Fast-Drying Fabric and Garment, and Method and System for Producing Them

Abstract

A garment includes: a first garment-region, that is formed of cotton and/or polyester, wherein the first garment-region has a first level of drying capability; and a second garment-region, that is formed of fast-drying yarns that include at least 75% cotton, wherein the second garment-region has a second level of drying capability. The second level of drying capability is greater than the first level of drying capability. A squared-centimeter of the first garment-region, being wet by absorbing N milliliters of water, becomes dry within T1 seconds; whereas, a squared-centimeter of the second garment-region, being wet by absorbing N milliliters of water, becomes dry within T2 seconds; wherein N is a pre-defined positive number; wherein T2 is smaller than T1.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment comprising:
 a first garment-region, that is formed of cotton and/or polyester, wherein the first garment-region has a first level of drying capability;   a second garment-region, that is formed of fast-drying yarns that comprise at least 75% cotton, wherein the second garment-region has a second level of drying capability;   wherein the second level of drying capability is greater than the first level of drying capability,   wherein a squared-centimeter of the first garment region, being wet by absorbing N milliliters of water, becomes dry within T1 seconds,   wherein a squared-centimeter of the second garment region, being wet by absorbing N milliliters of water, becomes dry within T2 seconds,   wherein N is a pre-defined positive number,   wherein T2 is smaller than T1.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second garment-region is formed of fast-drying yarns which comprise a first yarn (Yarn A), a second yarn (Yarn B), and a third yarn (Yarn C);   wherein the first yarn, which is Yarn A, is formed of cotton cellulose and a hydrophobic chemical agent, wherein Yarn A is hydrophobic at least 25% more relative to cotton cellulose that lacks said hydrophobic chemical agent;   wherein the second yarn, which is Yarn B, is a single-thread yarn that is formed of a blend of a first fiber material and a second fiber material; wherein the first fiber material is cotton cellulose that lacks said hydrophobic chemical agent; wherein the second fiber material is beechwood cellulose and/or eucalyptus cellulose; wherein said blend comprises at least 90% of the first fiber material and not more than 10% of the second fiber material;   wherein the third yarn, which is Yarn C, is formed of a long-chain synthetic polymer comprising at least 85% of segmented polyurethane; wherein Yarn C is capable of stretching, upon application of a stretching force thereon, from an original idle length (L) to a stretched length of at least 3 times said original idle length (3L).   
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second garment-region comprises said fast drying yarns in accordance with a knit structure in which each knit loop has Yarn B and Yarn C looped together around Yarn A.   
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second garment-region comprises said fast drying yarns in accordance with a knit structure in which each knit loop has Yarn A and Yarn C looped together around Yarn B.   
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second garment-region comprises said fast drying yarns in accordance with a knit structure in which each knit loop has: Yarn A and Yarn C, looped together around Yarn B and Yarn C 2 ; wherein Yarn C 2  is identical to Yarn C.   
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein Yarn A is a super-hydrophobic cotton yarn having a water Contact Angle (CA) of at least 155 degrees.   
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein Yarn A is a super-hydrophobic cotton yarn which comprises silica particles and which has dual-scale surface roughness.   
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein Yarn A is a super-hydrophobic cotton yarn which comprises polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).   
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein Yarn A is hydrophobic at least 50% more relative to cotton cellulose that lacks said hydrophobic chemical agent.   
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein Yarn A is formed of (i) cotton cellulose and (ii) said hydrophobic chemical agent and also (iii) an oleophobic oil-repellant chemical agent.   
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second garment-region comprises said fast drying yarns in accordance with a knit structure in which each knit loop has Yarn B and Yarn C looped together around Yarn A;   wherein the second garment-region has a total number of yarns; wherein 50 percent of the total number of yarns of the second garment-region are Yarn A; wherein 50 percent of the total number of yarns of the second garment-region are Yarn B and Yarn C.   
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second garment-region comprises said fast drying yarns in accordance with a knit structure in which each knit loop has Yarn A and Yarn C looped together around Yarn B;   wherein the second garment-region has a total number of yarns; wherein 50 percent of the total number of yarns of the second garment-region are Yarn B; wherein 50 percent of the total number of yarns of the second garment-region are Yarn A and Yarn C.   
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second garment-region comprises said fast drying yarns in accordance with a knit structure in which each knit loop has: Yarn A and Yarn C, looped together around Yarn B and Yarn C 2 ; wherein Yarn C 2  is identical to Yarn C;   wherein the second garment-region has a total number of yarns; wherein 50 percent of the total number of yarns of the second garment-region are Yarn A and Yarn C; wherein 50 percent of the total number of yarns of the second garment-region are Yarn B and Yarn C 2 .   
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 13 ,
 wherein Yarn C and/or Yarn C 2  are incorporated into the second garment-region as non-knitted inlaid yarns.   
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said second garment-region is a single-layer knitted fabric which has a unified level of hydrophobicity across an entirety of said single-layer knitted fabric;   wherein said second garment-region is not formed of two or more fabric-layers having a root fabric layer that transports wetness towards one or more branches fabric layers.   
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the garment is a shirt;   wherein the second garment-region is a region selected from the group consisting of:   a garment-region beneath a left-side armpit,   a garment-region below a right-side armpit,   an elongated garment-region that is a generally vertical column that starts at a rear side of a collar of the shirt and ends at a lower-central region of a back side of the shirt.   
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the garment is a garment selected from the group consisting of: long pants, leggings, tights, training pants, yoga pants;   wherein the second garment-region is a region that covers a rear side of a knee of a wearer.   
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the garment is a garment selected from the group consisting of: underwear, briefs;   wherein the second garment-region is a region that covers a crotch area of a wearer.   
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the garment is a sock;   wherein the second garment-region is a region selected from the group consisting of:   a garment-region that covers toes of a wearer,   a garment-region that covers a heel of the wearer,   a garment-region that is beneath a foot arch of the wearer.   
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 (a) wherein said garment-region has (i) an inwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing inwardly towards a body of a wearer, and (ii) an outwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing outwardly away from the body of the wearer;   (b) wherein a first side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   comprises yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with one or more hydrophobic agents;   (c) wherein a second side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   lacks any yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with any hydrophobic agent.   
     
