Fabric material

Abstract

A fabric material including a plurality of strands of a warp yarn positioned in a warp direction, a plurality of strands of a first filling yarn positioned in a filling direction, each being impregnated by silver ions, and a plurality of strands of a second filling yarn positioned in the filling direction, each being impregnated by copper ions. The strands of said warp yarn are woven with those of the first and second filling yarns to form a face side and a back side, and the strands of the first and second filling yarns are woven alternately relative to one another with the strands of said warp yarn in said filling direction. The fabric material may be a satin, plain or twill pattern, and can be used as a bed sheet having a low coefficient of friction, wickability, absorbency, and “cool to the touch” properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fabric material, comprising:
 a plurality of strands of a warp yarn positioned in a warp direction;   a plurality of strands of a first filling yarn positioned in a filling direction, each of said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn being impregnated by silver ions; and   a plurality of strands of a second filling yarn positioned in said filling direction each of said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn being impregnated by copper ions,   wherein said plurality of strands of said warp yarn are woven with said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn and said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn to form a face side and a back side opposite said face side, and   wherein each of said plurality of stands of said first filling yarn and each of said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn are woven alternately relative to one another with said plurality of strands of said warp yarn in said filling direction.   
     
     
         2 . The fabric material of  claim 1 , wherein said fabric material includes a five-harness satin weave pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The fabric material of  claim 2 , wherein said five-harness satin weave pattern is characterized by two of said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn and two of said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn floating over four of said plurality of strands of said warp yarn on said face side. 
     
     
         4 . The fabric material of  claim 3 , wherein said five-harness satin weave pattern is characterized by four strands of said plurality of strands of said warp yarn underlying two strands of said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn and two strands of said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn on said back side. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric material of  claim 4 , wherein the coefficient of friction of said face side in said filling direction is less than the coefficient of friction of said back side in said filling direction. 
     
     
         6 . The fabric material of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of strands of said warp yarn are made of filament rayon. 
     
     
         7 . The fabric material of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn are made from PLA polymer, and said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn are made from PLA polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric material of  claim 7 , wherein said fabric material is antimicrobial, cool to the touch, and wickable. 
     
     
         9 . The fabric material of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn are made from nylon, and said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn are made from nylon. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric material of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn are made from polyester, and said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn are made from polyester. 
     
     
         11 . The fabric material of  claim 5 , wherein said fabric material is adapted to be used as a bed sheet. 
     
     
         12 . The fabric material of  claim 1 , wherein said fabric material includes a plain weave pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The fabric material of  claim 12 , wherein the plain weave pattern is characterized by five strands of said plurality of strands of said warp yarn in said warp direction, and five alternating strands of said plurality of strands of said first filling yarn and said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn in said filling direction. 
     
     
         14 . The fabric material of  claim 13 , wherein the coefficient of friction of said face side is approximately equal to the coefficient of friction of said back side. 
     
     
         15 . The fabric material of  claim 14 , wherein said fabric material is adapted to be used as a pillow case. 
     
     
         16 . The fabric material of  claim 1 , wherein said fabric material includes a twill pattern. 
     
     
         17 . A method for making a fabric material, comprising the steps of:
 weaving a plurality of strands of a warp yarn in a warp direction with a plurality of strands of a first filling yarn impregnated with silver ions in a filling direction and a plurality of strands of a second filling yarn impregnated with copper ions in said filling direction, wherein each of said plurality of stands of said first filling yarn and each of said plurality of strands of said second filling yarn are alternately woven with said plurality of strands of said warp yarn in said filling direction;   scouring said fabric material to remove external matter;   conditioning said fabric material in order to soften it;   drying said fabric material; and   calendaring said fabric material to smoothen it.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said conditioning step includes wet processing said fabric material using a cationic softener.