Turned welt with moisture management

Abstract

A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband structure having moisture management functionality utilizing hydrophilic and hydrophobic knitted yarns, and a method of manufacturing such a cuff or collar are described. The cuff or collar is knit using a patterning mechanism to form a tubular body having one or more individual courses, each of which have adjacent wales the tubular body terminating in a turned welt having moisture management functionality where the hydrophobic/hydrophilic arrangement of individual courses of the tubular body is generally maintained in the turned welt.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband comprising
 a tubular body having an opening; and   a turned welt being in surrounding relation to the opening, the turned welt integral with the tubular body; the turned welt having skin facing surface configured for engagement with skin of a wearer and an outside non-skin facing surface;   wherein the turned welt is of a knitted construction comprising a hydrophobic yarn predominantly presented on the inside surface and a hydrophilic yarn predominantly presented on the outside surface;   wherein the tubular body is of a knitted construction comprising a hydrophobic yarn predominantly presented on an inside surface corresponding to the skin facing surface of the turned welt and an outer surface corresponding to the non-skin facing surface of the turned welt.   
     
     
         2 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband according to  claim 1 , wherein the turned welt is integral with the tubular body. 
     
     
         3 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband according  claim 1 , wherein the turned welt comprises yarn comprising metal-containing fiber comprising copper, zinc, or silver metal, oxides, or salts. 
     
     
         4 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband according  claim 1 , wherein the turned welt includes an elastic make up yarn. 
     
     
         5 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband according  claim 1 , wherein the skin-facing surface is integral with and adjacent to a moisture absorbing yarn adjacent the outer surface. 
     
     
         6 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband according  claim 1 , wherein the skin-facing surface of the turned welt is a hydrophobic yarn integral with and directly adjacent a moisture absorbing yarn and/or moisture wicking yarn, where the moisture absorbing yarn and/or moisture wicking yarn is predominantly present in the outer non-skin facing surface. 
     
     
         7 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband according  claim 1 , wherein the skin-facing surface of the tubular body is predominantly a hydrophobic yarn and the outer non-skin facing surface is predominantly a moisture absorbing yarn. 
     
     
         8 . A cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband according  claim 1 , wherein the skin-contacting surface presents yarn with metal-containing fiber. 
     
     
         9 . A method of managing moisture transport in a cuff, a collar, a welt, a hem, or a waistband of an article of clothing, the method comprising:
 providing an article comprising a collar or cuff with a turned welt as defined in  claim 1 ; and   managing moisture transport from the skin facing surface of the turned welt to the non-skin facing surface.   
     
     
         10 . The method according  claim 9 , wherein the turned welt is integral with the tubular body. 
     
     
         11 . The method according  claim 9 , wherein the turned welt comprises yarn comprising metal-containing fiber comprising copper, zinc, or silver metal, oxides, or salts. 
     
     
         12 . The method according  claim 9 , wherein the turned welt includes an elastic make up yarn. 
     
     
         13 . The method according  claim 9 , wherein the skin-facing surface is integral with and adjacent to a moisture absorbing yarn adjacent the outer surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method according  claim 9 , wherein the skin-facing surface of the turned welt is a hydrophobic yarn integral with and directly adjacent a moisture absorbing yarn and/or moisture wicking yarn, where the moisture absorbing yarn and/or moisture wicking yarn is predominantly present in the outer non-skin facing surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method according  claim 9 , wherein the skin-facing surface of the tubular body is predominantly a hydrophobic yarn and the outer non-skin facing surface is predominantly a moisture absorbing yarn. 
     
     
         16 . The method according  claim 9 , wherein the skin-contacting surface presents yarn with metal-containing fiber.