Spray application method for treating a garment

Abstract

Methods for treating a garment include: prewashing the garment; drying the garment in a first drying process; spraying a functional chemical onto the dried garment; and applying a curing treatment to the garment to cure the functional chemical. The method may further include drying the garment in a second drying process after spraying the functional chemical onto the garment.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a garment, comprising:
 prewashing the garment;   drying the garment in a first drying process;   spraying a functional chemical onto the dried garment; and   applying a curing treatment to the garment to cure the functional chemical.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising drying the garment in a second drying process after spraying the functional chemical onto the garment. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional chemical is a chemical that provides one or more of flame retardancy, hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, softness, wrinkle resistance, insect repellency, breathability, air permeability, moisture wicking, water resistance, water proofing, wind resistance, wind proofing, thermal management, soil release, stain repellency, or material stabilization properties to the garment. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises an interior side proximate to a wearer of a garment and an exterior side distal to the wearer of the garment, and the functional chemical is sprayed onto one or both of the interior side and the exterior side of the garment. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a fabric, wherein the fabric comprises fibers selected from natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the fibers comprise cotton fibers, wool fiber, silk fibers, viscose fibers, rayon fibers, modacrylic fibers, polyester fibers, nylon fibers, elastane fibers, blends thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises an exterior side distal to a wearer of the garment, and the functional chemical provides water resistance or water proofing properties to the exterior side of the garment. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a breathable fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises jeans, pants, a shirt, a sweatshirt or a jacket. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the prewashing provides the garment with aesthetic properties or removes undesirable materials from the garment or from a fabric incorporated within the garment. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first drying process or the second drying process comprises a tumble-drying process or a thermal drying process. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the spraying comprises a manual spray process, a robotic spray process, a tumble machine spray process, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional chemical is free of perfluorinated chemical compounds (PFCs). 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the curing treatment comprises a thermal curing process, an ultraviolet (UV) curing process, an infrared (IR) process, a microwave process, a plasma curing process, a laser curing process, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional chemical is a chemical that provides water resistance or water proofing properties to the garment and comprises a fluorochemical or a chemical that is free of perfluorinated chemical compounds (PFCs). 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the prewashing is performed for a time of from about 2 minutes to about 180 minutes. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein one or both of the first drying process and the second drying process are performed for a time of from about 15 minutes to about 90 minutes. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional chemical is sprayed onto the garment for a time sufficient to apply between about 100 ml and about 1500 ml of the functional chemical onto the garment. 
     
     
         19 . An article formed according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the garment includes fabric formed of 100% cotton, blends of cotton and synthetic Spandex, or blends of cotton and modified synthetic yarns;   the functional chemical provides water repellency properties to the garment;   the garment has a water repellency rating of from about 60 to about 100 when tested in accordance with AATCC Test Method 22; and   the garment has a vertical wicking of from about 4 centimeters (cm) to about 10 cm after 30 minutes when tested in accordance with AATCC Test Method 197.