IP Library Granted Patent US 12667150
Granted Patent B2
US 12667150 · App. 18/322,384 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Waistband for a lower torso garment

Inventor: Lok Lam Yeung (Vancouver, CA)
Assignee: LULULEMON ATHLETICA CANADA INC.
A41F9/00A41D1/06A41D31/125A41D31/185A41D2500/10A41D2500/20A41D2500/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12667150
App. No.
18/322,384
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Examples of an elastic waistband for a lower torso garment are disclosed. The waistband includes a front portion for covering at least a portion of a pelvic area of a wearer, and a back portion for covering at least a portion of a lower back area of the wearer. Each of the front and back portions include an inner fabric layer extending from a top circumferential edge to a bottom circumferential edge of the waistband, an outer fabric layer with a lower edge connected to a lower edge of the inner fabric layer, and an elastic band, with a lower edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the outer fabric layer and an upper edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the inner fabric layer.

Claims (41)

1 . A waistband for a lower torso garment, the waistband comprising:

a front portion configured for covering at least a portion of a pelvic area of a wearer, and a back portion configured for covering at least a portion of a lower back area of the wearer, wherein the front portion and the back portion are connected together along two opposite sides to form a waistband torso opening with a top circumferential edge and a bottom circumferential edge, each of the front portion and the back portion comprising:

an inner fabric layer extending from the top circumferential edge to the bottom circumferential edge, the inner fabric layer having an upper edge and a lower edge, the inner fabric layer forming an inside surface of the waistband, the inside surface being configured for facing a body of the wearer;

an outer fabric layer having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edge connected to the lower edge of the inner fabric layer along the bottom circumferential edge of the waistband, the outer fabric layer forming a first portion of an outside surface of the waistband, the outside surface being configured for facing away from the body of the wearer;

an elastic band having an upper edge, a lower edge and a width, the lower edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the outer fabric layer and the upper edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the inner fabric layer, the elastic band including an exposed portion between the upper edge of the outer fabric layer and the upper edge of the inner fabric layer, the exposed portion of the elastic band forming a second portion of the outside surface of the waistband; and

the bottom circumferential edge of the front portion is straight, and the bottom circumferential edge of the back portion has an inverted “U” shape.

2 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein the upper edge of the inner fabric layer is folded over the top circumferential edge such that the top circumferential edge of the waistband is covered with the inner fabric layer.

3 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein the upper edge of the inner fabric layer is connected to the upper edge of the elastic band along the top circumferential edge of the waistband such that the upper edge of the inner fabric layer and the upper edge of the elastic band define the top circumferential edge of the waistband.

4 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein the inner fabric layer comprises two or more zones, each zone having a different module of elasticity.

5 . The waistband of claim 1 , further comprising a middle layer positioned between the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer.

6 . The waistband of claim 5 , wherein the middle layer has a lower portion aligned with the lower edge of the inner fabric layer and the lower edge of the outer fabric layer, and an upper portion aligned with the upper edge of the outer fabric layer.

7 . The waistband of claim 5 , wherein the middle layer is connected to the outer fabric layer at least along the upper edge of the outer fabric layer.

8 . The waistband of claim 5 , wherein the middle layer is a mesh.

9 . The waistband of claim 5 , wherein the middle layer comprises an adhesive.

10 . The waistband of claim 9 , wherein the adhesive comprises an adhesive pattern, the adhesive pattern creating two or more zones, each zone having a different module of elasticity.

11 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein an outer face of the elastic band comprises a designed letter or letters, or a designed graphic or graphics.

12 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein the lower torso garment is a pair of pants, a pair of tights, a pair of leggings, a pair of shorts, a pair of trousers, a pair of jogging pants, a skort, a skirt, a jumpsuit, a romper or a bodysuit.

13 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein the inner fabric layer comprises a four-way stretchable fabric.

14 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the bottom circumferential edge of the front portion is different than a shape of the bottom circumferential edge of the back portion.

15 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein the back portion of the waistband comprises an inside pocket bag.

