Process for producing composite textile article including a biopolymer layer

Abstract

Provided is a process for forming a composite textile article that includes a biopolymer layer. The process includes providing a textile and contacting at least part of the textile with a culture comprising biopolymer-producing microorganisms and culturing the biopolymer-producing microorganisms to obtain a biopolymer layer on the textile. A silicone softening agent is provided to at least part of the biopolymer layer to obtain a composite textile, wherein the silicone comprises macro-silicone, semi-micro silicone, micro-silicone or nano-silicone. The composite textile article may be an elastic woven fabric or an elastic denim garment.

1 . A process for the production of a composite textile that includes at least a biopolymer layer, said process comprising:
 providing a textile;   contacting at least part of said textile with a culture comprising biopolymer-producing microorganisms and culturing said biopolymer-producing microorganisms to obtain a biopolymer layer directly on said textile; and   providing at least a silicone softening agent to at least part of said biopolymer layer to obtain a composite textile,   wherein said silicone comprises macro-silicone, semi-micro silicone, micro-silicone or nano-silicone.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said providing at least a silicone softening agent comprises contacting said textile with said biopolymer layer thereon, with a mixture comprising said silicone softening agent in an amount ranging from 5% to 50% by weight. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said silicone comprises macro-silicone. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said silicone comprises micro-silicone and said micro-silicone is an emulsion and has a particle size from 10 nm to 80 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said biopolymer is a sugar-based biopolymer, an amino acid-based biopolymer, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein said biopolymer comprises said sugar-based biopolymer and said sugar-based biopolymer is a microbial cellulose. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein said biopolymer comprises said amino acid-based biopolymer and said amino acid-based biopolymer is a microbial collagen or a bacterial collagen. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said biopolymer comprises bacterial cellulose. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said textile is selected from the group consisting of a fiber, a yarn, a fabric and a garment. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said textile is a yarn having a linear density ranging from 60 dtex to 2000 dtex. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said textile is an elastic textile. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein said elastic textile is a woven fabric or a denim fabric and said elastic textile is stretchable up to 50%. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said biopolymer-producing microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of bacteria, algae, yeast, fungi, genetically modified strains thereof and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein said biopolymer-producing microorganisms comprise said bacteria and said bacteria are selected from the group consisting of  Gluconacetobacter, Aerobacter, Acetobacter, Achromobacter, Agrobacterium, Azotobacter, Salmonella, Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Sarcina, Streptococcus, Bacillus,  and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein said biopolymer-producing microorganisms comprise said algae, said algae selected from the group consisting of  Phaeophyta, Rhodophyta, Chrysophyta,  and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein said biopolymer is selected form the group consisting of microbial cellulose, microbial collagen, microbial cellulose/chitin copolymer, microbial silk and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein at least part of said biopolymer layer is dyed. 
     
     
         18 . A process for the production of a composite fabric that includes at least a biopolymer layer, said process comprising:
 providing a stretchable fabric comprising elastomeric fibers;   contacting at least part of one side of said stretchable fabric with a culture comprising biopolymer-producing microorganisms and culturing said biopolymer-producing microorganisms to obtain a biopolymer layer on said one side of said stretchable fabric; and   impregnating said stretchable fabric with said biopolymer layer, with a silicone softening agent to obtain a composite fabric,   wherein at least part of said biopolymer layer is dyed.   
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein said biopolymer-producing microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of bacteria, algae, yeast, fungi, genetically modified strains thereof and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein said stretchable fabric comprises a denim fabric that is stretchable up to 50% and said biopolymer is selected form the group consisting of microbial cellulose, microbial collagen, microbial cellulose/chitin copolymer, microbial silk and mixtures thereof.