US3573858A

US3573858A - Permanent press process

Info

Publication number: US3573858A
Application number: US845100A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis S Moussalli; Colin L Browne
Original assignee: Celanese Corp
Current assignee: Celanese Corp
Priority date: 1969-07-25
Filing date: 1969-07-25
Publication date: 1971-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 1988-04-06
Also published as: DE2036610A1; NL7010974A; CA938057A; JPS5112759B1; FR2053170A1; FR2053170B1; BE753911A

Abstract

There is provided a novel process for the production of flatdrying, dimensionally stable, durable press garments with good abrasion resistance properties. In such process there is no requirement that the textile material from which said garments are made be impregnated with a fiber-setting reagent and precured or postcured in order to obtain a permanent press; rather, said press is obtained by the more economical and desirable method of heating the textile material to a temperature and for a time of from about 180* Fahrenheit for about 6 hours to about 440* Fahrenheit for about 1 second, cutting patterned pieces of fabric, sewing said pieces into a unitary shaped body, and pressing said shaped body for from about 10 to about 90 seconds at a head temperature of from about 300* to about 350* Fahrenheit and an air supply pressure of from about 20 to about 100 pounds per square inch. This process works especially well with fabrics comprised of from about 50 to about 95 percent of polyester. Since the fabrics used in this process contain substantially no fiber-setting reagent, the garments produced via the process of this invention possess excellent abrasion resistance properties.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Francis S.Moussalli Charlotte, N.C.; Colin L. Browne, Charlotte, NC. [21] AppLNo. 845,100 22 Filed July 25,1969 [45] Patented Apr. 6, 1971 [73] Assignee Celanese Corporation New York, N.Y.

[54] PERMANENT PRESS PROCESS 9 Claims, No Drawings [52] U.S.Cl. 38/144, 117/139.4,8/115.5 51 Int.Cl ..D06f7l/00, D06c 29/00 [50] FieldofSearch 8/116.3, 1l6,115.5,127.6,128;38/l44,l;2/243; 117/139.4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,974,432 3/1961 Warnocketal... 38/144 3,341,955 9/1967 Pyke etal. 38/144 3,386,193 6/1968 Tewksbury etal. 38/144 3,434,161 3/1969 Walsh 38/144X 3,468,044 9/1969 Lopatinetal 38/144 3,503,145 3/1970 Mashioetal. 38/144 Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson Assistant Examiner-George V. Larkin Attorneys-Thomas J. Morgan, S. D. Murphy and H. .l.

Greenwald ABSTRACT: There is provided a novel process for the production of flat-drying, dimensionally stable, durable press garments with good abrasion resistance properties. In such process there is no requirement that the textile material from 1 which said garments are made be impregnated with a fibersetting reagent and precured or postcured in order to obtain a permanent press; rather, said press is obtained by the more economical and desirable method of heating the textile material to a temperature and for a time of from about 180 Fahrenheit for about 6 hours to about 440 Fahrenheit for about 1 second, cutting patterned pieces of fabric, sewing said pieces into a unitary shaped body, and pressing said shaped body for from about 10 to about 90 seconds at a head temperature of from about 300 to about 350 Fahrenheit and an air supply pressure of from about 20 to about 100 pounds per I square inch.

This process works especially well with fabrics comprised of from about 50 to about 95 percent of polyester. Since the fabrics used in this process contain substantially no fibersetting reagent, the garments produced via the process of this invention possess excellent abrasion resistance properties.

PERMANENT PRESS PROCESS This invention relates to a novel process for the production of dimensionally stable, durable press garments.

The two most important commercial processes disclosed by the prior art for the production of durable press garments are commonly referred to as the Koratron and the Pyke processes. The former, disclosed in US. Pat No. 2,974,432, involved a postcure" wherein fabric is treated at the mill with a thermosetting resin but not cured, partially dried, sewn into a garment, pressed into shape, and cured in an oven. The latter, disclosed in US. Pat No. 3,341,955, involves a precure" wherein the fabric is impregnated with a thermosetting resin at the mill, dried, cured, cut, sewn into a garment, and pressed at a temperature of from about 350 to 500 Fahrenheit. There are other processes, of lesser commercial importance, which require the use of thermosetting resin or cross linking resin.

