EP0508204A1

EP0508204A1 - Clothing and method of manufacturing the same

Info

Publication number: EP0508204A1
Application number: EP92105005A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Takako Room No. 609 Le Ciel Uzumasa Fujii; Katsuko Horii
Original assignee: Wacoal Corp
Current assignee: Wacoal Corp
Priority date: 1991-04-08
Filing date: 1992-03-23
Publication date: 1992-10-14

Abstract

The invention relates to an article and a method of manufacturing clothing which comprises stretchable fabric. Resin suitable for constraining elongation is densely and loosely distributed in predetermined local parts of the objective clothing in a range from such local parts requiring intense force for constraining elongation to such local parts requiring less intense force for constraining elongation. The clothing of the invention proportionally constrains elongation at predetermined local parts, shapes up the body line of the wearer by locally varying the elongation constraining force by way of gradation.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to clothing using stretchable fabric. More particularly, the invention relates to such clothing which is locally treated with resin in predetermined locations where elongation of the stretchable fabric should desirably be constrained by way of gradually varying the applicable constraining force.

Description of the Prior Art

As a matter of course, it is desired that the needed part of clothes be capable of freely elongating and contracting itself while following the physical movement of the wearer. For example, those who wear foundation garments need to constrain superfluous flesh from swelling outward so that the wearer can emphasize proportionally shaped body line to provide an aesthetically pleasing effect.
Conventionally, elongation of clothes is constrained by taking those measures described below.
Superfluous flesh in part of the wearer's body is constrained from swelling outward, to properly shape up the body line by wearing clothing such as foundation garments etc. which are provided with additive fabric having stretchability and contractility identical to or less than those of the fabric of the clothing at predetermined local parts requiring constraint against elongation. Such additive fabric can be sewn in place.
Alternatively, there is an idea of controlling stretchability and contractility of clothing by providing a solution of synthetic resin onto predetermined local parts of clothing by applying a drying process or a thermal treatment. Nevertheless, this idea has not yet been materialized for practical use.
Conventionally, there is a variety of clothing available today, which is provided with such additive fablic having stretchability and contractility identical to and/or less than those of the fabric of the clothing at predetermined local parts requiring constraint against elongation, applied via sewing processes.
As a typical example, a girdle is cited below for an explanation of the structure of conventional clothing. A schematic perspective view of a girdle is shown in Fig. 8 for example. The back of the fabric of the girdle body 80 is provided with an additive fabric 81 having stretchability and contractility less than those of the fabric of the girdle 80 by means of a sewing process in order to cover the abdomen part of the wearer to constrain the abdomen flesh from swelling outward. The seamed edge of the additive fabric 81 has a certain thickness. As a result, when a consumer wears this girdle 80, the seamed edges outwardly project themselves. Even when a consumer wears an outer garment over the girdle, the projected seamed edge parts of the additive fabric 81 of the girdle affect or are reflected on the outer garment. Thus the projected edge parts are visually shown up to the outer garment. This is particularly noticeable when a consumer wears a thin skirt or a tight skirt for summer season on the conventional girdle mentioned above. This in turn significantly degrades her personal appearance. This phenomenon is hereinafter referred to as "appearance-degrading" effect.
In addition, since human skin constantly remains in contact with edges of sewn-up fabrics and threads of the seamed edges, the wearer feels discomfort. Furthermore, the presence of seamed edges degrades the appearance of this conventional clothing.
In particular, the above conventional sewing method substantially levels off the constraining force in all the objective parts that should be subject to constraint against elongation. As a result, the constraining force against elongation cannot delicately and properly be controlled throughout the desired local parts.
There is an idea of impregnating synthetic resin to the objective parts requiring constraint against elongation of clothing. Nevertheless, if synthetic resin is impregnated uniformly to the objective parts requiring constraint against elongation, the processed clothes cannot delicately and properly control constraining force against elongation between those parts requiring substantial constraining force and those parts requiring a less intensity of constraining force in the objective local parts desired to be subject to constraint against elongation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide novel clothing and a novel method of manufacturing the same, which can properly constrain unwanted elongation of clothing at at predetermined local parts, can more precisely and gradually vary the constraining force in the predetermined local parts and can shape up body line of wearer more delicately. At the some time, it is an object of the invention to enable the wearer to comfortably wear these, and in addition, to avoid such defects as uneven parts in the local parts for constraining elongation of the clothing externally showing themselves through an outer garment.
