Garment with Contiguously Woven Variable Stretch Zones

Abstract

A garment is made from a material woven to have multiple stretch characteristics. The garment can be jeans and the material can be a denim fabric. Enhanced stretch denim shaping performance is achieved through engineered placement of weave-integrated hold zones and extension zones. The hold yarns and extension yarns will have distinct stretch performance attributes, but typically have the same or similar gauge, shrinkage, tensile strength, and durability.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pair of pants comprising:
 a denim material sewn into pants, wherein the denim material has multiple woven stretch characteristics, a first zone comprises hold yarns, a second zone comprise extension yarns, and a third zone comprising alternating groupings of hold and extension yarns, the hold yarns comprise stretch yarns with higher relative lateral tension force, and the extension yarns comprise stretch yarns with lower relative lateral tension force, and the extension yarns having a greater stretch characteristic than the hold yarns.   
     
     
         2 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein denim material comprises a contiguously woven fabric, the hold yarns comprise weft yarns, the extension yarns comprise weft yarns, and a warp yarn extends in a direction transverse to the hold and extension yarns, crossing the hold and extension yarns. 
     
     
         3 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein the third zone is positioned between the first zone and second zone. 
     
     
         4 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein the alternating groupings of hold and extension yarns in third zone comprises 1 extension yarn, then 6 hold yarns, then 2 extension yarns, then 5 hold yarns, then 3 extension yarns, then 4 hold yarns, 4 extension yarns, 3 hold yarns, 5 extension yarns, 2 hold yarns, 6 extension yarns, and 1 hold yarn. 
     
     
         5 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein the second zone is positioned at a buttocks region of the pants. 
     
     
         6 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein the second zone is positioned at a knee cap region of the pants. 
     
     
         7 . The pants of  claim 5  wherein the second zone is positioned at a knee cap region of the pants. 
     
     
         8 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein a differential in stretch between first zone and second zone is in a range from about 10 percent to about 15 percent. 
     
     
         9 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein a differential in stretch between first zone and second zone is in a range from about 7 percent to about 15 percent. 
     
     
         10 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein a differential in stretch between first zone and second zone is in a range from about 7 percent to about 10 percent. 
     
     
         11 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein the denim material comprises a contiguous weave comprising the first zone, second zone, and third zone. 
     
     
         12 . The pants of  claim 1  wherein the third zone is positioned between the first zone and second zone, the alternating groupings of hold and extension yarns in third zone comprises 1 extension yarn, then 6 hold yarns, then 2 extension yarns, then 5 hold yarns, then 3 extension yarns, then 4 hold yarns, 4 extension yarns, 3 hold yarns, 5 extension yarns, 2 hold yarns, 6 extension yarns, and 1 hold yarn, and
 the second zone is positioned at a buttocks region of the pants. 
 
     
     
         13 . The pants of  claim 11  wherein the second zone is positioned at a knee cap region of the pants. 
     
     
         14 . A pair of pants comprising:
 a panel of contiguously woven fabric sewn into the pants, wherein the panel comprises a first portion having a first stretch characteristic, a second portion having a second stretch characteristic, and a third portion having a third stretch characteristic, and   the first, second, third stretch characteristics are different from each other, and the different stretch characteristics are achieved without an additional material being coupled to the panel;   the first portion of the panel is positioned at a buttocks region of the pants;   the second portion is below the buttocks region, wherein the first stretch characteristic comprises greater stretch than the second stretch characteristic; and   the third portion is between the first and second portions, wherein the third stretch characteristic comprises a blending of the first and second stretch characteristics.   
     
     
         15 . The pants of  claim 14  wherein the contiguously woven fabric, the first portion comprises weft yarns, the second portion comprises weft yarns, and the third portion comprises weft yarns, and a warp yarn extends in a direction transverse to the weft yarns of the first, second, and third portions, crossing the weft yarns. 
     
     
         16 . The pants of  claim 14  wherein the third stretch characteristic of the third portion comprises a transition from first stretch characteristic to the second stretch characteristic. 
     
     
         17 . The pants of  claim 14  wherein the first portion comprises a weave with a first yarn type that provides the first stretch characteristic, and the second portion comprises a weave with a second yarn type that provides the second stretch characteristic. 
     
