GB591712A - Improvements in the finishing of textile fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

A textile fabric containing wool fibres and cellulose acetate staple fibres is subjected to the action of an aqueous solution of an organic substance which is a shrinking agent for the cellulose ester or ether. The treatment results in the consolidation of the fabric and in an increase in the proportion of wool in the surface of the fabric. The treatment may be utilized in conjunction with other treatments such as milling, or as described in Specification 591,708, with a raising operation. The material may be milled while wetted with an aqueous soap solution or dilute sulphuric or other acid either before or after the treatment with the softening agent for the cellulose derivative fibres. If desired, the material may be milled while wet with the softening agent. The softening agent may be an aqueous solution of acetic acid or other lower fatty acid of 30-50 per cent strength. Solutions of formic, propionic or lactic acid, or of dioxane, diacetone alcohol, glycol monomethyl ether acetate, acetone, ethylene - methylene ether, ethyl lactate, phenols, cresols, chloracetic acid, or glycollic acid may be used. Woven or knitted fabrics may be treated and the wool and cellulose derivative fibres may be associated in any desired manner. In an example, a fabric knitted from a spun yarn from a mixture of equal parts of wool fibres and cellulose acetate staple fibres is scoured and soaked in a solution of acetic acid. The material is then rinsed, centrifuged, dried and ironed. The treatment results in shrinkage of the fabric which is then resistant to further shrinking. Upon dyeing the material with a blue wool dye such as Coomassie Brilliant Blue F.F.S. and a red dye for the cellulose acetate such as 1-methylamino-anthraquinone from a neutral bath, the resulting fabric is predominatingly blue due to the high wool content at the surface of the material. In another example, a woven fabric consisting of warp and weft yarns spun from wool and cellulose acetate staple fibres is steeped in aqueous acetic acid, drained, milled for 3 hours, rinsed in water and dried. The material is shrunk and consolidated and the surface contains a high proportion of wool. Local effects may be obtained by printing, stencilling or otherwise locally applying the softening agent to the material. In an example, a fabric knitted from a yarn containing wool fibres and cellulose acetate fibres is printed in stripes with aqueous acetic, formic or lactic acid. It is then washed and neutralized. If the material is then dyed with a blue acid wool dye, the printed portions have a deeper shade of blue than the unprinted portions due to the preponderance of wool in the surface of the former. Contrasting effects may also be obtained by dyeing the printed material with Coomassie Navy Blue 2RNS and 1-methylamino-anthraquinone. Specification 380,504 is referred to in the Provisional Specification.