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.

Provided herein are waterproof fabrics that include a base fabric having a body-facing surface and an outward-facing surface, and a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier disposed on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric, a seam through the waterproof fabric, and a waterproof tape disposed on an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier and aligned to seal the seam against water ingress. The base fabric may be a wicking fabric or may be treated with a compound that enhances wicking, and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier may include a plastic polymer, polyurethane, polyethylene, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene. The waterproof fabrics also may include an abrasion-resistant coating and/or a durable water repellant (DWR) agent disposed on an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier, and one or both of the abrasion-resistant coating and/or DWR agent may be discontinuous. Also provided are methods of making a waterproof fabric.

Provided is a garment made of a stretchable fabric and having an opening. The opening has a structure in which a fabric edge is folded back, and the fabric edge is fastened to a main body of the fabric with adhesives, a part of the opening is formed with a pattern in which curvature of the opening changes, and a row of the adhesives that are applied on a side closest to the edge of the fabric is applied within 2 mm from the edge of the fabric, and a difference between an average of spacings between adjacent adhesives applied in a row in a 3-cm section of a portion having the largest curvature radius at the opening and an average of spacings between adjacent adhesives applied in a row in a 3-cm section of a portion having a smaller curvature radius at the opening is within 15%.

Apparatus for the protection of an arm of a carer or handler of humans or animals is provided. The apparatus is comprised of a sleeve of flexible material having a first and second end, the first and second ends of the sleeve define first and second mouths respectively, and when in use the first mouth surrounds a portion of the carers hand or wrist, and the second mouth surrounds a portion of the carers arm between the elbow and armpit, and the portion of the sleeve defining the second mouth and/or the portion of the sleeve adjacent to the second end is adapted to releasably grip the carer's arm.

Articles of apparel and methods of making articles of apparel that include one or more thread layers made by winding a continuous thread around anchor points. In some embodiments, the articles of apparel can include multiple pieces of material, with each piece including a thread layer. In some embodiments, the article of apparel can be steamed to shape the one or more thread layers.

A process for fabricating a three-dimensional, multi-layered fabric product with a moisture barrier is provided. A partially seamed inner lining fabric assembly having at least a two-dimensional shape is laminated with a membrane barrier film having flaps left un-laminated to cover at least one seam. The inner lining fabric assembly is further seamed and flaps of the of the membrane barrier film overlapped into contact with each other and sealed to provide a continuous moisture barrier. A process for fabricating a stretchable section of a garment with a moisture barrier is also provided. At least a section of a garment is formed from fibers arranged in a pattern having a direction of stretch in one direction and a three-dimensional surface texture such that a portion of the fibers protrude above another portion of the fibers. The stretchable section is stretched in the direction of stretch. Segments of a membrane barrier film are adhered to an outer edge of the protruding portion of the fibers while the section is stretched in the direction of stretch, leaving intermediate segments of the barrier film free from adherence to the section. In this way, the intermediate segments of the membrane barrier film include slack that folds up to form ruches when the section is in a relaxed state.

A knit garment comprises a seamless, tubular torso section, a shoulder section knit continuously with the torso section along a front surface, and a single, continuous seam affixing the shoulder section to the torso section along a width of the upper back of the garment. Such a garment can be made by continuously knitting a double-layer web, interlooping the layers of the web to one another to forma central tube, severing the web, trimming material from the first layer of the double layers, folding the second layer over itself toward the first layer, and affixing the second layer to the first layer.

A seam production machine for joining at least two planar flexible components is provided, wherein at least one of the components includes thermoplastic synthetic material. Included is a machine housing, which is designed with a work surface and a work arm, wherein a retaining bar mounted movably in the longitudinal axis including a seam production tool and a likewise mounted support bar including a component presser element are provided on the work arm, and a support plate for the components, including at least one oscillatingly drivable component feeder is disposed in the work surface, wherein the component presser element is lowerable and acted upon by a force and, when lowered, cooperates with the at least one component feeder. At least one seam pressing ram, serving as the seam production tool, is disposed at the bottom of the retaining bar, wherein a laser beam is directed at the support plate and forms a laser light spot there for plasticizing the synthetic material of at least one of the components.

A medical gown (1101) includes a layer of material (100,200) with a seam (801) disposed across the layer of material. The material can include a weave (110,210) of untwisted, continuous filament polyester. The material can also include a carbon filament (209,211). The seam is sealed by applying a tape (300,400) across the seam and applying heat to cause the tape to attach to the weave.

The present invention can combine fabrics in a seamless manner by forming at least one bonding pattern line by a process comprising: printing and drying a heat-reactive adhesive on the inner surface of an inner fabric, and/or an outer fabric or an optional mesh material in a predetermined pattern, laminating said inner fabric, optional reinforced material and outer fabric, and then high-frequency heating them under pressing with a pressing pattern the same as the printing pattern to bond the inner fabric, and outer fabric.

Since the present invention combines fabrics by employing a high-frequency bonding manner in which a heat-reactive adhesive is used, it is possible to combine fabrics in a seamless manner with a bonding pattern line which is composed of a bonding line with excellent adhesiveness and durability and an aesthetically excellent pattern line with a good clearness and finishing quality.