Natural fiber molded garment

Abstract

A molded fabric laminate includes first and second fabric layers, each fabric layer including at least 80% natural fibers, and a patterned layer of cured shape memory elastomer molded between the first and second fabric layers. The patterned layer of the cured shape memory elastomer is a continuous layer of the cured shape memory elastomer defining a multiplicity of openings per square centimeter of the patterned layer, where the openings are free of the cured shape memory elastomer. Making the molded fabric laminate includes disposing a patterned layer of an uncured shape memory elastomer on a first fabric layer, contacting the patterned layer with a second fabric layer to yield a fabric sub-assembly, contacting the fabric sub-assembly with a surface of a heated mold, and molding the fabric sub-assembly to conform to the shape of the mold. The molded fabric laminate is typically part of a garment.

1 . A garment comprising a molded fabric laminate, the molded fabric laminate comprising:
 a first fabric layer comprising at least 80% natural fibers;   a second fabric layer comprising at least 80% natural fibers;   a patterned layer of cured shape memory elastomer molded between the first and second fabric layers,   wherein the patterned layer of the cured shape memory elastomer is a continuous layer of the cured shape memory elastomer defining a multiplicity of openings per square centimeter of the patterned layer, wherein the openings are free of the cured shape memory elastomer.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein each square centimeter of the patterned layer defines at least 24 openings or at least 48 openings. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein a majority of the openings define geometric shapes. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 3 , wherein the majority of the openings define circles and wherein a diameter of the majority of the openings is less than 1.5 mm or less than 1 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplicity of the openings define less than 50% of the surface area of the patterned layer. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein one of a) and b), wherein:
 a) the cured shape memory elastomer comprises at least 50% of the surface area of the patterned layer; and   b) the cured shape memory elastomer comprises a cured silicone rubber.   
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein one of a) and b); wherein:
 a) the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer each comprises at least 80% cotton; and   b) wherein the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer each comprises up to 20% spandex.   
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is configured to shrink less than 5%, less than 4%, or less than 3% from before molding to after 5 washings. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is one of:
 a one-piece garment,   a seamless garment,   a bra, or   a one-piece bra.   
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are knit fabrics. 
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein edges of the garment are clean cut. 
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen oxide resistance of the garment after 3 cycles of exposure to nitrogen oxides is greater than or equal to 3/4. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the cured shape memory elastomer is a cured liquid silicone rubber. 
     
     
         14 . A method of making a molded fabric laminate, the method comprising:
 disposing a patterned layer of an uncured shape memory elastomer on a first fabric layer, wherein the patterned layer of the uncured shape memory elastomer is a continuous layer of the uncured shape memory elastomer defining a multiplicity of openings per square centimeter of the patterned layer, wherein the openings are free of the uncured shape memory elastomer;   contacting the patterned layer of the uncured shape memory elastomer with a second fabric layer to yield a fabric sub-assembly;   contacting the fabric sub-assembly with a surface of a heated mold; and   molding the fabric sub-assembly to conform to the shape of the mold, thereby curing the uncured shape memory elastomer to yield a molded fabric laminate comprising a patterned layer of cured shape memory elastomer between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer and adhering the first fabric layer to the second fabric layer,   wherein the first and second fabric layers comprise at least 80% natural fibers.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the mold is heated to a temperature between 160° C. and 200° C. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first and the second fabric layers are white and wherein the color difference (ΔE) between the first fabric layer before molding and the first fabric layer after molding is less than 4, less than 3, less than 2, or less than 1. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising trimming the molded fabric laminate to yield a garment or a portion of a garment. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the garment or the portion of the garment has finished edges. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the finished edges are either:
 a) straight, scalloped, or a combination thereof, or   b) resist raveling.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the mold is heated to a temperature up to 185° C. 
     
     
         21 . The garment of  claim 3 , wherein the majority of the openings define one of circles, rectangles, or arcs. 
     
     
         22 . The garment of  claim 4 , wherein the diameter of the majority of the openings is at least 0.2 mm, at least 0.4 mm, or at least 0.6 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The garment of  claim 11 , wherein one of a) and b), wherein:
 a) edges of the garment are scalloped, and   b) the edges of the garment are not frayed after 20 wash cycles.   
     
     
         24 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein the cured liquid silicone rubber is formed from a bicomponent liquid silicone rubber.