A further object of the invention is to provide a clothing and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the clothes and the method can eliminate those defects inherent in any of those conventional clothing which is produced by superposing an additive fabric at predetermined local parts requiring constraint against elongation via sewing, like the generation of the above-quoted "appearance-degrading" effect (in which projected parts generated by the thickness of the superposedly sewn cloth are externally visible when a consumer wears such a conventional clothing mentioned previously) and the degradation of clothing comfort caused by contact of the wearer's skin with the edges of the superposed sewn cloth and the seamed edges.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a clothing and a method of manufacturing the same which can properly control local parts of clothing requiring constraint against elongation exactly at the required magnitude of constraining force to permit the wearer to more properly control own shape. Furthermore, since the predetermined local parts are properly controlled at the required magnitude of constraining force based on the above reason, the clothing are free from incurring unnecessary constraining force, thus permitting the wearer to be free from sensing discomfort with wearing them.
Namely, the present invention relates to clothing which comprises stretchable fabric, wherein said clothing is locally provided with a resin available for constraining elongation of local parts of said stretchable fabric at predetermined parts where elongation of said stretchable fabric should desirably be suppressed. The resin is densely and sparsely distributed in said predetermined parts by way of gradation in a range from such parts requiring intense force of constraining elongation (where said resin is densely distributed ) to such parts requiring less intensity of force for constraining elongation (where said resin is sparsely distributed ) than said parts requiring an intense force of constraining elongation.
It is preferable in this invention that the clothing mentioned above be foundation garments.
It is also preferable in this invention that the resin be polyurethane resin or nylon resin.
Furthermore, it is also preferable in this invention that the thickness of the resin provided to the predetermined parts of the clothing is from 100 micrometers to 2 millimeters.
Furthermore, it is also preferable that the area ratio of the applied resin decrease from those parts where substantial magnitude of constraining force is required against elongation in the direction of those parts where less magnitude of constraining force is required against elongation.
Furthermore, it is also preferable that the clothing specified above is a kind of clothing selected from the group consisting of a girdle, brassiere, and swimming suit.
It is preferable that in this invention that the stretchable fabric specified above is a knitted fabric.
In its process aspects, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing clothing which is capable of controlling the force to constrain elongation by executing those sequential steps described below. In order to densely and sparsely provide resin for constraining elongation of stretchable fabric against predetermined local parts in a range from such parts requiring an intense force of constraining elongation to such parts requiring less intense force of constraining elongation than that of the former parts, mold-releasable sheets on which a resin is printed under specific patterns corresponding to said dense and sparse distribution of resin are superposed on predetermined local parts of clothing, and then, the resin on the mold-releasable sheet is thermally transferred onto the predetermined local parts of the clothing.
It is preferable in the metod of the invention that the mold-releasable sheet is polyester film or polyphenylene sulfide film.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a girdle as the one embodiment the clothing of the invention.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the girdle shown in Fig. 1 seen from the back.
Fig. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a brassiere as one embodiment of the clothing of the invention.
Fig. 4 shows one of schematic resin pattern of a local part of a clothing.
Fig. 5 shows another schematic resin pattern of a local part of a clothing.
Fig. 6 shows a still further schematic resin pattern of a local part of a clothing.
Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a swimming suit as one embodiment of the clothing of the invention.
Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional girdle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unlike any of those conventional clothing with a sewn cloth added thereon for constraining elongation at local parts requiring suppression of elongation, the stretchable fabric of the clothing of the invention is provided with densely and sparsely distributed resin areas on the predetermined local parts for constraining elongation in a range from such parts requiring a substantial magnitude of the force to constrain elongation to such parts requiring less force to constrain elongation. Therefore, the clothing of the invention can prevent the projected or raised parts from externally showing themselves through outer clothing, which is otherwise caused by the presence of the thickness of the superposed additive fabric. In other words, the clothing of the invention prevents degradation of the wearer's own appearance, thus securely preserving the fine looks of the wearer.
The clothing of the invention is comfortable to wear, because there is no unwanted contact of the wearer's skin with edges and seamed lines of the additive fabric sewn as the conventional clothes. Furthermore, since the amount of the provided resin gradually varies from the densely distributed local parts to sparsely distributed local parts, the wearer's body line can more strictly be controlled for better shape. To achieve this, the clothing of the invention, having a gradually variable force to constrain elongation, can properly control the constraining force to the required magnitude. The clothing of the invention is free from unnecessary restraining force, and thus there is no degradation of wearing comfort.
