|
(11) | EP 1 433 886 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Process for ageing clothes |
(57) The invention relates to a process for ageing clothes, comprising the steps of:
|
[0002] More particularly, the invention concerns a process for ageing clothes, in such a way to make the final effect similar to the one that would be obtained if the ageing was obtained when wearing the clothes.
[0003] As it is well known, nowadays, wearing aged clothes is widely spread, following the fashion trend. For this reason, clothes manufacturers, such as jeans manufacturers, subject their products to a treatment in such a way to make them resembling as used, even if they are new. However, a trend exists to obtain an always more realistic "used" effect. This trend involves the needing of specialising the processes by which this treatments are carried out. Furthermore, areas where it is wished to have the "used" effect are subjected to modifications due to the passing of the time.
[0004] At present, clothes are warn out by so called sanding, scraping or chemical spraying techniques. Particularly, after having suitably placed the clothes, they are subjected to a surface treatment. Folds are realised, e.g. by suitable relieves provided under the clothes.
[0005] The technical problem is that of making always more natural the "warn out clothes" effect, thus obtaining the folds always more similar to those naturally obtained in the clothes after a prolonged use.
[0006] The object of the invention is therefore that of providing a solution by which it is possible to realise even manually the folds where desired, thus obtaining a versatile method.
[0007] Further object of the present invention is that of suggesting a method to obtain a wearing of clothes in such a way that it is possible to obtain an effect as more natural as possible.
[0008] It is therefore specific object of the present invention a process for ageing clothes, comprising the steps of:
- providing the use of a manikin that can be deflated;
- treating the clothes by at least a polymeric substance;
- placing said clothes on the deflated manikin;
- inflating said manikin;
- providing the wished folds on the clothes;
- carrying out a surface treatment of the clothes;
- drying the clothes within an oven.
[0009] Always according to the invention, said manikin can comprise a metallic structure, a spongy portion, that can contract, a sealed sheath, covering said spongy portion, and a vacuum pump.
[0012] Always according to the invention, said positioning of the wished folds on the clothes is carried out manually.
[0014] Furthermore, according to the invention, said surface treatment of the clothes is a physical or chemical abrasion.
[0015] The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:
figure 1 shows a manikin for the positioning of clothes, in the specific case trousers;
figure 2 shows a pair of trousers positioned on the manikin of figure 2; and
figure 3 shows a pair of trousers positioned on the manikin of figure 1, on which the desired folds have been provided to obtain the effect of worn out clothes.
[0016] To better understand the present invention, the operation mode will be described in the following making reference to the preferred embodiment of the process for ageing clothes, being understood that the same mode is valid for the other embodiments.
[0017] Making reference to figure 1, it can be noted manikin 1, on which the clothes to be subjected to treatment must be positioned to obtain the wished effect. This manikin provides a metallic support 2 and a spongy portion 3.
[0018] A tube 4 through which air is sucked, is connected to the device. Sponge 3 is completely enclosed within a sealed sheath 5, in the present embodiment comprised of translucent material, and thus not easily viewable in the figure.
[0019] Figures 2 and 3 show the use of the support manikin 1 and its application to the above said process for ageing clothes, particularly trousers.
[0020] As it can be noted, trousers 6 are positioned on the manikin. This operation is carried out by sucking air, naturally contained within the sponge 3 and the sheath 5, by a vacuum pump (not shown in the figures). Trousers, or other clothes, are mainly subjected to treatment by a polymeric substance that can be a resin.
[0021] Once terminated the air sucking, spongy matter 3 takes again the natural consistency, thus inflating also the trousers 6, as it can be noted from figure 3. Thanks to the particular slippery surface of the sheath 5, it is possible to manually intervene directly on the trousers 6, conferring to the same the most suitable folds, or where it is preferred to have said folds, eventually acting on those parts that usually are more worn during the normal use of the trousers.
[0022] Once evidenced the wished folds on the clothes to be subjected to treatment, it is possible to carry out the real treatment to wear the clothes, as in the processes mentioned in the above. Finally, clothes are dried within an oven when still on the manikin.
[0023] On the basis of the above specification, it can be noted that the basic feature of the process is the adherence of the clothes on the sheath. Said adherence must be such to give the proper slippery on the sheath but, at the same time, to prevent that the manually obtained folds disappear.
[0024] Main advantage that the above inventive solution allows to obtain is that of being able to directly act on the clothes, being it possible to obtain the preferred fold each time and to make it particularly realistic and permanent the "used" effect on new cloths, as well as to allow that the obtained folds are "round" and "convex", so as to make the clothes resembling as naturally aged.
[0025] The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.
1. Process for ageing clothes, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:
- providing the use of a manikin that can be deflated;
- treating the clothes by at least a polymeric substance;
- placing said clothes on the deflated manikin;
- inflating said manikin;
- providing the wished folds on the clothes;
- carrying out a surface treatment of the clothes;
- drying the clothes within an oven.
2. Process for ageing clothes according to claim 1, characterised in that said manikin comprises a metallic structure, a spongy portion, that can contract,
a sealed sheath, covering said spongy portion, and a vacuum pump.
3. Process for ageing clothes according one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sealed sheath is comprised of cellophane.
4. Process for ageing clothes according one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said at least a polymeric substance is a resin.
5. Process for ageing clothes according one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said positioning of the wished folds on the clothes is carried out manually.
6. Process for ageing clothes according one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said clothes are blue jeans.
7. Process for ageing clothes according one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said surface treatment of the clothes is a physical or chemical abrasion.
8. Process for ageing clothes according to each one of the preceding claims, substantially
as illustrated and described.