FABRIC ELEMENT

Abstract

There is provided a fabric element (20) comprising a TiO.sub.2 additive, the fabric element (20) including a mark (22) formed in or on a surface of the fabric element (20), wherein the mark (22) includes a higher titanium oxide than TiO.sub.2.

Claims

1. A fabric element comprising a TiO.sub.2 additive, the fabric element including a mark formed in or on a surface of the fabric element, wherein the mark includes a higher titanium oxide than TiO.sub.2.

2. A fabric element according to claim 1 wherein the mark includes Ti.sub.2O.sub.3, Ti.sub.3O.sub.5 or Ti.sub.4O.sub.7.

3. A fabric element according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the higher titanium oxide is infused in fibres of the fabric element.

4. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the fabric element includes 0.01 to 5.0 wt % TiO.sub.2 additive.

5. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the fabric element is made of a synthetic or natural fabric material.

6. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the mark includes a letter, a word, a number, a symbol, a picture and/or a graphical element.

7. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the fabric element is rigid.

8. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the fabric element is stretchable or elastic.

9. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the fabric element is a label or forms part of a label.

10. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the fabric element is a garment or forms part of a garment.

11. A fabric element according to claim 10 wherein the fabric element is a waistband or forms part of a waistband.

12. A fabric element according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the fabric element is dyed.

13. A method of manufacturing a fabric element comprising a mark formed in or on the surface of the fabric element, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fabric element comprising a TiO.sub.2 additive; irradiating a region of the surface of the fabric element using a laser so that absorption of laser radiation by the TiO.sub.2 in the region causes the laser-Irradiated TiO.sub.2 to form a higher titanium oxide than TiO.sub.2 so as to form the mark in or on the surface of the fabric element, wherein the mark includes the higher titanium oxide.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the laser is a UV laser.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the laser is a CO.sub.2 laser.

16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein the mark includes Ti.sub.2O.sub.3, Ti.sub.3O.sub.5 or Ti.sub.4O.sub.7.

17. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the higher titanium oxide is infused in fibres of the fabric element.

18. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein the fabric element includes 0.01 to 5.0 wt % titanium dioxide additive.

19. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 18 wherein the fabric element is made of a synthetic or natural fabric material.

20. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 19 wherein the mark includes a letter, a word, a number, a symbol, a picture and/or a graphical element.

21. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 20 wherein the fabric element is rigid.

22. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 20 wherein the fabric element is stretchable or elastic.

23. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 22 wherein the fabric element is a label or forms part of a label.

24. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 23 wherein the fabric element is a garment or forms part of a garment.

25. A fabric element obtainable by a method according to any one of claims 13 to 24.

Description

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a fabric element according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0038] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a fabric element manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a fabric element according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0040] The figures are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or In schematic form in the interests of clarity and conciseness.

[0041] The following embodiments of the invention are described with reference to manufacture of a garment label and an elastic waistband, but it will be appreciated that the following embodiments of the invention are applicable mutatis mutandis to other types of fabric elements.

[0042] A fabric element according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 20.

[0043] The fabric element 20 is a woven jacquard label 20 for attachment to a garment. The label 20 is made of polyester but may be made of another synthetic fabric material, such as nylon. The label 20 comprises a TiO.sub.2 additive in an amount preferably ranging from 0.01 to 5.0 wt %. In particular, the TiO.sub.2 additive is mixed in a polymer matrix that is used to form synthetic fibres of the label 20, so that the TiO.sub.2 additive is infused in the fibres of the label 20.

[0044] In the embodiment shown, the label 20 comprises a mark 22 formed on a surface of the label 20. The mark 22 on the label 20 includes cleaning information about the garment to which the label 20 is to be attached. The mark 22 on the label 20 may additionally include product information, manufacturer information and/or manufacturing information.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 2, the mark 22 on the label 20 is formed by first providing a label with the TiO.sub.2 additive (Step 100) and then irradiating a region of the surface of the label 20 using a 355 nm-wavelength UV laser (Step 200). Other wavelengths in the UVA band may be used. The TiO.sub.2 in the region absorbs the UV radiation so that a mark 22 is formed in the irradiated region (Step 300). The infusion of the TiO.sub.2 additive in the fibres may create a low/zero oxygen environment when compared to the atmospheric oxygen level at sea level, which upon UV irradiation of the TiO.sub.2 produces higher titanium oxides (such as Ti.sub.2O.sub.3, Ti.sub.2O.sub.5, Ti.sub.4O.sub.7) with darker colours, such as shades of black or grey.

[0046] Meanwhile the TiO.sub.2 outside the irradiated region is not exposed to the UV laser. In this way the UV-irradiated region forms the mark 22 on the surface of the label 20, where the mark is darker than the non-irradiated TiO.sub.2 outside the irradiated region. The UV laser is controlled so that the mark 22 is written as the cleaning information.

[0047] During the irradiation step, the fabric element may be manipulated to be in a relaxed or stretched state to properly expose the target region for better coloration and consistency of the mark.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a label printing machine for carrying out a label manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0049] The label printing machine comprises a UV laser and a retention device. The retention device is configured to secure the label 20 to prevent its free movement. The UV laser is controllable to irradiate one or more regions of the surface of the label 20 in order to form the mark 22 as described above.

[0050] In other embodiments of the invention, the label 20 may be attached to a non-garment product, such as a box or a container.

[0051] A fabric element according to another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 120.

[0052] The fabric element 120 of FIG. 4 is manufactured in the same way as the fabric element 20 of FIG. 1 except that the fabric element 120 of FIG. 4 is an elastic waistband 120 for forming part of an undergarment 122.

[0053] A mark 124 is formed on the surface of the waistband 120 in the same way as a mark 22 is formed on the surface of the label 20 as described above. This enables formation of a readily distinguishable mark 124, such as a logo, on the waistband 120 without significantly damaging the waistband material and negatively affecting its stretchability.

[0054] Similarly a mark may be formed on other stretchable or elastic fabric elements.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional matrix plot of laser output power (X-axis) versus laser moving speed (Y-axis) versus laser pulse frequency (Z-axis). The laser output power at 100% is 5 W. The laser output power affects the energy density of the irradiation. The laser moving speed affects the laser exposure time. As shown in FIG. 5, the three parameters can be adjusted to produce marks 22 of varying shades of grey.

[0056] Hence, it is possible to customise the mark 22 to have a desired shade of grey.

[0057] In FIG. 5, it is shown that the darkest shade of grey (as indicated by L=0) is obtained using a laser moving speed of 1500 mm/s, a laser pulse frequency of 20 kHz and a laser output power of 5 W at 100%. L represents a lightness difference between the actual sample and a control sample. The shade of grey of the mark 22 can be made lighter by changing the laser moving speed, the laser pulse frequency and the laser output.

[0058] In other embodiments of the invention, it is envisaged that the UV laser may be replaced by a different type of laser, such as a CO.sub.2 laser.

[0059] It will be appreciated that the above numerical values are merely intended to help illustrate the working of the invention and may vary depending on the requirements of the fabric element and its manufacture.

[0060] The listing or discussion of an apparently prior-published document or apparently prior-published information in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document or information is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge.

[0061] Preferences and options for a given aspect, feature or parameter of the invention should, unless the context indicates otherwise, be regarded as having been disclosed in combination with any and all preferences and options for all other aspects, features and parameters of the invention.