Color-fast and high-crocking combination fabric and method for making the same

Abstract

A color-fast and high-crocking combination fabric and methods for making the same. The color-fast and high-crocking fabric consists of dyed natural fibers and dyed polyester fibers. The natural and polyester fibers are dyed and/or colored before being combined into yarns and fabrics. The color-fast and high-crocking combination fabric has very high color-fastness as measured by crocking standard, while maintaining a quality hand feel. The color fastness can withstand at least thirty regular cold-temperature home-wash laundries.

1 . A method comprising:
 placing colored or dyed natural fibers and colored or dyed polyester fibers in a picking line;   creating a plurality of combined ropes consisting essentially of the colored or dyed natural fibers and the colored or dyed polyester fibers; and   spinning the plurality of combined ropes into yarns.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester fiber comprises recycled polyester fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the natural fiber comprises natural wood fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the yarn has a crocking standard of at least 4.0. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 spinning the plurality of combined ropes into a yarn comprises spinning the plurality of combined ropes into a plurality of warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns; and   the method further comprises joining the plurality of warp yarns and the plurality of weft yarns into a fabric.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of warp yarns have at least 50% natural fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of warp yarns have at least 65% natural fiber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of weft yarns have at least 30% polyester fiber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of weft yarns have at least 35% polyester fiber. 
     
     
         10 . A yarn consisting essentially of:
 polyester fiber; and   natural fiber,   wherein the polyester fiber and the natural fiber are dyed as fibers before being joined into a yarn.   
     
     
         11 . The yarn of  claim 10 , wherein the polyester fiber comprises recycled polyester fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The yarn of  claim 10 , wherein the natural fiber comprises natural wood fiber. 
     
     
         13 . The yarn of  claim 10 , wherein the yarn has a crocking standard of at least 4.0. 
     
     
         14 . The yarn of  claim 10 , wherein the yarn consists of at least 50% natural fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the yarn consists of at least 65% natural fiber. 
     
     
         16 . A fabric consisting essentially of:
 a warp yarn consisting essentially of natural fiber and polyester fiber; and   a weft yarn consisting essentially of polyester fiber and natural fiber;   wherein the warp yarn has at least 50% natural fiber; and   wherein the weft yarn has at least 60% polyester fiber.   
     
     
         17 . The fabric of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester fiber comprises recycled polyester fiber. 
     
     
         18 . The fabric of  claim 16 , wherein the natural fiber comprises natural wood fiber. 
     
     
         19 . The fabric of  claim 16 , wherein the warp yarn has at least 35% polyester fiber. 
     
     
         20 . The fabric of  claim 16 , wherein the weft yarn has at least 65% polyester fiber.