Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
  • D06M16/00—Biochemical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. enzymatic
  • D06M16/003—Biochemical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. enzymatic with enzymes or microorganisms
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
  • C11D17/0047—Detergents in the form of bars or tablets
  • C11D17/0065—Solid detergents containing builders
  • C11D17/0073—Tablets
  • C11D17/0086—Laundry tablets
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
  • C11D17/04—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties combined with or containing other objects
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
  • C11D17/04—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties combined with or containing other objects
  • C11D17/041—Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
  • C11D17/042—Water soluble or water disintegrable containers or substrates containing cleaning compositions or additives for cleaning compositions
  • C11D17/045—Multi-compartment
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/16—Organic compounds
  • C11D3/38—Products with no well-defined composition, e.g. natural products
  • C11D3/386—Preparations containing enzymes, e.g. protease or amylase
  • C11D3/38645—Preparations containing enzymes, e.g. protease or amylase containing cellulase
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/16—Organic compounds
  • C11D3/38—Products with no well-defined composition, e.g. natural products
  • C11D3/386—Preparations containing enzymes, e.g. protease or amylase
  • C11D3/38654—Preparations containing enzymes, e.g. protease or amylase containing oxidase or reductase
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
  • D06P5/15—Locally discharging the dyes
  • D06P5/158—Locally discharging the dyes with other compounds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D2111/00—Cleaning compositions characterised by the objects to be cleaned; Cleaning compositions characterised by non-standard cleaning or washing processes
  • C11D2111/10—Objects to be cleaned
  • C11D2111/12—Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
  • D06M11/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising
  • D06M11/32—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising with oxygen, ozone, ozonides, oxides, hydroxides or percompounds; Salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond
  • D06M11/50—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising with oxygen, ozone, ozonides, oxides, hydroxides or percompounds; Salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond with hydrogen peroxide or peroxides of metals; with persulfuric, permanganic, pernitric, percarbonic acids or their salts
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
  • D06M2101/00—Chemical constitution of the fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, to be treated
  • D06M2101/02—Natural fibres, other than mineral fibres
  • D06M2101/04—Vegetal fibres
  • D06M2101/06—Vegetal fibres cellulosic

