count of the yarn or yarns used. By dissolving the PVA fibers, a hollow air space is produced throughout the pile yarn, corresponding to an increase in the air space in the pile yarn. By increasing the air space in the pile yarn, the resulting towels are softer and bulkier than standard cotton towels. The present invention further relates to pile yarn in terry woven fabric (warp yarn), or weft yarn, in the case of flat fabrics.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of making a woven fabric, comprising:
 forming a first sliver comprising water soluble fibers;   forming a second sliver comprising natural fibers;   combining the first sliver and the second sliver at a draw frame to form a third sliver having water soluble fibers disposed within the natural fibers;   forming the third sliver into a roving on a speed frame;   spinning the roving into a spun yarn comprising water soluble fibers disposed within the natural fibers;   weaving the woven fabric to include the spun yarn; and   processing the woven fabric with hot water to remove the water soluble fibers from within the natural fibers to create open spaces within the spun yarn in the woven fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein weaving the woven fabric including weaving a terry fabric having a ground and piles that project from the ground, wherein the piles comprise the spun yarn; and 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein weaving the woven fabric including weaving a flat fabric having a warp yarns and weft yarns, wherein either or both of the warp yarns and the weft yarns comprise the spun yarn. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the first sliver comprises:
 carding the water soluble fibers; and   drawing the water soluble fibers.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the second sliver comprises:
 carding the natural fibers; and   drawing the natural fibers.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spinning of the roving is performed using a ring spinning frame. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein spinning the roving into the spun yarn includes forming a Z or S twist in the spun yarn. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, prior to processing the woven fabric, only the water-soluble fibers define a core of the spun yarn. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing the woven fabric includes dissolved the water-soluble fibers in water at a temperature from about 50° C. to about 110° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water soluble fibers are present in an amount of between about 8% to about 25% by weight of the spun yarn after the spinning of the spun yarn. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the natural fibers comprises cotton fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble fibers are polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the woven fabric absorbs three times its weight in water after being immersed in water. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a drop of water is completely absorbed by the woven fabric, leaving only a wet spot, in less than five seconds under absorbency testing method AATCC-79 of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the woven fabric absorbs 65-75% of water in accordance with ASTM D-4772. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spun yarn has a count ranging from about Ne 8s to about 100s. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the woven fabrics is a terry fabric and wherein the spun yarn has a count ranging from about Ne 8s to about 30s. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the woven fabric is a flat fabric and wherein the spun yarn has a count ranging from about Ne 10s to about 100s. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising doubling the spun yarn. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a woven fabric, comprising:
 forming a first roving comprising water soluble fibers;   forming a second roving comprising natural fibers;   spinning with a spinning frame a spun yarn comprising the natural fibers and the water soluble fibers disposed within the natural fibers, wherein spinning includes inserting the first roving into a central area of the second roving with the spinning frame;   weaving the woven fabric to include the spun yarn; and   processing the woven fabric with hot water to remove the water soluble fibers from within the natural fibers to create open spaces within the spun yarn in the woven fabric.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein weaving the woven fabric including weaving a terry fabric having a ground and piles that project from the ground, wherein the piles comprise the spun yarn. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein weaving the woven fabric including weaving a flat fabric having a warp yarns and weft yarns, wherein either or both of the warp yarns and the weft yarns comprise the spun yarn. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 forming a sliver of water soluble fibers; and   forming the first roving from the sliver of water soluble fibers with a first roving frame.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein forming the first sliver includes carding and drawing the water soluble fibers on a draw frame. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 forming a sliver of natural fibers; and   forming the second roving from the sliver of natural fibers with a second roving frame.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the second sliver includes carding and drawing the natural fibers on a draw frame. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the spinning frame is a ring spinning frame. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein spinning the roving into the spun yarn includes forming a Z or S twist in the spun yarn. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein, prior to processing the woven fabric, only the water-soluble fibers define a core of the spun yarn. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein processing the woven fabric includes dissolved the water-soluble fibers in water at a temperature from about 50° C. to about 110° C. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the water soluble fibers are present in an amount of between about 8% to about 25% by weight of the spun yarn after the spinning of the spun yarn. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the natural fibers comprises cotton fibers. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the water-soluble fibers are polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the woven fabric absorbs three times its weight in water after being immersed in water. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein a drop of water is completely absorbed by the woven fabric, leaving only a wet spot, in less than five seconds under absorbency testing method AATCC-79 of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the woven fabric absorbs 65-75% of water in accordance with ASTM D-4772. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the spun yarn has a count ranging from about Ne 8s to about 100s. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the woven fabrics is a terry fabric and wherein the spun yarn has a count ranging from about Ne 8s to about 30s. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the woven fabric is a flat fabric and wherein the spun yarn has a count ranging from about Ne 10s to about 100s. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising doubling the spun yarn.