GB2595487A

GB2595487A - A method of producing a fabric product

Info

Publication number: GB2595487A
Application number: GB2007993.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Grover Shruti
Original assignee: Pattern Project Ltd
Current assignee: Pattern Project Ltd
Priority date: 2020-05-28
Filing date: 2020-05-28
Publication date: 2021-12-01
Also published as: GB202107728D0; WO2021240005A1; GB202007993D0; EP4171304A1; GB2597586A

Abstract

A method of providing a fabrication kit which enables a non-expert user to produce a finished fabric product and a fabrication kit is provided. The method involves providing a fabric portion or a plurality of portions 6,7 having applied markings 5 and instructions for the amateur user to manipulate and assemble the portion(s) by use of the markings and instructions in combination and further in combination with fixing means to produce the finished fabric product and the method further comprising applying the markings to the portion(s). Also disclosed is a method of applying a fabric portion(s) with two sets of markings allowing an unskilled user to produce two different finished fabric products; wherein, one finished product may be reconfigured into a second finished product. Further disclosed is a shaped fabric blank with pre-determined markings allowing an unskilled user to produce a finished fabric product.

Description

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A FABRIC PRODUCT

This invention relates to a method of providing a fabrication kit which enables a non-expert user to produce a finished product, particularly to a method of providing a fabrication kit comprising fabric portions having pre-determined markings in combination with user instructions such that a user may produce a fabric product, for example garments, from the kit without specific training in fabric-product production. The invention further relates to shaped fabric blanks for use by a user in producing a fabric-product, the blanks comprising pre-determined markings and user instructions for use in concert with manipulation of the fabric blank about the markings. The invention also relates to a method of reusing a finished fabric product, the fabric product having been produced from a fabrication kit.

Whilst the majority of fabric products are made in a commercial environment, fabric products may also be made by an individual using pre-marked fabric kits in which multiple shaped parts of the product are provided ready for assembly by the user to form the finished product. Such products may be anything made from fabric such as garments or clothes, soft-furnishings for any environment such as the home, and the like. Professional tailors, designers, dressmakers and the like possess a high level of expertise in order to provide fabric products to order which have the requisite high quality. There is also a significant market for others, without the same level of professional capabilities to produce fabric products using "home-assembly" fabric kits but such kits, traditionally, still require a certain level of skill and capability in the user in order to provide satisfactory results.

In recent times, a far greater awareness and concern in the general public has arisen about a "throw-away culture" whereby consumers regularly purchase clothes and other products in large volumes and dispose of them, often to general waste rather than recycling, after little wear. Such practices are extremely wasteful of resources and are fuelled, in part at least, by the low cost of manufactured products in many countries which is enabled by very low cost manufacturing costs, labour costs and exploitation of workers.

Provision of patterns and kits for use by individuals would aid in allowing fabric products to be produced economically without reliance on very low-cost, exploitative supply chains, however the level of skill and expertise or the perception of that may deter non-expert or non-skilled prospective users from considering use of such patterns or kits.

NL8400651A describes a method for producing a garment comprises the use of a computer-controlled laser to cut the textile material in the correct shapes ready for sewing. The computer is pref. controlled by software produced in accordance with the pattern of a garment designer. The software program may contain instructions for sewing together, chalk marking, stitching and the like. The method described enables a pattern or design to be transferred to a fabric. The problem of being adapted to be used by a non-expert or member of the general public to produce a fabric product of satisfactory quality and finish remains.

We have now devised a method of providing a fabrication kit which enables a non-expert user to produce a finished product without the requirement for specific training in fabric-product production.

In a first aspect the invention provides a method of providing a fabrication kit which enables a non-expert user to produce a finished fabric product, comprising providing a fabric portion, preferably a plurality of fabric portions, the or each portion having applied markings, and instructions for the user to enable the or each portion to be manipulated by use of the markings and instructions in combination and further in combination with fixing means to produce the finished fabric product and the method further comprising applying the markings to the or each said portion, preferably by means of an automated marking process.

The term "finished fabric product " as employed herein means a product which is a complete item, for example an article of clothing and a home furnishing or a product which has been subjected to manipulation in some way but which itself may then be further used together with or fastened to other fabric portions or other finished fabric products which, in combination, provide a is a part of complete item, for example an article of clothing and a home furnishing.

