Embossed velvet jacquard towels

Abstract

Processes for forming embossed terry towels and the resulting towels are described herein. The towels have an uneven surface. Thus, the background can be at one height, and the design can be at another height, which is typically higher than the background. The process involves twisting the pile warp that will be used for the design on the towel with PVA filament yarn. The remaining pile warp, which is used to form the background, is 100% cotton. The pile warp is then woven with the ground warp and weft warp to form the towel. The towel is subject to a steaming process, which shrinks the PVA/cotton pile fibers, but does not affect the 100% cotton fibers. The PVA/cotton pile fibers shrink to at least about 50% of their original length under tension free conditions. The towel is then subjected to shearing to produce a velour texture. Due to the shrinkage of the PVA/cotton pile yarns, only the background (100% cotton) pile is cut, and the shrunk pile remains uncut. This towel is then washed in water a high temperature to dissolve the PVA yarns. In the preferred embodiment the temperature of the water is in the range of 55-95° C. This washing dissolves the PVA component in the PVA twisted pile, thereby lifting the uncut pile to its full height. The resulting towel has a sheared background, which produces a velvet effect, and an uncut design, thereby producing an embossing effect on background.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A process for making an embossed towel comprising 
 weaving a filament formed of a heat shrinkable, water soluble material twisted with cotton pile yarn with cotton pile yarn, ground warp, and weft yarn to form a towel,    shrinking the water-soluble filament twisted with cotton pile yarn,    shearing the cotton pile yarn, and    dissolving the water-soluble filament in the towel.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble filament has a count of 31 Dtex, 40 Dtex, 44 Dtex, 62 Dtex, or 84 Dtex.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the cotton pile yarn has a count of 10s, 12s, 14s, 16s, 18s, or 2/24s.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the shrinking occurs in saturated steam.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the dissolving step comprises washing the towel in water at a temperature ranging from 55-95° C.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , further comprising a second washing in water at a temperature of 95° C.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the heat shrinkable, water soluble material is polyvinyl alcohol.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the cotton pile yarn is 100% cotton.  
     
     
         9 . A pile yarn comprising heat-shrinkable, water-soluble filament twisted with cotton yarn, wherein the heat-shrinkable, water-soluble filament has a shrinkage ranging from 35 to 60% when subjected to steaming under tension free conditions and is capable of dissolving in water at a temperature ranging from 55° C. to 95° C.  
     
     
         10 . The pile yarn of  claim 9 , wherein the heat-shrinkable, water-soluble filament has a count of 31 Dtex, 40 Dtex, 44 Dtex, 62 Dtex, or 84 Dtex.  
     
     
         11 . The pile yarn of  claim 9 , wherein the cotton pile yarn has a count of 10s, 12s, 14s, 16s, 18s, or 2/24s.  
     
     
         12 . The pile yarn of  claim 9 , wherein the heat-shrinkable, water soluble filament comprises polyvinyl alcohol.  
     
     
         13 . The pile yarn of  claim 9 , wherein the cotton yarn is 100% cotton.  
     
     
         14 . A jacquard towel, wherein the towel has a background at one height and a design at a second height.  
     
     
         15 . The towel of  claim 14 , wherein the background is shorter than the design.