A garment or accessory is provided having an elasticized portion, said elasticized portion being free of stitches or holes. The elasticized portion comprises a fabric portion of the accessory or garment to be elasticized; and a length of elastic element. The length of elastic element is applied to the fabric by a means selected from the group consisting of direct welding and indirect welding. A method is provided for elasticizing a fabric, said elasticized fabric being free of stitches or holes. The method involves providing a stack of fabric to be elasticized; stretching and positioning a length of elastic element against a first of the fabric in the stack; applying one or more ends of the elastic element to the fabric by a means selected from directly welding and indirectly welding; moving the first fabric to expose the next fabric in the stack to be elasticized; and repeating the steps for the next fabric.

A garment or accessory is provided having an elasticized portion, said elasticized portion being free of stitches or holes. The elasticized portion comprises a fabric portion of the accessory or garment to be elasticized; and a length of elastic element. The length of elastic element is applied to the fabric by a means selected from the group consisting of direct welding and indirect welding. A method is provided for elasticizing a fabric, said elasticized fabric being free of stitches or holes. The method involves providing a stack of fabric to be elasticized; stretching and positioning a length of elastic element against a first of the fabric in the stack; applying one or more ends of the elastic element to the fabric by a means selected from directly welding and indirectly welding; moving the first fabric to expose the next fabric in the stack to be elasticized; and repeating the steps for the next fabric.

Embodiments provide methods of assembling apparel products. The methods include applying a composition to a portion of a major component of the apparel product or a portion of a minor component of the apparel product. The methods include coupling the portion of the minor component with the portion of the major component via the composition. The major component forms a base portion of the apparel product and is configured to be supported and worn at least partially over a portion of a wearer. The minor component forms a secondary portion configured to be coupled to the major component via an adhesive. The methods include converting the composition to form the adhesive and the apparel product. The adhesive includes a material having an imine bond or an iminium bond.

Embodiments provide methods of assembling apparel products. The methods include applying a composition to a portion of a major component of the apparel product or a portion of a minor component of the apparel product. The methods include coupling the portion of the minor component with the portion of the major component via the composition. The major component forms a base portion of the apparel product and is configured to be supported and worn at least partially over a portion of a wearer. The minor component forms a secondary portion configured to be coupled to the major component via an adhesive. The methods include converting the composition to form the adhesive and the apparel product. The adhesive includes a material having an imine bond or an iminium bond.

This adhesive composition for bonding fiber fabrics contains a vinyl polymer (A) and an acrylic adhesive polymer (B). The vinyl polymer (A) has a glass transition temperature Tg.sub.A of 30 C. to 200 C. inclusive and a number average molecular weight of 500 to 10,000 inclusive. The adhesive composition has a glass transition temperature Tg.sub.1 of 80 C. to 10 C. inclusive. The storage elastic modulus of an adhesive layer formed using the adhesive composition is 1.0 MPa or less at 23 C.

Embodiments provide methods of assembling an apparel product. The method includes applying a composition to a portion of a major component of the apparel product or a portion of a minor component of the apparel product. The method includes coupling the portion of the minor component with the portion of the major component via the composition. The major component forms a base portion of the apparel product and is configured to be supported and worn at least partially over a portion of a wearer. The minor component forms a secondary portion configured to be coupled to the major component with an adhesive. The method includes converting the composition to form the adhesive and the apparel product. The adhesive including a shape memory material.

Embodiments provide methods of assembling an apparel product. The method includes applying a composition to a portion of a major component of the apparel product or a portion of a minor component of the apparel product. The method includes coupling the portion of the minor component with the portion of the major component via the composition. The major component forms a base portion of the apparel product and is configured to be supported and worn at least partially over a portion of a wearer. The minor component forms a secondary portion configured to be coupled to the major component with an adhesive. The method includes converting the composition to form the adhesive and the apparel product. The adhesive including a shape memory material.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

Methods for bonding a seam using an inductively heated structure are provided. A three-dimensionally conformable structure is placed upon materials at a location of a desired seam for a clothing article. The structure contours to the surface and material as placed. The structure includes a conductive filling that may be inductively heated. The heated structure and conductive filling activate a heat-responsive adhesive at the location and bond the materials to one another to form the desired seam.