As the examples of the clothing of the invention, those foundation garments and/or clothes are described below; brassiere, long line brassiere, fit-slip (slip fitting closely on body), girdle, waist nipper, three-in-one, body suit, bra-slip, leotard, dress having a pair of bra-cups, swimming suit, evening dress, suit, or the like, for example. In particular, the invention is preferably applied to clothing directly contact with the wearer's skin such as foundation garments and swimming suit, or clothing wearable under outer clothing to secure a finely shaped-up body line for promoting an aesthetic effect.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view illustrating a girdle as one embodiment of the clothing of the invention. The reference numeral 1 shows a girdle body. The reference numeral 2 shows local parts treated with resin to constrain elongation of the fabric of the girdle body 1, where the applied resin is present in specific patterns to suppress abdomen flesh from swelling outward. In the resin-treated parts 2, the resin is applied in specific patterns, where the lower part of the patterns occupy wider areas than those of the upper part of the patterns, which decrease in the upward direction. This pattern predominantly constrain the lower abdomen flesh from swelling outward. On the other hand, since such strong constraining force is not necessary to the middle and upper abdomen part, the constraining force gradually decreases in the upward direction. Thus wearing comfort is improved. Those local parts 3 of the girdle 1 provided with resin ranging from both sides to the hips respectively contain polka-dotted resinous patterns, where the constraining force is slightly reduced.
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the girdle 1 shown in Fig. 1 seen from the back. Those resin-treated parts 3 corresponding to lower hip of the girdle 1 are densely distributed so that a hip-up function can properly be exerted. In this way, the force to constrain elongation can be delicately and locally controlled by varying the size (in other words, area ratio) of local resinous patterns according to those local parts requiring a dominant constraining force and those remaining parts requiring a constraining force of less magnitude.
Figures 4 through 6 are respective schematic views of other resin pattern of a local part 2 of a piece of clothing. The desired intensity of the constraining force can be exerted according to the size of area held by the resin-treated local part 2, in other words, according to the density of distributed resinous patterns. The reference numeral 41 shown in Fig. 4, 51 shown in Fig. 5, and 61 shown in Fig. 6, respectively designate the resin-treated local parts. Constraining force is strictly controlled in accordance with the density distribution of the resin-treated parts in those areas.
The bottom pattern 41 shown in Fig. 4 is solid and extremely dense, whereas the top resin-treated part 41 is split into a plurality of belt-like loose resinous patterns. The resin-treated area 51 shown in Fig. 5 decreases in the upward direction, where resin distribution varies from dense to sparse.
As is apparent from Figures 4 and 5, the lower-half parts are provided with powerful constraining force, whereas the upper-half parts are provided with less intense constraining force.
Fig. 6 shows the state in which resin 61 is distributed to make up substantially linear resinous patterns, where the greater the density of distributed resin, the stronger the constraining force. Conversely, the looser the intervals between the resin-treated linear patterns, the weaker the constraining force in effect.
According to the invention, the resin-distributed pattern is not limited to those examples described above, but any practical pattern may also be made available insofar as the provided pattern can properly control constraining force by means of densely and loosely distributed resin. If necessary, an aesthetic design may also be introduced by applying patterns such as flower patterns for example. Optional suitable patterns may also be selected according to the kind of clothing as well. Also, optional suitable patterns may be selected in order to distribute resin on the identical clothing according to the location of the local parts requiring constraint against elongation.
If identical constraining force could be applied to specific local parts, then, such parts solely containing even-density patterns may also be added thereto.
Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a brassiere according to an embodiment of the invention. The reference numeral 30 shows a brassiere body. The reference numeral 31 shows a pair of resin-treated parts on both sides of the brassiere. The reference numeral 32 shows a pair of resin-treated parts at the lower part of a pair of cups.
The resin-treated parts 31 take sizable, in other wards, dense resinous patterns. Those resin-treated parts 32 gradually turn into slimmer belt-like patterns in the upward direction of those cups. In other words, resin is more sparsely distributed so that the constraining force will gradually diminish in the upward direction.
Resin distribution in the above-identified patterns suppresses superfluous flesh on both sides from swelling outward. Furthermore, since the constraining force is decrescent in the upward direction from the lower part of the cups, those upper parts of the cups useless for raising busts are free from incurring intense constraining force as application to both sides 31. As a result, by virtue of delicately variable constraining force, the wearer's busts can beautifully be shaped up.
Fig. 7 is an overall perspective slant view of a swimming suit 70 as one of embodiment of the invention. Hatched part 71 is provided with resin. The lower abdomen part of the swimming suit 70 is provided with a large area of the resin-treated part 71. Resin is densely applied on this parts 71. Distribution of resin is arranged to be less dense in the upward direction, in other words, the resin-distributed area decreases in the upward direction.