All of the aforementioned processes involve the use of a fiber setting reagent such as a thermosetting or cross linking resin. Some of the thermosetting resins commonly used are urea-formaldehyde resins, acid colloid resins, acetone-formaldehyde resins, acrolein-formaldehyde resins, etc.; these resins are discussed, e.g., in Crease Resisting Fabrics (Great Britain, March, 1962), pp. 45-63. Some of the cross linking resins commonly used are dimethylol urea, trimethylol melamine, dimethylol ethylene urea, dimethylol propylene urea, dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea, dimethylol ethyl triazine, the dimethylol monocarbamates, etc.; these cross linking resins are discussed, e.g., in Marsh, The Textile Manufacturer, 69 (Feb., 1968).

The use of these fiber-setting reagents, especially those which contain free formaldehyde, creates many problems and has many disadvantages. Generally these reagents contain somefree formaldehyde, causing fabrics containing them to have bad odors even after the fabrics are cured. These reagents are expensive to use; in order to impart a durable memory to the fiber a level of about 8 percent (by weight) of the reagents must be added. They embrittle the cellulosic component of the fabric and thus damage the abrasion resistance properties thereof. They increase the soil retention properties of the fabric, an obviously undesirable characteristic. And they necessitate the use of at least one additional processing step in the manufacture of the fabric.

It is thus desirable to have a process for preparing durable press garments wherein the fabrics pressed contain substan tially no fiber-setting reagent. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for the production of a substantially resin-free durable press garment which has good dimensional stability and abrasion resistance properties.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a process for preparing a flat-drying, dimensionally stable, durable press garment which contains less than about 0.1 percent (by weight) of fiber-setting reagent, comprising the steps of sequentially:

l. subjecting a textile material comprised of from about 50 to about 95 percent of polyester to a temperature and time of from about 180 Fahrenheit for about 6 hours to about 440 Fahrenheit for about I second, wherein the remainder of said material is essentially comprised of fiber selected from the group consisting of nonthermoplastic fiber and thermoplastic fiber with a softening point greater than the temperature to which said material is subjected;

2. making said textile material into patterned pieces of fabric;

3. sewing said pieces into a unitary shaped body; and

4. pressing said shaped body for from about 10 to about 90 seconds at a head temperature of from about 300 to about 350 Fahrenheit and an air supply pressure of from about to about 100 pounds per square inch.

ln applicants process, a polyester textile material, i.e., a polyester fiber, tow, yarn, or fabric, is subjected to a specified temperature for a specified period of time. This textile materisaid temperature treatment by procedures well known to the art, although it is preferred that it be a fabric prior to said treatment. Thereafter this fabric is cut into patterned pieces, said pieces are sewed so that they form a unitary shaped body, and said unitary shaped body is pressed for from about 10 to about 90 seconds at specified press head temperatures and pressures. Applicants process works especially well with a textile material comprised of from about 50 to about 95 percent (by weight) of polyester. The term polyester refers to linear polymeric esters of terephthalic acid with recurring structural units of the formula wherein n is an integer of from 2 to 10. These polyesters may be made by reacting a glycol of the formula HO(CH )nOl-l with terephthalic acid, the esters thereof, or other terephthalic acid bodies which are capable of reacting with said glycols to form glycol esters (see, e.g., US. Pat. No. 2,465,319 of Whinfield and Dickson). The preferred polyesters occur when n is from 2 to 4. The most preferred polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, occurs when n is 2.

