A textile material comprises a plurality of yarns, the yarns containing an intimate blend of dyed polyphenylene sulfide fibers and cellulosic fibers. The dyed polyphenylene sulfide fibers comprising a disperse dye that is distributed substantially evenly across the cross-sectional area of the fibers. A method for dyeing textile materials containing polyphenylene sulfide fibers comprises the steps of (a) providing a textile material comprising yarns which contain an intimate blend of polyphenylene sulfide fibers and cellulosic fibers, (b) providing a dye liquor comprising a liquid medium and a disperse dye, (c) applying the dye liquor to the textile material, (d) heating the textile material under ambient atmosphere to a temperature sufficient to evaporate substantially all of the liquid medium from the textile material, and (e) heating the textile material under ambient atmosphere to a temperature of about 180° C. or more to fix the disperse dye to the polyphenylene sulfide fibers.

A shoe includes an upper and a sole. The upper includes an outer layer having a first knitwear and an inner layer having a second knitwear. The first knitwear differs from the second knitwear with regard to at least one of a yarn used, a stitch structure, an alignment, and a form.

A shoe includes an upper and a sole. The upper includes an outer layer having a first knitwear and an inner layer having a second knitwear. The first knitwear differs from the second knitwear with regard to at least one of a yarn used, a stitch structure, an alignment, and a form.

An item may be formed from structures that include holes. Stitching may be used to form a seam that joins the structures. The stitching may be formed from a chain stitch that passes through the holes. The holes may be formed from loops of knit fabric or other holes. Leather layers, polymer layers, fabric layers, and other structures with holes may be joined using the stitching. During fabrication, a layer of material with holes may be placed on an adjustable-shape fixture having a bed of needles. The shape of the bed of nails in the adjustable-shape fixture may then be changed. After the fixture has been used to transform the shape of one or more of the structures, the structures may be placed on needles in an assembly fixture and the stitching between the structures may be formed. The item may be an electronic device cover or other item.

An item may be formed from structures that include holes. Stitching may be used to form a seam that joins the structures. The stitching may be formed from a chain stitch that passes through the holes. The holes may be formed from loops of knit fabric or other holes. Leather layers, polymer layers, fabric layers, and other structures with holes may be joined using the stitching. During fabrication, a layer of material with holes may be placed on an adjustable-shape fixture having a bed of needles. The shape of the bed of nails in the adjustable-shape fixture may then be changed. After the fixture has been used to transform the shape of one or more of the structures, the structures may be placed on needles in an assembly fixture and the stitching between the structures may be formed. The item may be an electronic device cover or other item.

Disclosed is a stitch-bonded string comprising at least one stitched line extending in a machine direction and fibers emanating from the at least one stitched line. The at least one stitched line comprises a plurality of loops and said plurality of loops enclose substantially all of said fibers. The stitched line is gathered to reduce a dimension of the plurality of loops holding said fibers within the loops. The stitched line's weight is less than 20%, preferably less than 10%, and more preferably less than 5% of the total weight of the stitch-bonded string. The fibers have a basis weight ranging between 30 and 400 grams/meter.sup.2, preferably between 40 and 350 g/m.sup.2, preferably between 50 and 300 g/m.sup.2 or between 100 and 250 g/m.sup.2. Methods for making the string are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a stitch-bonded string comprising at least one stitched line extending in a machine direction and fibers emanating from the at least one stitched line. The at least one stitched line comprises a plurality of loops and said plurality of loops enclose substantially all of said fibers. The stitched line is gathered to reduce a dimension of the plurality of loops holding said fibers within the loops. The stitched line's weight is less than 20%, preferably less than 10%, and more preferably less than 5% of the total weight of the stitch-bonded string. The fibers have a basis weight ranging between 30 and 400 grams/meter.sup.2, preferably between 40 and 350 g/m.sup.2, preferably between 50 and 300 g/m.sup.2 or between 100 and 250 g/m.sup.2. Methods for making the string are also disclosed.

The invention provides a method for knitting and forming a weft-knitted fabric with varying thickness by a flat knitting machine and a weft-knitted fabric thereof. The method is implemented in at least one knitting process of the weft-knitted fabric, comprising steps of: driving the flat knitting machine to knit a basic structure by at least one of two needle beds of the flat knitting machine, and controlling the two needle beds on the flat knitting machine to knit a three-dimensional structure connected with the basic structure. A thickness of the three-dimensional structure is greater than a thickness of the basic structure, the three-dimensional structure comprises two surface layer portions and a supporting portion connected with the two surface layer portions and located between the two surface layer portions. A junction between the three-dimensional structure and the basic structure is without the supporting portion.

The invention provides a method for knitting and forming a weft-knitted fabric with varying thickness by a flat knitting machine and a weft-knitted fabric thereof. The method is implemented in at least one knitting process of the weft-knitted fabric, comprising steps of: driving the flat knitting machine to knit a basic structure by at least one of two needle beds of the flat knitting machine, and controlling the two needle beds on the flat knitting machine to knit a three-dimensional structure connected with the basic structure. A thickness of the three-dimensional structure is greater than a thickness of the basic structure, the three-dimensional structure comprises two surface layer portions and a supporting portion connected with the two surface layer portions and located between the two surface layer portions. A junction between the three-dimensional structure and the basic structure is without the supporting portion.

A structure includes an oriented piezoelectric polymer arranged in a circular tubular or circular columnar shape, wherein the orientation angle of the piezoelectric polymer with respect to the central axis of the structure is 15° to 75°, the piezoelectric polymer includes a crystalline polymer having an absolute value of 0.1 to 1000 pC/N for the piezoelectric constant d14 when the orientation axis is the third axis, and the piezoelectric polymer includes a P-body containing a crystalline polymer with a positive piezoelectric constant d14 value and an N-body containing a crystalline polymer with a negative value, wherein for the portion of the central axis of the structure having a length of 1 cm, the value of T1/T2 is 0 to 0.8, T1 being the smaller and T2 being the larger of (ZP+SN) and (SP+ZN), where ZP, SP, ZN, and SN are particularly defined masses.