Apparel and method of making the same

Abstract

A garment includes a printed layer including a thermal regulation material located on a first side of a fabric defining a portion of the garment, where the printed layer includes a plurality of printed segments of the thermal regulation material. Hinges for the fabric are defined by non-printed segments of the fabric that are located between printed segments, and the hinges facilitate folding of the fabric along one or more of the hinges. A method of forming the garment is also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a garment comprising:
 printing, via an impression printer, a material onto a first side of a fabric to form a printed layer in a pattern including a plurality of printed segments of the material;   wherein hinges for the fabric are defined by non-printed segments of the fabric that are located between printed segments, and the hinges facilitate folding of the fabric along one or more of the hinges.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hinges comprise elongated non-printed segments with varying width dimensions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hinges comprise micro hinges and macro hinges, the micro hinges having widths that are smaller than widths of the macro hinges. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the printing comprises forming the printed layer including cells, and each cell is defined by printed segments that enclose one or more non-printed segments. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the printing comprises forming the printed layer such that one or more cells includes nested patterns of printed segments enclosing non-printed segments. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the printing comprises printing a plurality of linear printed segments to define a cell that is enclosed by the linear printed segments and with hinges located between adjacent linear printed segments and forming a border around all the linear printed segments that define the cell. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the cell defined by the linear printed segments has a hexagonal shape. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a heat retaining material and a binder, and the heat retaining material is present in an amount effective to provide heat retention properties to the fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the heat retaining material comprises a ceramic, and the binder comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a thermal regulation material including one or more system reactive components combined with a binder material, and the one or more system reactive components is selected from the group consisting of a cooling agent, a latent heat agent, and a heat dissipation agent. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the cooling agent comprises a polyol selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, xylitol and erythritol;   the latent heat agent comprises a phase change material comprising a paraffinic hydrocarbon; and   the heat dissipation agent comprises a silicate material.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a shirt or jacket, and the first side of the fabric is located on an inner surface of the garment that faces a wearer of the garment. 
     
     
         13 . A garment comprising:
 a printed layer comprising a thermal regulation material located on a first side of a fabric defining a portion of the garment, the printed layer including a plurality of printed segments of the thermal regulation material;   wherein hinges for the fabric are defined by non-printed segments of the fabric that are located between printed segments, and the hinges facilitate folding of the fabric along one or more of the hinges.   
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein the hinges comprise elongated non-printed segments with varying width dimensions. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the hinges comprise micro hinges and macro hinges, the micro hinges having widths that are smaller than widths of the macro hinges. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein the printed layer includes cells, and each cell is defined by printed segments that enclose one or more non-printed segments. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 16 , wherein each cell includes nested patterns of printed segments enclosing non-printed segments. 
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein the printed layer comprises a plurality of linear printed segments to define a cell that is enclosed by the linear printed segments and with hinges located between adjacent linear printed segments and forming a border around all the linear printed segments that define the cell. 
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein thermal regulation material comprises a heat retaining material and a binder, and the heat retaining material is present in an amount effective to provide heat retention properties to the fabric. 
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein the thermal regulation material comprises a thermal regulation material including one or more system reactive components combined with a binder material, and the one or more system reactive components is selected from the group consisting of a cooling agent, a latent heat agent, and a heat dissipation agent, wherein:
 the cooling agent comprises a polyol selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, xylitol and erythritol;   the latent heat agent comprises a phase change material comprising a paraffinic hydrocarbon; and   the heat dissipation agent comprises a silicate material.