It is preferred that the fabric used in the process of this invention be comprised of from about 50 to about 95 percent of polyester. It is even more preferred that said fabric be comprised of from about 65 to about 80 percent of polyester, and it is most preferred that about 75 percent of said fabric be polyester. The nonpolyester portion of the fabric is essentially comprised of either a nonthermoplastic fiber or a thermoplastic fiber with a softening point greater than the temperature to which the fiber or yarn of fabric is subjected during the process of this invention. Examples of suitable nonthermoplastic fibers which may essentially comprise the remainder of said fabric, i.e., the nonpolyester portion, include, e.g., such cellulosic fibers as cotton, flax, rayon viscose, high wet modulus rayon, etc.; it is preferred that the nonthermoplastic fiber be a cellulosic fiber. Examples of thermoplastic fibers which may essentially comprise the remainder of said fabric include nylon fibers such as nylon 3, nylon 4, nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 8, nylon 9, nylon ll, etc.; cellulose triacetate; acrylic fibers; modacrylic fibers, copolymers of acrylonitrile and styrene; etc. These fibers are discussed, e.g., in Man-Made Fiber Fact Book (Man-Made Fiber Producers Association, Inc., New York, 1967) and The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Sixth Edition (Reinhold, New York, 1961 It is preferred that the remainder of the fabric be comprised of nonthermoplastic fiber. The most preferred nonthermoplastic fiber is cotton.

The textile material used in the process of this invention may contain finishing reagents such as hand builders, fluorescent whitening agents, softeners, wetting agents, stain repelling agents, antisoil redeposition agents, flame retarding agents, water repelling agents, etc. These finishing reagents may contain (or be converted to) a small amount of the fibersetting reagents described hereinabove. In no event, however, does either the textile material, the patterned pieces of fabric, the unitary shaped body, or the pressed unitary shaped body, which have been referred to hereinabove, contain more than about 0.1 percent (by weight) of said fiber-setting reagents. The term fiber-setting reagent refers to the thermosetting and cross-linking resins discussed above. For the purposes of this application, the term fiber-setting reagent also comprehends the compounds which said resins are converted to when they are cured". Thus, at no stage in applicants process does aforementioned textile material must first be subjected to a temperature and time of from about 180 Fahrenheit for about 6 hours to about 440 Fahrenheit for about 1 second and, subsequently, made into a unitary shaped body and pressed for al, if it is not already a fabric, may be made into a fabric after from about 10 to about seconds at a head temperature of from about 300 to about 350 Fahrenheit and an air supply pressure of from about 20 to about 100 pounds per square inch. The amount of time said textile material must be subjected to temperature is inversely proportional to the tempera' ture used. At a temperature of 440 Fahrenheit only about 1 second will be required. At a temperature of 180 Fahrenheit, from about 1 to aboutt'i hours will be required. Applicants believe that the aforementioned subjecting" and pressing" steps are critical in achieving the object of this invention.

In the process of applicants invention the shaped unitary body is pressed for from about to about 90 seconds with an air supply pressure of from about 20 to about 100 pounds per square inch. It is preferred to work with an air supply pressure of from about 45 to about 85 pounds per square inch (most preferably about 60 pounds per square inch) and to press said shaped unitary body for about 30 seconds. The temperature of the press head, which may be supplied by either steam heat or electrical heat, should be from about 300 to about 350 Fahrenheit. It is preferred to work with a press head temperature of from about 325 to about 345 Fahrenheit, and the most preferred press head temperature is about 340 Fahrenheit. A press heated by either steam and/or electricity may be used. I

When said textilematerial is subjected to the specified temperature and time, it may simultaneously be subjected to some fabric processing step. Thus, e.g., the textile material may be subjected to these temperature and time conditions while it is being dyed, desized, scoured, bleached, dried, cured, heat set by steam or water under pressure, heat set on a tenter frame, hot cans, or in the curing oven, etc. In the process of this invention it is preferred that the textile material be subjected to said specified temperature and time while it is being heat set on cans or by steam.

in one of the preferred embodiments of applicants invention, durable press white garments are produced. 1n this embodiment the textile material is first subjected to a temperature of from about" 180 Fahrenheit for about 1 hour to 230 Fahrenheit for up to about 12 minutes, the time used being inversely proportional to the temperature. Thereafter, if it is not already fabric, the textile material is made into fabric and, prior to the time it is cut into patterned pieces, is bleached for from about 1 to about 2 hours at a temperature of about 180 to about 210 Fahrenheit with from about 0.5 to about 5, weight percent (based on weight of fabric) of oxidizing agent, although preferably with from about 1 to about 3 weight percent of oxidizing agent. The preferred oxidizing agents are selected from the group consisting of sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chlorite; the most preferred oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide. It is preferred, when making durable press white garments, to also treat the fabric with from 0.001 to 1 weight percent (based on weight of fabric) of fluorescen whitening agent, and it is even more preferred to use from about 0.05 to about 0.1 weight percent. Any of the fluorescent whitening agents of the prior art may be used. Some of the more preferred ones include, e.g., bistriazinyl derivatives of 4.4'-diaminostilbene-2.2'-disulfonic acid such as, e.g., tetraanilino 4.4- diaminostilbene 2.2'-disulfonic acid, dianilinodidiethanolamino 4.4-diaminostilbene- 2.2'-disulfonic acid, tetradiethanolamino 4.4'-diaminostilbene-2.2'-disulfonic acid, etc.; benzidine sulfone disulfonic acid; napthotriazolystilbene sulfonic acid; benzimidazolyl derivatives; amino coumarin derivatives; diphenyl pyrazoline derivatives; benzoxazolyl derivatives; napthotriazolyl derivatives; and the like.

In another of the preferred embodiments, the textile material is immersed in a treating liquor comprised of from about 0.01 to about 20 weight percent of dye, although it is preferred to use from about 1 to about 4 weight percent of dye. The remainder of this treating liquor may be comprised of, e.g., wetting agents, thickeners, stabilizing agents, carriers, etc.

The textile material can be dyed either in a long bath (as is done, e.g., in a winch), a medium bath (as is done in jig, beam,

or package dyeing), or a short bath (as is done in a pad, dry heat cure system). In long and medium bath dyeing, referred to as discontinuous dyeing," the textile material is dyed with at least one dye selected from the group consisting of disperse dyes, direct dyes, and fiber reactive dyes, and then it is subjected to a temperature of from about to about 250 F., for from about 1 to about 6 hours, although it is preferred to subject it to a temperature of from about to about 21 1 F. for from about 1 to about 3 hours, and it is most preferred to subject it to a temperature of about 211 F. for about 1.5 hours.

bath, and this is referred to as continuous dyeing; this process is discussed in DuPont Technical Bulletin D-l47 (1962) and is known in the trade as thermosol dyeing. ln this process the textile material is treated with at least one vat dye and then subjected to a temperature of from about 325 to about 440 F. for from about 5 seconds to about 5 minutes. It is preferred to subject the textile material to a temperature of from about 350 to about 400 F. for from about 0.5 to about 2 minutes, and it is most preferred to subject the textile material to a temperature of about 370 to about 390 F. for about 90 seconds.

It is rather unobvious that, when applicants process is used to produce a continuously dyed permanent press fabric, it should produce the desired result. The prior art teaches that, in order to heat set a fabric, one must press it at a temperature higher than that to which it had been previously subjected (see, e.g., p. 9 of DuPont Technical Bulletin D-l07). In applicants process after a textile material is continuously dyed and subjected to a preferred temperature of from about 350 to about 400 F., it is pressed at a temperature'of about 300 to about 350 F., whereby a continuously dyed permanent press fabric is produced. This is contrary to the art teaching that the pressing temperature had to be higher than the highest temperature to which the fabric had previously been subjected, and it yields fabric of excellent quality. When one follows the teachings of the art and presses the fabric at, e.g., 400 F., a fabric of inferior quality is produced.

It is preferred, when dyeing textile material in a short bath, to use vat dyes and/or sulfur dyes. Regular vat dyes (such as those disclosed in vVat Dyes, AATCC Monograph No. 2, 1953) and selected vat dyes (such as those disclosed in Bulletin 6775 of Casella Farbwerke Mainkur Aktiengesellschaft Frankfurt [Main] Fechenheim, published in Mar. 1962), and sulfur dyes (such as those disclosed in AATCC Technical Manual, 1968, pp. D-6l l/6l2) may be used.

The two most important steps in applicants process are subjecting the dyed or undyed textile material to the specified temperature and time conditions, and subsequently pressing said material under the conditions specified above. All the procedures known in the art for scouring fabrics, dyeing fabrics, mercerizing fabrics, etc., may be used in applicants invention.

The following examples illustrate some of the more preferred embodiments of this invention but are not to be deemed limitative thereof. Unless otherwise stated, all parts are by weight and all temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit.

EXAMPLE 1 A fabric comprised of 75 percent polyethylene terephthalate and 25 percent of cotton was desized and scoured. The fabric was then immersed in a solution comprised of the following ingredients:

30 grams per liter of Vat Yellow (flavanthrone, color index 70600) 240 grams per liter of Hydrosol Black BD Liquid (the thiosulfonic acid of Sulfur Black 1, color index 53186) 30 grams per liter of Solidokoll K acrylic thickener (an alkali solubilized acrylic esteracrylic acid copolymer) 25 grams per liter of Polyestren Salt C (an accelerating salt available from Casella Farbwerke Mainkur A. 6., Frankfurt [Main] Fechenheim) It is most preferred to dye the textile material in a short 2 grams per liter of Barrisol BRM 200 anionic wetting agent (the potassium salt of the phosphate of a complex multicarbon alcohol) The fabric was squeezed between the rolls of a pad so that it retained about 60 percent of the solution picked up in the bath. it was then predried with infrared heat and cured for 90 seconds at a temperature of 375 F. in an oven containing driven rolls.

The fabric was then immersed in a bath containing 50 grams per liter of sodium sulfide, squeezed between the rolls of a pad, steamed for 90 seconds at 220 F., aired, rinsed, and immersed in a bath containing sodium dichromate and acetic acid.

The fabric was then rinsed, neutralized and washed at 160 F. with a synthetic soap and a mild alkali, rinsed, and dried on heated cans.

This operation was processed in the open-width form continuously at a rate of 65 yards per minute.

The fabric was then pressed on a steam press with a press head temperature of 330 F. and a press air supply pressure of 60 pounds per square inch for about 20 seconds, and thereafter it was laundered three times. The properties of the pressed fabric were tested in accordance with the following standard tests:

Laundered appearance, unironed Crease performance Shade retention along crease...

(wherein the pressed and laundered fabric is compared with photographic standards).

Appearance after flat abrasion AATCC 119-1967.

In these tests, 1 is the poorest rating and 5 is the best rating. Indicated below are the ratings considered to be the minimum for the expected performance of casual slacks after three home launderings as well as the results of the tests on the fabric made in this Example.

EXAMPLES 2-7 in accordance with the procedure of Example 1, the experiments described in Table 1 were performed. The conditions were substantially the same as those employed in Example 1 except as indicated under the headings Fabric Construction, Curing Temperature. and Pressing Temperature.

A fabric comprised of 75 percent polyester and 25 percent cotton was desized and scoured.

One sample of this fabric was dyed in a winch with disperse and direct dyes at a temperature of 205 F. for 4 hours.

Another sample to this fabric was dyed in a jig with disperse and direct dyes at 205 F. for 4 hours.

These fabrics were cut into patterned pieces of fabric 'shaped into unitary bodies, and pressed for 90 seconds at a press head temperature of 330 F. The properties they exhibited were comparable to those exhibited by the fabric of Example 1.

EXAMPLE 12 A fabric comprised of 75 percent polyester and 25 percent rayon was desized and scoured. It was dyed on a beam with disperse dyes at 250 F. for 2 hours and with direct dyes at 205 F. for 1 hour. A durable press fabric with properties comparable to those of the fabric of Example 1 was produced.

The process of this invention has been described with relation to the use thereof with certain preferred polyesters. This process works well with fabric containing any polyester. Thus, e.g., fabric containing polyester made from a copolymer (such as, e.g., one made from a copolymer of dimethyl terephthalate or terephthalic acid, adipic acid, and glycol) works well in the process of this invention. Thus, e.g., a polyester made from ethylene glycol and cyclohexame-l,4-dicarboxylic acid works well in the process of this invention. In general, any polyester, i.e., any textile material wherein the fiber-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85 percent by weight of an ester of a dihydric alcohol and terephthalic acid, will work well in the process of this invention.

While the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A process for preparing a flat-drying, dimensionally stable, durable press garment which contains less than about 0.1 percent by weight of fiber-setting rt. .rgent, comprising the steps of sequentially:

a. subjecting a textile material comprised of from about TABLE I Shade Pressrng Curmg No. of Appearance Laundered Greased retention temp, temp., wash after fiat appearance, periormalong Fabrrc F F cycles abrasion unironed ance crease Example:

2 /35 polyester/cotton, no resin- 330 375 3 4 3-4 4 5 3... ..d0 390 420 3 3 3-4 3-4 2 4 d0 330 375 10 4 4 3-4 4-5 5... Resin-treated 65/35 polyester/cotton" 330 375 3 1 4 4-5 1 6... /2? polyester/cotton, no resin 330 375 10 4 4 4 4 A 7 Resin-treated 75/25 polyester/cotton 330 375 3 1 4 4-5 1 EXAMPLES 8-10 65 to about percent of a polyester with recurring structural units of the formula In accordance with the procedure of Example 1, the experiments described in Table 11 were performed. The conditions were substantially the same as those employed in Example 1. In these Examples a pressing temperature of 330 F. was used. 0

wherein n is an integer of from 2 to 10 and less than about 0.1 percent by weight of fiber-setting reagent to a temperature and time of from about 180 Fahrenheit for about 6 hours to about 440 F. for about 1 second, wherein:

1. said fiber-setting reagent is selected from the group consisting of thermosetting resins and cross-linking resins;

2. said textile material is selected from the group consisting of fiber, yarn, tow, and fabric; and

3. the remainder of said textile material is essentially comprised of fiber selected from the group consisting of nonthermoplastic fiber and thermoplastic fiber with a softening point greater than the temperature to which said material is subjected;

b. making said textile material into patterned pieces of fabric;

c. sewing said pieces into a unitary shaped body; and

d. pressing said shaped body for from about 10 to about 90 seconds at a head temperature of from about 300 to about 350 F and an air supply pressure of from about to about 100 pounds per square inch; whereby a substantially resin-free durable press garment is produced.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein:

a. said n is from 2 to 4,

b. said textile material is fabric, and

c. said unitary shaped body is pressed at a head temperature of from about 325 to about 345 F. and an air supply pressure of from about 45 to about 85 pounds per square inch.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein said polyester is polyethylene terephathalate.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein:

a. said fabric is subjected to a temperature and time of from about 180 F. for about 1 hour to about 230 F. for about 12 minutes and, thereafter and prior to the time it is cut into patterned pieces,

b. said fabric is bleached for from about] to about 2 hours at a temperature of from about 180 F. to about 210 F. with an oxidizing agent.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein:

a. the remainder of said fabric is essentially comprised of a cellulosic fiber;

b. said oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium hypochlonte, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chlorite; and

c. said fabric is treated with a fluorescent whitening agent prior to the time it is cut into patterned pieces.