The above arrangement fully constrains the lower abdomen flesh of the wearer from swelling outward, and yet, the upper abdomen flesh is also constrained from swelling outward by effect of mildly generated constraining force. However, since there is no need of severely controlling the upper abdomen part in contrast with the constraining force applicable to the lower-abdomen part, the constraining force is reduced to some extent. Therefore, the swimming suit 70 of the invention prevents loss of sensible comfort by virtue of an arrangement to prevent the wearer from incurring an unnecessarily strong constraining force around the pit of stomach.
The above description has concretely referred to some embodiments of the invention such as girdles brassieres, and swimming suits, for example. Nevertheless, the scope of the invention is by no means limited to these, but the invention is also effectively applicable to production of clothing and foundation garments which need exerting physical shape-up function from the aesthetic viewpoint like foundation garments and lingerie including long line brassiere, fit-slip, girdle, waist nipper, three-in-one, body suit, bra-slip, leotard, dress having a pair of bra-cups, evening dress, suits, or the like, for example.
In particular, since the majority of swimming suits and foundation garments are required to exert some physical shape-up function and are brought into direct contact with the wearer's skin, those garments are preferably applicable to the invention.
Desirable features of the resin available for the invention are described below.
The resins may be optionally selected in accordance with their own physical and chemical characteristics and in accordance with required characteristics like the force to constrain elongation of objective clothing. It is preferable that, taking washability and comfort on contact with the wearer's skin into account, water-soluble resin and extremely hard resin are avoided.
It is desirable to select such resin that can easily be provided as solution or emulsion or such resin capable of adhering itself to clothes by heat transfer printing with or without application of adhesive agent.
If stretchability were not so strictly demanded, but constraining force against elongation were required mainly, it is preferable to use, for example, nylon resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyvinylydene chloride resin, ABS resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, or the like. Of these, nylon resin is particularly preferable. On the other hand, in cases where stretchability is demanded, more particularly, if the force to constrain elongation of clothing were required in conjunction with some degree of stretchability, then, polyurethane resin is preferable. In addition, those resins having elasticity such as co-polymerized polyester resin, ethylene propylene co-polymer rubber, natural rubber, and other synthetic rubbers may also be available. In particular, polyurethane resin is most desirable for use.
A method of providing the resin to clothing in the invention is not restricted insofar as the applied resin has proper thickness, and the applied resin does not apparently degrade the superficial appearance of the clothing. In other wards, the difference in height between the resin-provided parts and blank parts should not so big that it is possible to visually discern it through on outer garment. Practically, a resinous solution or emulsion is applied onto the fabric of the clothing by way of impregnation coating, or spraying, followed by execution of a drying process and thermal treatment as required, or a mold-releasable film having a thin coated or printed layer of the prescribed patterns is put on the clothing and followed by transferring the resinous patterns onto the clothing via a thermal transfer method or heat transfer printing.
In particular, it is preferable that resins are thinly coated or printed as per the needed pattern on mold-releasable sheets such as mold-releasable plastic films in advance, and then each of these mold-releasable sheets is superposed on the objective clothing to be subject to a thermal pressing process, and finally, the resinous patterns are thermally transferred onto the fabric of the clothing from the mold-releasable plastic films. Typically, available plastic film includes polyester film or polyphenylene sulfide film. In addition, any films having thermal resistance such as polyimide film or polyamide-imide film etc. may also be made available.
After the application with resinous solution or emulsion to clothing, the resin-treated parts are usually subject to a drying process or a thermal treatment. However, since the condition available for the thermal treatment is variable according to the kind and thickness of applied resin, the proper condition may be determined taking these into account. Usually, an annealing process is executed at 60 °C to 200 °C as one of a thermal treatment. However, the condition of the thermal treatment is not limited to the above mentioned process.
The thickness of the applied resin shall be determined upon consideration of the kind of resin, the magnitude of the elongation constraining force and influence or reflection of the projection of the resin pattern, in other words, so that the projection of the resinous pattern is not discernible throug outer garments. Usually, below 2 millimeters of thickness of the resin is suggested. More preferably, below 300 micrometers of thickness is desirable. However, if the thickness of the applied resin is too thin, the elongation constraining force be too low. To avoid this, usually, more than 100 micronmeters of thickness is preferable.
Usually, resin is provided on the back of the fabric. However, for example, if a colored pattern should be emphasized, then, resin may be provided on the front surface of fabric.
This invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following examples, which by no means limit the scope of the invention.

