Woven fabric
A woven fabric is provided that incorporates multiple systems of fibers into a unitary fabric and presents the fibers of only one of the warp systems on a first surface of the fabric. The fabric structure comprises first, second, and third warp systems that are interlaced with weft fibers such that, of the three warp systems, the first surface of the fabric comprises only the first warp system and thus “hides” the second and third warp systems, which are not interwoven with the fibers of the first warp system. In this way, the effect of the appearance of the second and third warp systems on the overall appearance of the fabric is reduced. The three warp systems may include fibers made of different materials to provide different characteristics to each layer of the fabric, or the warp systems may include fibers made of the same material.
1. A fabric having a first surface and a second surface, the fabric comprising:
a first warp system;
a second warp system;
a third warp system;
a first row of weft fibers; and
a second row of weft fibers,
wherein the first warp system engages the first row of weft fibers, wherein the third warp system engages the second row of weft fibers, and wherein the second warp system engages the first row of weft fibers and the second row of weft fibers to form a lock weave structure, wherein the lock weave structure comprises looping under a first weft fiber of the second row and looping over a second weft fiber of the first row, the first weft fiber being next to the second weft fiber,
wherein the first surface comprises first warp fibers of the first warp system and at least a portion of the plurality of weft fibers, and wherein the second surface consists of second warp fibers of the second warp system and third warp fibers of the third warp system such that the first surface corresponds to an outer surface of a garment made from the fabric and the second surface corresponds to an inner surface of a garment made from the fabric, where the inner surface is configured to be worn closer to a wearer's skin than the outer surface.
2. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first warp system comprises first warp fibers selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, cotton, wool, rayon, polyamide fibers, modeacrylic fibers, high modulus fibers, para-aramid fibers, flame-resistant meta-aramid fibers, high molecular weight polyethylene, aramid, carbon fiber, fiberglass, such that the first warp fibers are aesthetic fibers or performance fibers.
3. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the second warp system comprises second warp fibers selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene, aramid, carbon fiber, para-aramid fibers, flame-resistant meta-aramid fibers, fiberglass, elastane fibers, spandex fibers, composite fibers including elastane fibers and spandex fibers, high modulus polyethylene, wool, rayon, nylon, modeacrylic fibers, such that the second warp fibers are performance fibers or stretchable fibers.
4. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the third warp system comprises third warp fibers selected from the group consisting of cotton, rayon, wool, microfiber polyester, nylon, and cellulosic fibers, such that the third warp fibers are comfort fibers.
5. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first row of weft fibers and the second row of weft fibers comprise stretchable fibers.
6. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first warp system and the second warp system comprise first warp fibers and second warp fibers, respectively, wherein the first warp fibers and the second warp fibers are selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene, aramid, carbon fiber, para-aramid fibers, flame-resistant meta-aramid fibers, and fiberglass, such that the first warp fibers and the second warp fibers are performance fibers.
7. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first warp system comprises first warp fibers selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene, aramid, carbon fiber, para-aramid fibers, flame-resistant meta-aramid fibers, and fiberglass, such that the first warp fibers are performance fibers; wherein the second warp system comprises second warp fibers that are stretchable fibers; and wherein the third warp system comprises third warp fibers selected from the group consisting of cotton, rayon, wool, microfiber polyester, nylon, and cellulosic fibers, such that the third warp fibers are comfort fibers.
8. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first warp system, the second warp system, and the third warp system comprises stretchable fibers, and wherein at least another of the first warp system, the second warp system, and the third warp system comprises fibers other than stretchable fibers.
9. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein between approximately 60% and 70% of the first surface is comprised of first warp fibers of the first warp system.
10. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the first warp system floats at least two fibers of the first row of weft fibers.
11. The fabric of claim 10 , wherein the third warp system floats at least two fibers of the second row of weft fibers.