Definitions

• the present invention belongs to the sector of products and methods for treating textile products by way of enzymes, both in the industrial and domestic sectors. Such treatments are especially useful for customizing articles of clothing.
• this invention concerns a kit comprising enzymatic compounds and its respective method of use, in the context of ready-made article washing, in order to impart a well-worn appearance to articles of clothing at least partially made from cellulose fibers; such treatment is generally referred to as aging.
• this invention is particularly suitable for washings jeans, i.e. articles made from a Denim fabric, where an aging effect is obtained similar to that commonly referred to as stone-wash.
• Fabric aging is a widespread and by now unquestionable practice because in some clothes a well-worn appearance imparts a greater appeal and aesthetic value thereto.
• Textile article aging processes initially used a bath with abrasive bodies mixed therein, for example pumice stone bodies, as described for instance in US4575887 (A) . Subsequently the action of abrasive bodies was replaced, or supplemented, by a chemical one.
• Patent US5460966 (A) illustrates an aging method wherein abrasive bodies comprise a soluble chemical composition
• patent US2017159235 (Al) discloses a treatment that uses cellulases together with a mechanical abrasion action.
• the methods according to the present status of the art usually comprise a first desizing step taking place in a first bath, which is emptied, followed by a second rinsing bath. Then an enzyme-based treatment follows, also referred to as enzyming, in a third bath.
• a treatment aiming at imparting a stone-washed appearance to textile products is disclosed in US5213581 (A) .
• Enzyming is followed by a number of clean rinsings or a cleaning-up bath using oxidizing agents.
• the desizing and enzyming steps are performed in one bath, but the subsequent cleaning-up steps require at least one further bath in any case .
• a first object of the present invention is to provide a simple and easy-to-use solution for treating textile products comprising cellulose fibers, whose application does not require specific knowledges or particular recipes in order for it to be applicable both by a professional and/or industrial user and by a domestic user.
• a further object is to provide an effective formulation while operating inside a relatively simple method of use.
• Another non-negligible object is to reduce the number of baths and the power consumption necessary for a treatment as compared to those required in the known methods .
• the kit according to the present invention comprises a plurality of enzymatic components suitable for operating inside one bath, inside a machine suitable for washing clothes, i.e. a machine that determines a mechanical action that supplements the chemical action exerted by compounds.
• a machine suitable for washing clothes i.e. a machine that determines a mechanical action that supplements the chemical action exerted by compounds.
• this machine generally a rotating one, is sometimes referred to as a washing machine for the sake of the synthesis, whereas the term drum identifies its working volume .
• a first compound comprises cellulases and, preferably, amylases
• a second compound comprises laccases and/or peroxidases and/or at least one oxidizing agent.
• Peroxidases operates in the presence of an oxidizing agent .
• the invention makes thus it possible to perform two processes that are usually made separately, in one context, namely: the fabric aging one, possibly including desizing, and the cleaning-up one .
• said two compounds are put inside a drum of a washing machine together with the textile products to be treated, dipped in a water bath or, at the most, soaked in water.
• Each of the components of the compounds basically performs a specific action as specified below.
• Some components such as the enzymatic compounds, the oxidizing agents, the surfactants, and the bath-pH control agents, perform an active action in the treatment, whereas other are inactive and are functional to the formation of the compound, such as sorbitol and polyethylene glycol, mixing agents or dyes, if any, and/or to the release of active components, such as disintegrating agents, in the case of tablets, or to a water- soluble coating, such as bags.
• Amylases are a family of enzymes which perform the function of hydrolyzing and eliminating desizings and are a kind of starches sometimes present in fabrics. However, such sizes are not always present and consequently amylases might be removed from a compound, both for economic reasons and whenever unnecessary, such as in the case of a kit for domestic use, hence dedicated to fabrics that have already been widely washed up and treated.
• Cellulases are a family of enzymatic compounds that perform the function of hydrolyzing and degrading cellulose in a fabric, in order to impart a well-worn and aged appearance to an article of clothing, which is the primary object of the treatment.
• Peroxidases are a family of enzymatic compounds that primarily perform a synergetic action to that of sodium percarbonate, or other oxidizing agents, in cleaning-up actions. In particular, wherever there is an indigo-based dye, this one would be partially degraded by peroxidases, thus making it possible to clear indigo out of the fabric as well as to remove the dye possibly re-deposited on the fabric during previous treatment (s) .
• Sodium percarbonate is an oxidizing agent and operates as a cleaning agent at the end of a treatment, in order to remove residues of dye having contaminated the fabric.
• Sodium percarbonate is generally not used in the case that peroxidases are replaced by laccases; or it might be replaced by another oxidizing or reducing element.
• Laccases are a family of enzymatic compounds that perform an action alternative to that of peroxidases and oxidizing agents .
• the compounds also comprise components aiming at maintaining ideal conditions in the bath, such as, for instance surfactants, bath pH control agents, and oxidizing agents, etc.
• Surfactants are used in order to keep the dye dispersed in the bath in suspension and to reduce fabric contamination; usually non-ionic, ethoxylate alcohol-based surfactants are used .
• Adipic acid and monosodium phosphate perform a bath pH control function.
• Other examples of substances usable for this function include citric acid and ascorbic acid.
• Cellulose is used as a disintegrating or explosive agent, in that it determines water absorption in a compound, which consequently swells out and opens. Cellulose might even be replaced by another element capable of performing a similar action .
• the compounds used for implementing the present invention are enclosed in water-soluble containers which allow for a release of the chemical substances contained therein.
• Polyethylene glycol, or PEG is a formulation agent, generally used for implementation of tablets, but it does not appear to be essential nor does it present special functional aspects in the course of the chemical treatment of a textile product. Therefore, its use is optional. The same applies to sorbitol.
• Sodium sulphate is used as a mixing or filling agent, i.e. it supplements the formulation but it does not present any special functional aspects in the course of the chemical treatment of a textile product.
• the method of use of the kit comprises at least the following steps :
• the first compound comprises surfactants and at least one enzymatic compound, i.e. at least cellulases or at least cellulases and amylases.
• the first compound also comprises a mixing agent and, in one embodiment, at least one pH control agent.
• the amylases desize the fabric in co-operation with the action exerted by surfactants, which help in providing cleanliness and in preventing the dye dispersed in the bath from depositing again on the fabric, and with that exerted by the bath pH control agent, if any.