     
         18 . The pants of  claim 17  wherein the third portion comprises a weave with first and second yarn types that provides the third stretch characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The pants of  claim 17  wherein the third portion comprises a weave of variegated alternating placement of the first yarn type and the second yarn type, whereby the weave creates a smoothly blended gradation between the two distinct stretch performance zones of the first and second portions, without puckering, rippling, or other visible indications of a transition. 
     
     
         20 . A pair of pants comprising:
 a panel of contiguously woven fabric sewn into the pants, wherein the panel comprises a first region comprising a first yarn having a first stretch characteristic, a second region comprising a second yarn having a second stretch characteristic, and a third region comprising a blend of the first yarn and the second yarn;   the first region of the panel is positioned at an extension location of the pants;   the second region is below the extension location, wherein the first stretch characteristic is greater than the second stretch characteristic; and   the third region is between the first and second regions, wherein the third region smoothly transitions from the first region to the second region to avoid forming of an abrupt transition edge.   
     
     
         21 . The pants of  claim 20  wherein the first region comprises weft yarns, the second region comprises weft yarns, and the third region comprises weft yarns, and a warp yarn extends in a direction transverse to the weft yarns of the first, second, and third regions, crossing the weft yarns. 
     
     
         22 . The pants of  claim 20  wherein the third region avoids a visible indication from an exterior of the pants of a transition between the first region and the second region. 
     
     
         23 . The pants of  claim 20  wherein the first yarn comprises a first percentage of elastane, the second yarn comprises a second percentage of elastane, and the second percentage is greater than the first percentage. 
     
     
         24 . The pants of  claim 20  wherein a back pocket of the pants comprises a first pocket portion made from a material comprising the first yarn and a second pocket portion made from a material comprising a blend of the first yarn and the second yarn. 
     
     
         25 . The pants of  claim 20  wherein a crotch point of the pants is positioned at a point on an edge of where the first region meets the third region of the panel. 
     
     
         26 . A method comprising:
 providing a first panel of contiguously woven fabric for a pair of pants, wherein the first panel comprises a first region comprising a first yarn having a first stretch characteristic, a second region comprising a second yarn having a second stretch characteristic, and a third region comprising a blend of the first yarn and the second yarn, and   the first yarn comprises a weft yarn, the second yarn comprises a weft yarn, and a fourth yarn comprises a warp yarn than extends in a direction transverse to the first and second yarns, crossing the first yarn and second yarn;   positioning the first region of the first panel at an extension location of the pants;   positioning the second region below the extension location, wherein the first stretch characteristic is greater than the second stretch characteristic;   positioning the third region between the first and second regions, wherein the third region smoothly transitions from the first region to the second region to avoid forming of an abrupt transition edge; and   positioning a crotch point of the pants along an edge where the first region meets the third region of the first panel.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the extension location is at a buttocks region of the pants. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the extension location is at a knee cap region of the pants. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the blend of the first yarn and the second yarn in the third region is made by weaving 1 first yarn, then 6 second yarns, then 2 first yarns, then 5 second yarns, then 3 first yarns, then 4 second yarns, 4 first yarns, 3 second yarns, 5 first yarns, 2 second yarns, 6 first yarns, and 1 second yarn. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  comprising:
 providing a second panel for a back pocket of the pants, wherein the second panel comprises a first pocket region comprising the second yarn having the second stretch characteristic, and a second pocket region comprising a blend of the first yarn and the second yarn; and 
 positioning a first portion of a rolled hem of the back pocket in the first pocket region and a second portion of the rolled hem of the back pocket in the second pocket region. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the contiguously woven fabric for pants comprises a plurality of warp yarns that contiguously weave through weft yarns of the first region, second region, and third region. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26  comprising:
 for the first yarn, using a yarn having a first percentage of elastane; and 
 for the second yarn, using a yarn having a second percentage of elastane, wherein the second percentage is greater than the first percentage. 
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the first stretch characteristic comprises more elongation and less compression relative to the second stretch characteristic, and the second stretch characteristic comprises less elongation and greater compression relative to the first stretch characteristic.