Example 1

Initially, a pattern-printed thermal transfer film "P-TACK" (a product of SAN-EI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.) made from nylon resin patterns having 300 micrometers of thickness on a biaxially elongated mold-releasable polyethylene terephthalate film having 300 micrometers of thickness was prepared. Namely, the biaxially elongated mold-releasable polyethylene terephthalate film having printed nylon resin patterns which were corresponded to the patterns shown in Figures 1 and 2 was prepared. The resinous patterns corresponding to the patterns shown in Figures 1 and 2 mean the resinous patterns on the mold-releasable film are in mirror-image relationship with the patterns shown in Figures 1 and 2 which are the desired patterns applied onto the objective clothing. The deffinition is also used hereinafter in the same sense.
The above-identified mold-releasable film printed with nylon resin pattern was placed on a girdle made of knitted fabric composed of nylon fibers (40D-13f), and then, the mounted film is thermally pressed at 180 °C for 10 seconds with a thermal press. Thus, the resinous pattern shown in Figures 1 and 2 was transferred onto the front and the back of the girdle.
The obtained girdle could effectively suppress the wearer's abdomen flesh part from swelling outward, and yet, effectively raised hip position, and as a result, the wearer's body line was beautifully shaped up. Furthermore, since the density of applied resin gradually varied, the desired magnitude of elongation constraining force was generated in all the predetermined parts. The wearer of this girdle experienced a comfortable feeeling while wearing it, without feeling awkwardness.
The thickness of the resin bonded on the girdle was about 200 micrometers from the surface of the girdle. However, neither a projected part nor a difference in level at the edges of the resin pattern were externally discerned, thus fully preserving the refined appearance of the wearer.