• an aging action is exerted by cellulases, which take action upon finding the fabric ready and the bath in optimum conditions in terms of surfactants and pH, if any .
• the aging action i.e. the action whereby cotton and its dye is degraded thanks to a fabric abrasion, is usually supplemented by the mechanical action exerted by the washing machine .
• the second compound comprises laccases or peroxidases with at least one oxidizing agent or at least one oxidizing agent. Should peroxidases be used, the second compound preferably comprises at least one bath pH control agent.
• the second compound besides performing a cleaning-up action aiming at providing a qualitatively effective result, also reduces the number of subsequent rinsings that are necessary, which might thus be limited down to one or two.
• the second compound basically acts on the dye or color of the fabric, in particular on indigo.
• kit according to the teachings of the present patent text makes it possible to implement several steps while using one bath only.
• the treatment comprises a first desizing step, which will then be helped by cellulases to impart an aged appearance.
• the textile product treatment ends with an oxidizing or enzymatic process which performs a cleaning-up action, useful in increasing the wearing effect, also thanks to the removal of the dye previously re deposited on the fabric.
• the oxidizing process makes use of peroxidases.
• the compounds usually comprise further ingredients, including at least one disintegrating agent, should the compound be realized in the form of a tablet.
• the kit according to the invention consists of a first compound and a second compound.
• the first compound comprises at least one enzymatic compound and surfactants, in addition to preferably at least one mixing agent and at least one disintegrating agent, in the case of tablets.
• the enzymatic compounds comprise cellulases and, in one embodiment, amylases .
• the first compound comprises the following components, in the by-mass proportions (percentage ratio of a component mass to the overall compound mass, %m/m or %w/w) indicated aside:
• cellulases (9012-54-8) : 0.2% 10 %; amylases (9000-90-2) : 0.05% - 2 %;
• surfactants are used in an amount ranging from 10 % to 20 % of the first compound (% m/m) .
• the first compound also comprises a bath pH control agent, preferably in an amount ranging from 8 % to 20 % (% m/m) , and one preferred embodiment uses adipic acid (124-04-9) .
• amylases 0.05% - 2 %
• the second compound comprises laccases and, preferably, at least one bath pH control agent .
• the second compound comprises peroxidases, as an enzymatic compound, sodium percarbonate, as an oxidizing agent and, preferably, a pH control agent.
• the second compound is aggregated in the form of tablets, peroxidases are separate from sodium percarbonate, so as to prevent the component parts from interacting during storage. Therefore, a first layer with sodium percarbonate and a second layer with peroxidases are provided. If necessary, such separation might also be adopted for water-soluble bags; in this event, the term layer identifies a different portion.
• the first layer is present in an amount ranging from 10 % to 30 % by mass of the complete compound (%m/m) and a second layer from 70% to 90% of the complete compound (%m/m) .
• the first layer comprises 40% to 95% of an oxidizing agent, preferably sodium percarbonate (15630-89-4) (ratio of the component mass to the overall layer mass, %m/m or %w/w) .
• an oxidizing agent preferably sodium percarbonate (15630-89-4) (ratio of the component mass to the overall layer mass, %m/m or %w/w) .
• the second layer comprises, in a by-mass proportion (ratio of the component mass to the overall layer mass, %m/m or %w/w) as indicated aside:
• peroxidases (9003-99-0): 0.05 % - 2 %;
• At least one pH control agent 60% - 90%.
• adipic acid used as a pH control agent: 60% - 80%.
• the formulation of the kit takes account of the need for peroxidases to operate in a more acid environment, tendentially at a pH in the range from 3 to 6; this is the reason why at least one bath pH control agent is used, preferably adipic acid or monosodium phosphate (10049-21-5) .
• a further advantage given by an article of clothing being cleaned up by the second compound here described consists in that it increases the light and shade contrast in the abrasion points, by uniformly lighting all the article of clothing and emphasizing the white points. This effect makes it possible, if necessary, to eliminate the use of pumice stone from washing, which results in improved operating levels, being it not necessary any longer to handle such material, which entails not a few handling, logistic, treatment, and disposal problems.
• a lower environmental impact also follows, both because no pumice stone is used any longer, and because of its consequent impact on sewage depuration processes.
• the second compound comprises an oxidizing agent, preferably sodium percarbonate .
• the compounds and their layers might comprise further elements in addition to those listed above, in particular possible additives for dying the tablets or other ingredients useful for the operation, formation, or preservation thereof. Also remember that some compounds used might already commercially include other ingredients useful for the same purposes .
• Every compound is aggregated to form tablets or is contained in water-soluble bags or the like.
• tablets also comprise a plurality of ingredients of a known type, such as for instance compactant and disintegrating agents; good results are achieved by using sorbitol (50-70-4) or polyethylene glycol (25322-68-3) and cellulose (9004-34-6) respectively.
• the first compound which fosters the succession of the action exerted by cellulases downstream of that exerted by amylases, the first compound might comprise a first layer comprising amylases and a second layer comprising cellulases, the second layer featuring a smaller proportion of disintegrating agents.
• the compounds might comprise at least one mixing agent, preferably sodium sulphate (7757-82-6), up to completing the composition.
• the method comprises the following steps :
• step g) is followed by step:
• step cl) and step f) are combined together before step d) , but step g) is omitted, consequently the method comprises, after step a) :
• a bath ratio i.e. a ratio of textile products to water, is provided in a range from 1:1 to 1:20, very preferably in a range from 1:3 to 1:10.
• the bath is emptied into a container after step a) , then re-used in the first rinsing following step g) , should the first embodiment be applied, or step e) , should the second embodiment be applied.
• the treatment takes place on articles of clothing soaked in water and the above specified temperatures do not refer to the bath, but rather to the environment of the drum. Therefore, the following steps will take place:
• the duration of said step el) is in a range from 20 to 80 minutes.
• the duration of said step e2) preferably ranges from 20 to 80 minutes; in both cases, the duration affects the degree of abrasion obtained.
• the duration of said step g) is in a range from 5 to 20 minutes.
• abradant bodies such as pumice stones, might be added inside the drum during the application of the above- described method.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Or Physical Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)
• Medicinal Preparation (AREA)

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Citations (2)

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• 2019
  • 2019-06-17 IT IT102019000009192A patent/IT201900009192A1/it unknown
• 2020
  • 2020-06-12 EP EP20743870.6A patent/EP3983604A1/de active Pending
  • 2020-06-12 WO PCT/IT2020/050148 patent/WO2020255177A1/en not_active Ceased

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