Terry article and method of making same

Abstract

A terry article includes a ground component including a plurality of ground warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns, and a pile component disposed on at least one of a lower side and an upper side of the ground component. The pile component includes a first plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component along a vertical direction. The first plurality of piles are formed from a first set of pile yarns comprised of natural fibers and further define a first pile height. The pile component also includes a second plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component in the vertical direction. The second plurality of piles are formed from a blend of cotton yarns and thermoplastic staple fibers and define a second pile height that is less than the first pile height.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A terry article comprising:
 a ground component including a plurality of ground warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns interwoven with the plurality of ground warp yarns, the ground component including a lower side and an upper side opposed to the lower side along a vertical direction; and   a first pile component disposed on the upper side, the first pile component including a first plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component along the vertical direction; and   a second pile component disposed on the upper side, the second pile component including a second plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component along the vertical direction,   wherein the first plurality of piles are formed from a first set of pile yarns comprised of natural fibers, the first plurality of piles including a first pile base located at the ground component, a first pile end spaced apart from the first pile base, and a first pile height that extends from the first pile base to the first pile end along the vertical direction; and   wherein the second plurality of piles are formed from a second set of pile yarns, the second set of pile yarns comprised of a blend of natural fibers and thermoplastic staple fibers, the second plurality of piles including a second pile base at the ground component, a second pile end spaced apart from the second pile base, and a second pile height that extends from the second pile base to the second pile end along the vertical direction, wherein the second pile height is less than the first pile height.   
     
     
         2 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of pile yarns are comprised of at least 10% cotton fibers and at least 5% thermoplastic staple fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of pile yarns are comprised of between 10% and 95% cotton fibers and between 5% and 90% thermoplastic staple fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of pile yarns are ring spun yarns. 
     
     
         5 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of pile yarns are open end yarns. 
     
     
         6 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the natural fibers in the second set of pile yarns are cotton fibers and the thermoplastic staple fibers in the second set of pile yarns are polyethylene terephthalate fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of piles are randomly distributed among the second plurality of piles across a length and width dimension of the pile component. 
     
     
         8 . The terry article of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first pile zones that include the first plurality of piles, and a second plurality of pile zones that include the second plurality of piles, wherein the first and second pile zones are visually distinct with respect to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic staple fibers are non-heat set thermoplastic staple fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of pile yarns have a count in a range between about 6 Ne to about 60 Ne. 
     
     
         11 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of pile yarns have a count in a range between about 6 Ne to about 60 Ne. 
     
     
         12 . The terry article of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic staple fiber is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) staple fiber. 
     
     
         13 . A terry article comprising:
 a ground component including a plurality of ground warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns interwoven with the plurality of ground warp yarns, the ground component including a first side and a second side opposed to the first side along a vertical direction;   a first pile component disposed on the first side, the first pile component including a first plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component along the vertical direction, the first plurality of piles formed from a first set of pile yarns comprised of natural fibers, the first plurality of piles including a first pile base located at the ground component, a first pile end spaced apart from the first pile base, and a first pile height that extends from the first pile base to the first pile end along the vertical direction; and   a second pile component disposed on the second side, the second pile component including a second plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component in the vertical direction, the second plurality of piles comprised of a blend of natural fibers and thermoplastic staple fibers, the second plurality of piles including a second pile base at the ground component, a second pile end spaced apart from the second pile base, and a second pile height that extends from the second pile base to the second pile end along the vertical direction, wherein the second pile height is less than the first pile height.   
     
     
         14 . The terry article of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic staple fibers are non-heat set thermoplastic staple fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The terry article of  claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of piles have a count in a range between about 6 Ne to about 60 Ne. 
     
     
         16 . The terry article of  claim 13 , wherein the first set of pile yarns have a count in a range between about 6 Ne to about 60 Ne. 
     
     
         17 . A method of making a terry article, comprising the steps of:
 weaving a pile fabric including a ground component and a pile component disposed on at least one of an upper side and a lower side of the ground component, such that, the pile component includes a first plurality of piles formed from natural fiber yarns and a second set of piles comprised of a blend of natural fibers and thermoplastic staple fibers; and   after the weaving step, treating the pile fabric so as to cause the thermoplastic staple fibers to shrink, thereby decreasing a pile height of the second plurality of piles relative to a pile height of the first plurality of piles.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the treating step includes thermally treating the pile fabric such that the thermoplastic staple fibers shrink, thereby decreasing the pile height of the second plurality of piles relative to the pile height of the first plurality of piles. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of thermally treating the pile fabric includes applying a functional finish to the pile fabric. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of thermally treating the pile fabric includes applying a dye to the pile fabric. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of thermally treating the pile fabric includes washing the pile fabric. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of thermally treating the pile fabric includes drying the pile fabric. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic staple fibers are non-heat set thermoplastic staple fibers, wherein the thermally treating step includes advancing the pile fabric through a heating machine that exposes the pile fabric to thermal energy for a period of time that is sufficient to induce shrinkage in the non-heat set yarns. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the treating step is a chemical treating step that causes the thermoplastic staple fibers to shrink. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the steps:
 cutting the pile fabric into one or more terry articles; and 
 packaging the one or more terry articles. 
 
     
     
         26 . A terry article comprising:
 a ground component including a plurality of ground warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns interwoven with the plurality of ground warp yarns, the ground component including a lower side and an upper side opposed to the lower side along a vertical direction; and   a pile component including 1) a first plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component along the vertical direction, the first plurality of piles formed from a first set of pile yarns comprised of natural fibers, the first plurality of piles including a first pile base located at the ground component, a first pile end spaced apart from the first pile base, and a first pile height that extends from the first pile base to the first pile end along the vertical direction, and 2) a second plurality of piles that extend away from the ground component in the vertical direction, the second plurality of piles comprised of a blend of natural fibers and thermoplastic staple fibers, the second plurality of piles including a second pile base at the ground component, a second pile end spaced apart from the second pile base, and a second pile height that extends from the second pile base to the second pile end along the vertical direction, wherein the second pile height is less than the first pile height.