Patent Application
20170145625
Modern apparel, such as denim jeans or jackets, is pre-processed before sale in order to look and feel worn. Such processing can include subjecting the apparel, which is typically in the form of a fabric, to various chemicals or chemical-containing water. Some of the chemicals used by the apparel industry to process their apparel are very harmful or noxious to the environment and to humans. Further, most conventional processes used to treat apparel waste water and other resources. Water is a critical natural resource, but when used in processing apparel, the water is typically treated with chemicals, solvents, or other harmful compounds.
This document discloses an article of manufacture, and methods of making the same, for a processed unit of fabric. The unit of fabric can be formed, i.e., cut and sewn, into a garment such as jeans, a jacket, or the like. Preferably, the unit of fabric is formed of cotton or cotton twill, but in some implementations may be formed of wool, nylon, polyester or other natural or synthetic fiber. The methods include utilizing an unprocessed natural source of water, such that further chemicals, solvents or the like are not added to the water.
In one aspect, a method of treating one or more units of fabric includes the steps of providing the one or more units of fabric to geothermal water from an unprocessed natural source, in which the geothermal water has a temperature in a range of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and having a mineral content comprising calcium in a range of 100 mg/L to 150 mg/L, sodium in a range of 800 mg/L to 1200 mg/L, and bicarbonate in a range of 250 mg/L to 500 mg/L, such that the geothermal water has a mineral hardness as measured by a content of calcium carbonate in a range of 350 mg/L to 500 mg/L. The method further includes the step of exposing the one or more units of fabric to the geothermal water in one or more cycles, each of the one or more cycles having a duration of between 1 and 6 hours, sufficient to impart a partial breakdown of fabric fibers of the one or more units of fabric to render a softening of each of the one or more units of fabric. The method further includes the step of removing the one or more units of fabric from exposure to the geothermal water to yield one or more units of softened fabric.
In another aspect, an article of manufacture is described. The article of manufacture includes a unit of fabric that has been softened by being at least partially submerged in geothermal water from an unprocessed natural source. As described above, the geothermal water has a temperature in a range of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and having a mineral content comprising calcium in a range of 100 mg/L to 150 mg/L, sodium in a range of 800 mg/L to 1200 mg/L, and bicarbonate in a range of 250 mg/L to 500 mg/L, such that the geothermal water has a mineral hardness as measured by a content of calcium carbonate in a range of 350 mg/L to 500 mg/L. The submerging includes exposing the unit of fabric to the water in one or more cycles, each of the one or more cycles having a duration of between 1 and 6 hours, sufficient to impart a partial breakdown of fabric fibers of the unit of fabric to render the softening of the unit of fabric.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
This document describes an article of manufacture and methods of making the same. In some implementations, the article of manufacture is an apparel item formed of denim, but in other implementations can be an apparel item formed of any material, natural or synthetic. In preferred implementations, the article of manufacture is formed of a sturdy cotton twill fabric, commonly known as “denim.” However, the methods described herein can be applied to other types of fabric or woven apparel.
At 206, the textiles and/or finished garments are then baked in the outdoors under natural sunlight, preferably on a cloudless day. The duration for this baking is at least one day and up to twenty days for more extreme effect. The result is a natural bleaching of the fabric of the textiles and/or finished garments. At 208, the textiles and/or finished garments are further rinsed in geothermal water, from a natural source, preferably having a temperature of 140 degrees but between 100 and 180 degrees. The result is a further natural softening and mineral breakdown of fabric colors and stiffness.
Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.