Example 2

As shown in Fig. 3, polyurethane emulsion (a product of Nitta Gelatine Inc., with 90 % by weight of solid content of polyurethane resin) was sprayed onto a brassiere composed of nylon fibers, and formed a polyurethane resinous pattern as shown in Fig. 3. In order to prevent adhering of the polyurethane resin to unnecessary parts during the spraying process, paper masks having patterned slits which the polyurethane emulsion could be passed through were used. After drying the adhered polyurethane resin, the polyurethane resin was fixed on the fabric of the brassiere by thermal treatment on an iron plate heated at 200 °C., and the resin patterns had about 200 micronmeters of thickness from the surface of the fabric. By virtue of the resin patterns, the brassiere of the invention effectively suppressed superfluous flesh on both sides from swelling outward. The elongation constraining force gradually decreased in the upward direction to be less than the constraining force applied to the bottom parts of both cups. Therefore, local parts for which the constraining force was not needed so strongly for raising busts were free from incurring intense constraining force compared with both sides, and yet, owing to the delicately variable constraining force, the brassiere of the invention finely shaped up the bust line of the wearer and provided good comfortability to wear.
The thickness of the resin pattern of the brassiere was about 200 micronmeters from the surface of the fabric of the brassiere. As a result, even when the wearer wore a outer garment such as a blouse on the brassiere, neither a projection nor a recess of the resin patterns was visually discernible from the outside of the blouse. In consequence, the fine appearance of the wearer was perfectly preserved.

Example 3

A pattern-printed thermal-transfer film "P-TACK" (a product of SAN-EI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.) on which was printed polyurethane resin pattern having 300 micrometers of thickness on a biaxially elongated mold-releasable polyethylene terephthalate film having 300 micronmeters of thickness was prepared. Namely, the biaxially elongated mold-releasable polyethylene terephthalate film having printed polyurethane resin patterns which corresponded to the patterns shown in Figures 7 was prepared.
The above-identified mold-releasable film having printed polyurethane resin pattern was placed on the back of the front fabric of a swimming suit made of power-net knitted fabric which was composed of nylon fibers (40D-13f) and polyurethane fibers (280D-4f), and then the mounted mold-releasable film was thermally pressed at 180 °C for 10 seconds with a thermal press. Thus the resin pattern shown in Fig. 7 was transferred onto the part close to the abdomen of the swimming suit.
The swimming suit treated with polyurethane resin proved to have effectively suppressed the wearer's abdomen flesh from swelling outward. Those abdomen parts 71 shown in Fig. 7 were adhered with polyurethane resin, and yet, resin was provided in large area pattern of the lower abdomen part 71. This in turn means that polyurethane resin was densely distributed on the lower abdomen part 71 and the resin-treated area was decreasing in the upward direction. In other words, the amount of applied resin was gradationally decreased in the upward direction.
In consequence, the swimming suit of the invention suppressed the wearer's lower abdomen flesh from swelling outward, and yet, simultaneously suppressed the wearer's upper abdomen flesh from swelling outward with less magnitude of the elongation constraining force. However, since the upper abdomen part does not need to receive such intense constraining force as is applied to the lower abdomen part, in proportion to this difference, the constraining force applied to the upper abdomen part is weakened. The swimming suit did not cause unnecessarily strong constraining force to affect the upper abdomen flesh around the pit of stomach, and thus, the wearer can be prevented from sensing discomfort when wearing the swimming suit.
The thickness of the polyurethane resin patterns of the swimming suit was about 200 micronmeters from the surface of the fabric of the swimming suit. As a result, even when the wearer wore this swimming suit, neither projection nor recess of the coated resinous pattern was superficially discernible, thus preserving well-shaped appearance of the wearer.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

