Composite nonwoven textile having increased pilling resistance through use of a chemical binder

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to a composite nonwoven textile suitable for use in apparel and other articles that are resistant to pilling. The composite nonwoven textile may be finished by one or more of applying a chemical binder to a first face of the composite nonwoven textile and forming thermal bonding sites. The chemical binder and the thermal bonding sites help to secure fiber terminal ends and minimize the formation of pills.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite nonwoven textile having a first face and an opposite second face, the composite nonwoven textile comprising:
 a first entangled web of fibers that forms, at least in part, the first face, the first face comprising a plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites;   a second entangled web of fibers that forms, at least in part, the second face; and   an elastomeric layer positioned between the first entangled web of fibers and the second entangled web of fibers, wherein at least some of the fibers of the first entangled web of fibers extend through the elastomeric layer and are entangled with fibers of the second entangled web of fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein discrete chemical bonding sites are absent from the second face. 
     
     
         3 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites compositionally comprises an oil-based dispersion of a polyurethane binder, a polyurethane binder in a dispersion that contains silica, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein fibers of at least the first entangled web of fibers are adhered together at the plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites. 
     
     
         5 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein the first face includes a first color and the plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites include a second color different from the first color. 
     
     
         6 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein a size of each of the plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites ranges from about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between adjacent bonding sites of the plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites ranges from about 0.5 mm to about 6 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the fibers of the second entangled web of fibers extend through the elastomeric layer and are entangled with fibers of the first entangled web of fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , further comprising a third entangled web of fibers positioned between the first entangled web of fibers and the second entangled web of fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of the fibers of the third entangled web of fibers are entangled with fibers of the first entangled web of fibers and with fibers of the second entangled web of fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The composite nonwoven textile of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric layer comprises one or more of a thermoplastic polyurethane meltblown layer or a thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer spunbond layer. 
     
     
         12 . A nonwoven article of apparel having an outer-facing surface and an opposite inner-facing surface, the nonwoven article of apparel comprising:
 a first entangled web of fibers forming, at least in part, the outer-facing surface, the outer-facing surface comprising a first plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites positioned at first locations on the nonwoven article of apparel;   a second entangled web of fibers that forms, at least in part, the inner-facing surface; and   an elastomeric layer positioned between the first entangled web of fibers and the second entangled web of fibers, wherein at least some of the fibers of the first entangled web of fibers extend through the elastomeric layer and are entangled with at least some of the fibers of the second entangled web of fibers.   
     
     
         13 . The nonwoven article of apparel of  claim 12 , wherein discrete chemical bonding sites are absent from the inner-facing surface. 
     
     
         14 . The nonwoven article of apparel of  claim 12 , wherein the outer-facing surface further comprises a second plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites positioned at second locations on the nonwoven article of apparel, the second locations different from the first locations. 
     
     
         15 . The nonwoven article of apparel of  claim 14 , wherein a density of the first plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites is different from a density of the second plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites. 
     
     
         16 . The nonwoven article of apparel of  claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites compositionally comprises an oil-based dispersion of a polyurethane binder, a polyurethane binder in a dispersion that contains silica, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A method of finishing a composite nonwoven textile comprising a first entangled web of fibers that forms, at least in part, a first face of the composite nonwoven textile, a second entangled web of fibers that forms, at least in part, an opposite second face of the composite nonwoven textile, and an elastomeric layer positioned between the first entangled web of fibers and the second entangled web of fibers, wherein at least some of the fibers from the first entangled web of fibers extend through the elastomeric layer and are entangled with fibers of the second entangled web of fibers, the method comprising:
 applying a chemical binder in a predetermined pattern to the first face of the composite nonwoven textile to produce a plurality of discrete chemical bonding sites on the first face of the composite nonwoven textile.   
     
     
         18 . The method of finishing the composite nonwoven textile of  claim 17 , wherein the chemical binder is applied using a rotogravure process. 
     
     
         19 . The method of finishing the composite nonwoven textile of  claim 17 , wherein the chemical binder is applied using a digital printing process. 
     
     
         20 . The method of finishing the composite nonwoven textile of  claim 17 , wherein the chemical binder is not applied to the second face of the composite nonwoven textile.