16 . The waistband of claim 15 , wherein the inside pocket bag is connected to the inner fabric layer and is positioned between the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer.

17 . The waistband of claim 15 , wherein an entrance opening of the inside pocket bag is along a portion of one of the two opposite sides forming the waistband torso opening; optionally wherein the entrance opening is on the inside surface of the waistband.

18 . The waistband of claim 1 , wherein a lower edge of the elastic band overlaps the upper edge of the outer fabric layer, and the upper edge of the outer fabric layer is positioned between the inner fabric layer and the elastic band.

19 . An article of lower torso athletic apparel comprising:

a first leg portion configured to cover at least a portion of a first leg of a wearer and having a front part and a back part joined together;

a second leg portion configured to cover at least a portion of a second leg of the wearer and having a front part and a back part joined together,

wherein each of the first and second leg portions have an upper leg opening and a lower leg opening configured to allow each of the wearer's legs to pass through the upper and lower leg openings when the article of lower torso athletic apparel is worn by the wearer;

a lower torso portion joined with the first leg portion and the second leg portion, the lower torso portion having a front part configured to cover at least a portion of a lower pelvic area of the wearer and a back part configured to cover at least a portion of a lower buttocks area of the wearer; and

a waistband joined with the lower torso portion, the waistband comprising a front portion configured for covering at least a portion of an upper pelvic area of the wearer, and a back portion for covering at least a portion of a lower back area of the wearer, wherein the front portion and the back portion are connected together along two opposite sides to form a waistband torso opening with a top circumferential edge and a bottom circumferential edge, each of the front portion and the back portion comprising:

an inner fabric layer extending from the top circumferential edge to the bottom circumferential edge, the inner fabric layer having an upper edge and a lower edge, the inner fabric layer forming an inside surface of the waistband, the inside surface being configured for facing a body of the wearer;

an outer fabric layer having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edge connected to the lower edge of the inner fabric layer along the bottom circumferential edge of the waistband, the outer fabric layer forming a first portion of an outside surface of the waistband, the outside surface being configured for facing away from the body of the wearer;

an elastic band having an upper edge, a lower edge and a width, the lower edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the outer fabric layer and the upper edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the inner fabric layer, the elastic band including an exposed portion between the upper edge of the outer fabric layer and the upper edge of the inner fabric layer, the exposed portion of the elastic band forming a second portion of the outside surface of the waistband; and

wherein the bottom circumferential edge of the front portion is straight, and the bottom circumferential edge of the back portion has an inverted “U” shape, or

wherein the back portion of the waistband comprises an inside pocket bag, or

wherein a lower edge of the elastic band overlaps the upper edge of the outer fabric layer, and the upper edge of the outer fabric layer is positioned between the inner fabric layer and the elastic band.

20 . A waistband for a lower torso garment, the waistband comprising:

a front portion configured for covering at least a portion of a pelvic area of a wearer, and a back portion configured for covering at least a portion of a lower back area of the wearer, wherein the front portion and the back portion are connected together along two opposite sides to form a waistband torso opening with a top circumferential edge and a bottom circumferential edge, each of the front portion and the back portion comprising:

an inner fabric layer extending from the top circumferential edge to the bottom circumferential edge, the inner fabric layer having an upper edge and a lower edge, the inner fabric layer forming an inside surface of the waistband, the inside surface being configured for facing a body of the wearer;

an outer fabric layer having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edge connected to the lower edge of the inner fabric layer along the bottom circumferential edge of the waistband, the outer fabric layer forming a first portion of an outside surface of the waistband, the outside surface being configured for facing away from the body of the wearer;

an elastic band having an upper edge, a lower edge and a width, the lower edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the outer fabric layer and the upper edge of the elastic band connected to the upper edge of the inner fabric layer, the elastic band including an exposed portion between the upper edge of the outer fabric layer and the upper edge of the inner fabric layer, the exposed portion of the elastic band forming a second portion of the outside surface of the waistband; and

a lower edge of the elastic band overlaps the upper edge of the outer fabric layer, and the upper edge of the outer fabric layer is positioned between the inner fabric layer and the elastic band.