As is clear from the above description, since in the clothing of the invention, resin was proportionally provided to specific local parts of the clothing requiring specific force to restrain elongation of the local parts, unlike any of those conventional clothing, no superposed additional fabric for restraining elongation and seamed line thereof are present. Furthermore, in the clothing of the invention, since there is no superposed additive fabric, neither a projection nor recess otherwise caused by the thickness of applied resin is externally discernible from the outside of outer clothing. In other words, a well-shaped fine appearance of the wearer can be maintained and undesirable appearance or reflection of the projection of the clothing is prevented.
Furthermore, the clothing of the invention prevent wearers from sensing discomfort otherwise caused by the direct contact of their skin with edges and seamed lines of additive fabric superposed on the fabric.
Furthermore, since distribution of resinous patterns gradationally varies in a range from densely provided parts to sparsely provided parts in the clothing, the body line of the wearers can more strictly be shaped up under the proper constraining force. To achieve this, only the predetermined parts are properly controlled by effect of the predetermined constraining force. In consequence, the clothing of the invention is free from incurring unnecessary constraining force. As a result, wearers can enjoy comfort while wearing the clothing of the invention.
In particular, those advantageous effects of the invention can more significantly be exerted by application to foundation garments.
Accrding to the preferable embodiment of the invention using polyurethane resin or nylon resin, when using polyurethane resin for example, such clothing having elasticity and contractility in conjunction with the force for constraining elongation can be manufactured, and in addition, when using nylon resin for example, such clothing capable of suppressing stretchability and contractility and having specific force for locally constraining elongation can also be manufactured.
Furthermore, accrding to the preferable embodiment of the invention that the thickness of the applied resin is in the range of from 100 micronmeters to 2 millimeters, neither a projection nor recess caused by the applied resin can externally be discernible from the outside of outer clothing, which otherwise results in the degraded appearance, and yet, the clothing of the invention can exert the proportional force needed for locally constraining elongation.
Furthermore, according to the preferable embodiments of the invention, by gradationally decreasing the ratio of the resin-applied areas in the direction of such parts requiring less intensity of the force to constrain elongation than that of such local parts requiring substantial force to restrain elongation unlike item in which the constraining force is controlled by means of gradation by the thickness of the applied resin, those clothing of the invention are free from generating projection and recess, and yet, the clothing can easily be produced.
Furthermore, according to the preferable embodiment of the invention, since the objective clothing can be selected from the group of girdle, brassiere, and swimming suit, the clothing can effectively exert advantageous effects of the invention described above.
Furthermore, accrding to the preferable embodiment of the invention using knitted fabric as the fabric of the clothing, since the knitted fabric has good stretchability and contractility, by applying the resin patterns by the invention, delicate control over elongation and constraining force can more easily be achieved, thus finely shaping up the wearer's body line.
The invention also provides a method of easily manufacturing the clothing capable of gradationally controlling the force to constrain local parts from elongating themselves. According to the preferable method of the invention, polyester film or polyphenylene sulfide film is used as the mold-releasable film, since either of these films can easily execute thermal transfer of the resin patterns, and yet, easily be available in the market, and thus it is easy to manufacture the clothing of the invention.

Claims

Clothing which comprises stretchable fabric, wherein said clothing is locally provided with a resin suitable for constraining elongation of local parts of said stretchable fabric at predetermined parts where elongation of said stretchable fabric should desirably be suppressed, wherein said resin is densely and sparsely distributed in said predetermined parts by way of gradation in a range from such parts requiring intense force to constrain elongation to such parts requiring less intense force to constrain elongation.
The clothing defined in Claim 1, wherein said clothing is a foundation garment.
The clothing defined in Claim 1, wherein said resin is polyurethane resin or nylon resin.
The clothing defined in Claim 1, wherein the thickness of said resin is from 100 micrometers to 2 millimeters.
The clothing defined in Claim 1, wherein the area ratio of said provided resin decreases in the direction of such parts requiring less intense force for constraining elongation than said parts requiring intense force for constraining elongation.
The clothing defined in Claim 1, wherein said clothing is selected from the group consisting of girdle, brassiere and swimming suit.
The clothing defined in Claim 1, wherein said stretchable fabric is knitted fabric.
A method of manufacturing clothing capable of constraining its own elongation, comprising:
providing at least one mold-releasable sheet having a pattern of resin thereon;
superposing the at least one mold-releasable sheet on predetermined location of a piece of clothing made of a stretchable fabric, the at least one mold-releasable sheet being positioned so that relatively dense areas of resin are located to correspond to portions of the clothing requiring a relatively intense force for constraining elongation and relatively sparse areas of resin are located to correspond to portions of the clothing requiring a less intense force for constraining elongation; and
thermally transferring said resin pattern from said at least one mold-releasable sheet to said clothing.
The method of manufacturing clothing defined in Claim 8, wherein said mold-releasable sheet is polyester film or polyphenylene sulfide film.