Fabric color care method
First Claim
1. A method for restoring and/or rejuvenating color of a worn, faded color fabric, wherein said method comprises applying an effective amount of a fabric color care active to said fabric, wherein said fabric color care active is selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of;
heteropolysaccharides;
algal polysaccharides;
microbial polysaccharides;
lipopolysaccharides;
fungal polysaccharides;
animal polysaccharides; and
mixtures thereof;
(ii) water soluble and/or water dispersible synthetic polymer selected from the group consisting of homopolymer of hydrophilic monomers;
homopolymer of hydrophobic monomers;
copolymer of hydrophilic monomers and hydrophobic monomers; and
mixtures thereof;
wherein said hydrophilic monomers are selected from the group consisting of;
acrylic acid;
methacrylic acid;
crotonic acid;
maleic acid and its half esters;
itaconic acid;
salts of said acids;
vinyl alcohol;
allyl alcohol;
vinyl pyrrolidone;
vinyl caprolactam;
vinyl pyridine;
vinyl imidazole;
vinyl sulfonate;
N,N-dimethylacrylamide;
N-t-butyl acrylamide;
hydroxyethyl methacrylate;
dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate; and
mixtures thereof; and
wherein said hydrophobic monomers are selected from the group consisting of;
methyl acrylate;
ethyl acrylate;
t-butyl acrylate;
methyl methacrylate;
2-ethyl hexyl methacrylate;
methoxy ethyl methacrylate;
vinyl acetate;
vinyl propionate;
vinyl neodecanoate;
styrene;
t-butyl styrene;
vinyl toluene;
methyl vinyl ether;
vinyl chloride;
vinylidene chloride;
ethylene;
propylene;
other unsaturated hydrocarbons; and
mixtures thereof;
(iii) fabric softening actives capable of forming a bilayer structure, wherein said fabric softening activves are biodegradable and have with highly unsaturated and/or branched hydrophobic chains; and
(iv) mixtures thereof;
and wherein the color restoration and/or rejuvenation is characterized by the ability of said active to change the properties of a worn, faded black cotton (chino) twill test fabric, resulting in;
(A) a percentage reflectance reduction Δ
R of at least about 5%;
(B) a Hunter L value reduction Δ
L of at least about 1.0; and
(C) a percentage pill number reduction Δ
P of at least at least about 20%.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to fabric care methods for restoring and/or rejuvenating color of worn, faded fabric, by applying to said fabric a fabric color care composition which comprises: water soluble and/or water dispersible polymers; surfactant capable of forming a bilayer structure; and mixtures thereof. Optionally, the composition can contain other ingredients to provide additionally fabric care benefits, and/or to improve performance and formulatability. The composition is preferably applied as small particle size droplets, especially from spray container which preferably are in association with a set of instructions for use.
55 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for restoring and/or rejuvenating color of a worn, faded color fabric, wherein said method comprises applying an effective amount of a fabric color care active to said fabric, wherein said fabric color care active is selected from the group consisting of:
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(i) polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of;
heteropolysaccharides;
algal polysaccharides;
microbial polysaccharides;
lipopolysaccharides;
fungal polysaccharides;
animal polysaccharides; and
mixtures thereof;
(ii) water soluble and/or water dispersible synthetic polymer selected from the group consisting of homopolymer of hydrophilic monomers;
homopolymer of hydrophobic monomers;
copolymer of hydrophilic monomers and hydrophobic monomers; and
mixtures thereof;
wherein said hydrophilic monomers are selected from the group consisting of;
acrylic acid;
methacrylic acid;
crotonic acid;
maleic acid and its half esters;
itaconic acid;
salts of said acids;
vinyl alcohol;
allyl alcohol;
vinyl pyrrolidone;
vinyl caprolactam;
vinyl pyridine;
vinyl imidazole;
vinyl sulfonate;
N,N-dimethylacrylamide;
N-t-butyl acrylamide;
hydroxyethyl methacrylate;
dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate; and
mixtures thereof; and
wherein said hydrophobic monomers are selected from the group consisting of;
methyl acrylate;
ethyl acrylate;
t-butyl acrylate;
methyl methacrylate;
2-ethyl hexyl methacrylate;
methoxy ethyl methacrylate;
vinyl acetate;
vinyl propionate;
vinyl neodecanoate;
styrene;
t-butyl styrene;
vinyl toluene;
methyl vinyl ether;
vinyl chloride;
vinylidene chloride;
ethylene;
propylene;
other unsaturated hydrocarbons; and
mixtures thereof;
(iii) fabric softening actives capable of forming a bilayer structure, wherein said fabric softening activves are biodegradable and have with highly unsaturated and/or branched hydrophobic chains; and
(iv) mixtures thereof;
and wherein the color restoration and/or rejuvenation is characterized by the ability of said active to change the properties of a worn, faded black cotton (chino) twill test fabric, resulting in; (A) a percentage reflectance reduction Δ
R of at least about 5%;
(B) a Hunter L value reduction Δ
L of at least about 1.0; and
(C) a percentage pill number reduction Δ
P of at least at least about 20%.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for restoring and/or rejuvenating color of a worn, faded color fabric, wherein said method comprises applying an effective amount of a fabric color care active to said fabric, wherein said fabric color care active is chosen from:
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(i) a polysaccharide;
(ii) a water soluble and/or water dispersible synthetic polymer;
(iii) a fabric softening active capable of forming a bilayer structure; and
(iv) a mixture thereof;
and wherein the color restoration and/or rejuvenation is characterized by the ability of said active to change the properties of a worn, faded black cotton (chino) twill test fabric, resulting in; (A) a percentage reflectance reduction Δ
R of at least about 3%;
(B) a Hunter L value reduction Δ
L of at least about 0.5; and
(C) a percentage pill number reduction Δ
P of at least about 10%.- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for restoring and/or rejuvenating color of a worn, faded color fabric, wherein said method comprises applying an effective amount of a fabric color care active to said fabric, and wherein the color restoration and/or rejuvenation is characterized by the ability of said active to change the properties of a worn, faded black cotton (chino) twill test fabric, resulting in:
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(A) a percentage reflectance reduction Δ
R of at least about 3%;
(B) a Hunter L value reduction Δ
L of at least about 0.5; and
(C) a percentage pill number reduction Δ
P of at least about 10%. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification