Method of manufacturing and distributing a garment memorializing an object

Abstract

A method of manufacturing and distributing a garment that commemorates a tangible object that has served as an instrument in the performance of a spectator event is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: a) converting at least a portion of the object to a particulate form, b) mixing the particulate matter with a dye composition to form a dye mixture, c) obtaining a quantity of dyeable garments, d) dyeing at least a portion of each of said garments, using said dye mixture, and e) distributing the dyed garments to members of the public, each one accompanied by a visually readable imprint that informs the reader that the garment has been colored in a formulation that contained at least a portion of the object and that identifies the nature of the portion that was used. A winning race car, for example, may be commemorated in this manner by mixing paint scraped from the car with a dye solution of approximately the same color and using the resultant slurry to dye t-shirts that are then tagged as to origin and distributed in commerce.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing and distributing a garment that commemorates a tangible object that has served as an instrument in the performance of a spectator event, comprising the following steps: 
 a) converting at least a portion of the object to a particulate form,    b) mixing said particulate matter with a dye composition to form a dye mixture,    c) obtaining a quantity of dyeable garments,    d) dyeing at least a portion of each of said garments, using said dye mixture, and    e) distributing said dyed garments to members of the public, each one accompanied by a visually readable imprint that informs the reader that the garment has been colored with a formulation that contained at least a portion of said object and that identifies the nature of the portion that was used.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein there is placed on the exterior of the garment a visible representation of the object from whence came the particulate matter used in the dye mixture.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in step (d), only a portion of each of said garments is dyed using said dye mixture, and said dyeing is done by screen printing.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the object comprises a painted race car and, in step (a), at least some of said paint is converted to particulate form.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the dye in the dye composition is at least approximately the same color as said paint.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the garments are t-shirts.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the race car is a stock car.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the stock car is one that has been declared the winner of an officially sanctioned stock car race, prior to removal of said paint.  
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing and distributing a garment that commemorates a tangible object that has served as an instrument in the performance of a spectator event, comprising the following steps: 
 a) converting at least a portion of the object to a particulate form,    b) mixing said particulate matter with a dye solution to form a dye slurry,    c) immersing a quantity of undyed, dyeable garments in said dye slurry,    d) agitating said garments in said dye slurry so as to color them,    e) removing said garments from the dye slurry and rinsing them with water,    f) drying said rinsed garments, and    g) distributing said dried garments to members of the public, each one accompanied by a visually readable imprint that informs the reader that the garment has been colored in a formulation that contained particles of said object and that identifies the nature of the particles that were used.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein, after said step f, there is placed on the exterior of the garment a visible representation of the object from whence came the particulate matter used in the dye slurry.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the object comprises a painted race car and the portion of the car that is used in step (a) comprises paint that has been removed from the car.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dye in the dye solution is at least approximately the same color as said paint.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the garments are t-shirts.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the race car is a stock car.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the stock car is one that has been declared the winner of an officially sanctioned stock car race, prior to removal of said paint.  
     
     
         16 . A commemorative garment made by the following steps: 
 a) selecting a tangible object that has been used as an instrument in the performance of a spectator event,    b) converting at least a portion of said object into a particulate form,    c) mixing said particulate matter with a dye composition to form a dye mixture,    d) dyeing at least a portion of a dyeable garment with said dye slurry, and    e) affixing to said dyed garment a visually readable imprint that informs the reader that the garment has been colored in a formulation containing a portion of said object and that identifies the nature of the portion that was used.    
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 16 , wherein there is placed on the exterior of the garment a visible representation of the object from whence came the particulate matter used in the dye mixture.  
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 17 , wherein the object comprises a painted race car and the particulate matter comprises at least some of said paint.  
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 18 , wherein the dye in the dye composition is at least approximately the same color as said paint.  
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 19 , wherein the race car is a stock car.  
     
     
         21 . The garment of  claim 20 , wherein the stock car is one that has been declared the winner of an officially sanctioned stock car race, prior to removal of said paint.  
     
     
         22 . A commemorative garment made by the following steps: 
 a) selecting a tangible object that has been used as an instrument in the performance of a spectator event,    b) removing a portion of the object,    c) converting said removed portion to a particulate form,    d) mixing said particulate matter with a dye solution to form a dye slurry,    e) immersing an undyed, dyeable garment in said dye slurry,    f) agitating said garment in said dye slurry so as to color it,    g) removing said garment from the dye slurry and rinsing it with water,    h) drying said rinsed garment, and    i) affixing to said dried garment a visually readable imprint that informs the reader that the garment has been colored in a formulation containing a portion of said object and that identifies the nature of the portion that was used.    
     
     
         23 . The garment of  claim 22 , wherein the object comprises a painted race car and the removed portion comprises at least some of said paint.  
     
     
         24 . The garment of any one of claims  16 ,  18 ,  22 , or  23 , wherein the garment is a t-shirt.  
     
     
         25 . The garment of any one of claims  16 ,  18 ,  22 , or  23 , wherein the garment is a t-shirt and, in step e, the imprint that is affixed to the t-shirt is in the form of a hang tag.