Soft feel printed fabric and method of producing same

1. A method for textile processing, comprising:

a) sizing a yarn to weave fabric;

b) desizing the sized fabric;

c) bleaching the desized fabric;

d) reducing the number of electrolytes on the bleached fabric;

e) pre-softening the fabric having fewer electrolytes;

f) fabric printing the pre-softened fabric; and

g) finishing the fabric printed fabric,

wherein the pre-softening comprises applying a pre-softening emulsion comprising:

an aminofunctional polysiloxane polymer emulsion;

a cationic, amino-functional nano-silicone; and

an ethoxylated fatty alcohol phosphate and araliphatic ether alcohol based surfactant.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein sizing comprises recoverable sizing materials.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the recoverable sizing materials are selected from the group consisting of: a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl acetate, a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, an acrylic, a partially hydrolyzed poly vinyl alcohol, an acrylic-vinyl acetate co-polymer, a castor oil-based softener, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sized fabric is desized until the fabric is completely desized of sizing materials.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein desizing the fabric comprises soaking the fabric in ultra filtration-recovered water at a temperature ranging from about 208° F. to about 215° F.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the bleaching step comprises bleaching with a bleaching solution comprising an oxidizing bleaching agent, a caustic soda, a bleaching stabilizer, and a wetting agent, wherein the bleaching solution is neutralized with acetic acid to about pH 6.5 to about pH 7.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the bleaching step further comprises steaming the bleached fabric with water.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reducing step occurs by washing the steamed fabric with demineralized water.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein fabric printing the pre-softened fabric comprises applying a print paste comprising: a low-glass transition temperature long chain acrylic polymer binder; a high molecular weight acrylic polymer thickener; a dispersing agent; a silicone-containing printing emulsifier and auxiliary combination; a silicone-based printing auxiliary; a fatty acid based softener; and a pigment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein each of the one or more than one pigment has a particle size ranging from about 0.01 micrometer to about 1 micrometer.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising more than one pigment.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the print paste comprising more than one pigment produces a similar color to a pigment having a particle size greater than 1 micrometer.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein finishing the printed fabric comprises applying a finishing emulsion comprising a hydrophilic, quaternary, non-reactive polysiloxane macroemulsion; an ethoxylated fatty alcohol phosphate and araliphatic ether alcohol based surfactant; and a non-ionic, polyalkylene emulsion.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the finishing step further comprises curing the finished fabric under hot air, infra-red radiation, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cured fabric is further finished by calendering and sanforizing.

16. A method for processing a fabric comprising:

a) desizing a fabric;

b) bleaching the desized fabric;

c) reducing electrolytes on the bleached fabric;

d) pre-softening the reduced-electrolyte fabric;

e) printing ore or more than one pigment onto the pre-softened fabric; and

f) finishing the fabric printed fabric;

wherein the pre-softening comprises applying a pre-softening emulsion comprising:

an aminofunctional polysiloxane polymer emulsion;

a cationic, amino-functional nano-silicone; and

an ethoxylated fatty alcohol phosphate and araliphatic ether alcohol based surfactant.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein fabric printing the pre-softened fabric comprises applying a print paste comprising: a low-glass transition temperature long chain acrylic polymer binder; a high moelecular weight acrylic polymer thickener; a dispersing agent; a silicone-containing printing emulsifier and auxiliary combination; a silicone-based printing auxiliary; a fatty acide based softener; and one or more than one pigment.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein each of the one or more than one pigment comprises particles having a size ranging from about 0.01 micrometer to about 1micrometer.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising more than one pigment.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the print paste comprising more than one pigment produces a similar color to a pigment having a particle size greater than 1 micrometer.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein finishing the printed fabric comprises applying a finishing emulsion comprising a hydrophilic, quaternary, non-reactive polysiloxane macroemulsion; an ethoxylated fatty alcohol phosphasted and araliphatic ether alcohol base surfactant; and a non-ionic, polyalkylene emulsion.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the finishing step further comprises curing the finished fabric under hot air, infra-red radiation, or a combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the cured fabric is further finished by calendaring and sanforizing.