6. The process of claim 3, wherein:

a. prior to the time said fabric is subjected to said temperature and time, it is continuously dyed with at least one dye selected from the group consisting of disperse dyes, direct dyes, vat dyes, sulfur dyes, and fiber reactive dyes; and

b. thereafter said fabric is subjected to a temperature of from about 325 to about 440 F. for from about 5 seconds to about 5 minutes.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein:

a. said fabric is comprised of from about 65 to about percent of polyethylene terephthalate, and the remainder of said fabric is essentially comprised of a cellulosic fiber;

b. prior to the time said fabric is subjected to said temperature and time, it is continuously dyed with at least one vat dye;

c. thereafter said. fabric is subjected to a temperature of from about 350 to about 400 F. for from about 0.5 to

about 2 minutes. 8. The process of claim 7, wherein:

a. said fabric is comprised of about 75 percent polyethylene terephthalate;

b. said fabric is subjected to a temperature of from about 370 to about 390 F. for about seconds and, thereafter c. said fabric is pressed for about 30 seconds at a head temperature of about 330 F. and an air supply pressure of about 60 pounds per square inch.

9. The process of claim 3, wherein:

a. prior to the time said fabric is subjected to said temperature and time, it is dyed discontinuously with at least one dye selected from the group consisting of disperse dyes, direct dyes, and fiber reactive dyes; and

b. thereafter it is subjected to a temperature of from about 180 to about 250 F. for from about 1 to about 6 hours.

Claims

2. said textile material is selected from the group consisting of fiber, yarn, tow, and fabric; and
2. The process of claim 1, wherein: a. said n is from 2 to 4, b. said textile material is fabric, and c. said unitary shaped body is pressed at a head temperature of from about 325* to about 345* F. and an air supply pressure of from about 45 to about 85 pounds per square inch.
3. the remainder of said textile material is essentially comprised of fiber selected from the group consisting of nonthermoplastic fiber and thermoplastic fiber with a softening point greater than the temperature to which said material is subjected; b. making said textile material into patterned pieces of fabric; c. sewing said pieces into a unitary shaped body; and d. pressing said shaped body for from about 10 to about 90 seconds at a head temperature of from about 300* to about 350* F. and an air supply pressure of from about 20 to about 100 pounds per square inch; whereby a substantially resin-free durable press garment is produced.
3. The process of claim 2, wherein said polyester is polyethylene terephathalate.
4. The process of claim 3, wherein: a. said fabric is subjected to a temperature and time of from about 180* F. for about 1 hour to about 230* F. for about 12 minutes and, thereafter and prior to the time it is cut into patterned pieces, b. said fabric is bleached for from about 1 to about 2 hours at a temperature of from about 180* F. to about 210* F. with an oxidizing agent.
5. The process of claim 4, wherein: a. the remainder of said fabric is essentially comprised of a cellulosic fiber; b. said oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chlorite; and c. said fabric is treated with a fluorescent whitening agent prior to the time it is cut into patterned pieces.
6. The process of claim 3, wherein: a. prior to the time said fabric is subjected to said temperature and time, it is continuously dyed with at least one dye selected from the group consisting of disperse dyes, direct dyes, vat dyes, sulfur dyes, and fiber reactive dyes; and b. thereafter said fabric is subjected to a temperature of from about 325* to about 440* F. for from about 5 seconds to about 5 minutes.
7. The process of claim 6, wherein: a. said fabric is comprised of from about 65 to about 80 percent of polyethylene terephthalate, and the remainder of said fabric is essentially comprised of a cellulosic fiber; b. prior to the time said fabric is subjected to said temperature and time, it is continuously dyed with at least one vat dye; c. thereafter said fabric is subjected to a temperature of from about 350* to about 400* F. for from about 0.5 to about 2 minutes.
8. The process of claim 7, wherein: a. said fabric is comprised of about 75 percent polyethylene terephthalate; b. said fabric is subjected to a temperature of from about 370* to about 390* F. for about 90 seconds and, thereafter c. said fabric is pressed for about 30 seconds at a head temperature of about 330* F. and an air supply pressure of about 60 pounds per square inch.
9. The process of claim 3, wherein: a. prior to the time said fabric is subjected to said temperature and time, it is dyed discontinuously with at least one dye selected from the group consisting of disperse dyes, direct dyes, and fiber reactive dyes; and b. thereafter it is subjected to a temperature of from about 180* to about 250* F. for from about 1 to about 6 hours.