     
         21 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 (a) wherein said garment-region has (i) an inwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing inwardly towards a body of a wearer, and (ii) an outwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing outwardly away from the body of the wearer;   (b) wherein a first side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   comprises yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with one or more hydrophilic agents;   (c) wherein a second side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   lacks any yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with any hydrophilic agent.   
     
     
         22 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 (a) wherein said garment-region has (i) an inwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing inwardly towards a body of a wearer, and (ii) an outwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing outwardly away from the body of the wearer;   (b) wherein a first side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   comprises yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with one or more hydrophilic agents;   (c) wherein a second side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   comprises yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with one or more hydrophobic agents.   
     
     
         23 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 (a) wherein said garment-region has (i) an inwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing inwardly towards a body of a wearer, and (ii) an outwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing outwardly away from the body of the wearer;   (b) wherein a first side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   comprises yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with one or more hydrophobic agents, and   comprises a non-perforated knitting structure;   (c) wherein a second side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   lacks any yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with any hydrophobic agent, and   comprises a perforated knitting structure.   
     
     
         24 . The garment of  claim 1 ,
 (a) wherein said garment-region has (i) an inwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing inwardly towards a body of a wearer, and (ii) an outwardly-facing side that is intended to be facing outwardly away from the body of the wearer;   (b) wherein a first side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   comprises yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with one or more hydrophilic agents, and   comprises a non-perforated knitting structure;   (c) wherein a second side selected from the group consisting of: the inwardly-facing side, the outwardly-facing side,   lacks any yarns that are pre-treated or pre-soaked or pre-coated with any hydrophilic agent, and   comprises a perforated knitting structure.