Garment manufacture

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a garment having at least one panel of fabric comprising the steps of: fixing a stiffening thread to a panel along a line substantially coincident with an intended crease line in the panel, the stiffening thread comprising at least one ply of material which is thermofusible; applying a fold to the panel along the crease line; applying heat and pressure to the fold, thereby to generate a crease, the heat being above the predetermined temperature.

1 . A method of applying a durable crease to a panel of fabric comprising the steps of:
 applying a fold to the panel;   locating a stiffening thread comprising at least one thermofusible element along the fold line;   applying heat and pressure to generate a crease along the fold causing the thermofusible element of the thread to melt.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the fold is applied by a folding force being applied to the panel by means of a pilot member and the thread is located on the pilot member. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the panel is pressed by feeding the fold through a pair of rollers providing a mangling action. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein the fold is fed through the rollers in a direction substantially parallel with the length of the fold. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the panel is pressed by drawing the panel into a space between two pressing plates using the pilot member. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the fold created by the pilot member during the drawing action is fed into the press in a direction transverse to the length of the fold. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of fixing a stiffening thread to the panel along a line substantially coincident with the fold line. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the step of fixing the stiffening thread precedes the step of applying a fold to the panel. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the stiffening thread is fixed to the panel on one side only. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the stiffening thread is fixed to the panel by means of a fixing stitch. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the fixing stitch has a construction which is readily unpickable by breaking the stitch at one point along its length. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the fixing stitch is has a chainstitch configuration. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 10  further comprising the step, after applying heat and pressure, of removing the fixing stitch. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the crease is applied to the panel by means of an open bed press. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the stiffening thread comprises at least one ply of material which is thermofusible at a predetermined temperature and at least one carrier ply of material that is not thermofusible at or below that predetermined temperature.