The invention also provides a finished fabric product produced by a user from a fabrication kit comprising a fabric portion or a plurality of fabric portions, the or each portion having applied markings and instructions for the user to enable the or each portion to be manipulated or fastened in a pre-determined manner and at pre-determined locations in accordance with the instructions and the markings, to produce the finished fabric product.

The invention further comprises a fabrication kit for the manual production of a finished fabric product comprising a fabric portion or a plurality of fabric portions, the or each portion having applied markings and instructions for the user to enable the or each portion to be manipulated or fastened in a pre-determined manner and at a pre-determined location(s) in accordance with the instructions and the markings so as to produce the finished fabric product.

The invention in another aspect provides a shaped fabric blank for use by a user in producing a fabric-product, the blank comprising a fabric portion with pre-determined markings and user instructions for use of the blank optionally in combination with other fabric blanks to produce a finished fabric product.

The term "manual" as employed herein includes activity by an individual using tools for individual use and typically employed in the production of hand-made fabric products including needles, scissors, sewing machines and the like.

The portions of fabric may be made of any suitable material for production of the finished product. The term "fabric" is employed herein to denote any material suitable for the production of a non-rigid product employed in the design of clothes or soft furnishings, including materials that are not themselves a "fabric" produced as a weave as such and may also include sheet or solid but flexible materials. Examples of "fabrics" suitable for use in the present invention include woven materials produced from fibres, leather, plastics materials, rubber and the like.

The numbers may be applied by any suitable technique to apply markings to a fabric and preferably are etched into or onto the fabric.

Suitably, the fabric portions are portions are shaped or cut to a pre-determined shape in accordance with the product design before or after applying the markings to the fabric portion. The fabric portions may be cut using laser cutting, a mechanical utter, for example a tangential knife. Suitably, a tangential knife is employed to cut the outer shape of the garment. The markings may be applied to the portions of fabric using a computer-controlled process. Known techniques for marking fabric, including etching and engraving may be employed, for example laser-marking and laser-cutting.

We have further devised a method by which a finished product produced from a fabrication kit according to the invention may itself be re-purposed or re-used to provide a second finished product, thereby enhancing sustainable use of the fabric and reducing further demand on conventional supply chains for manufactured fabric goods.

In a further aspect, the invention also relates to a method of reusing a first finished fabric product, the first fabric product having been produced from a fabrication kit comprising fabric portions which comprise a first set of applied markings to enable production of the first finished product and a further set of markings to enable production of a further finished products, the kit further comprising corresponding sets of instructions to produce the first finished product and a further finished product, the method comprising providing a first finished product constructed from the fabrication kit and using the applied markings for a further use in the first finished product in combination with instructions for the corresponding further use for the user to enable the first finished product to be reconfigured into a second finished product.

Suitably, the fabric portions are produced with two or more sets of applied markings to allow multiple use of the fabric to produce two or more finished products.

Suitably, the invention provides a method of reusing a finished fabric product, the fabric product having been produced from a fabrication kit according to the invention, comprising providing a fabrication kit which enables a non-expert user to produce a finished fabric product, the kit comprising one or a plurality of fabric portions, the or each portion having applied markings for a first use and applied markings for one or more further uses, providing instructions for the first use for the user to enable the portions to be assembled by use of the markings for first use in combination with the instructions for first use to produce a first finished fabric product, the method further comprising using the applied markings for a further use in the first finished product in combination with instructions for the corresponding further use for the user to enable the first finished product to be reconfigured into a second finished product.

Advantageously, the method of the invention provides a kit which allows the general public, irrespective of relevant skill level or expertise to produce their own fabric products. Further, the invention enables fabric products to be produced at or near the point of use of the products in response to demand of the individual or a market rather than in a conventional supply chain where design, style, quantities, sizing are necessarily based on market projections with under or over-production and with the likelihood of market acceptance being based on projections. In short, the invention, facilitates an alternative supply chain model for fabric products by reducing or removing user concerns about not possessing the requisite skill or knowledge in order to produce fabric products at or near to the point of use and in response to specific user demand.

The method also allows users to produce a wide range of fabric products, at a relatively low cost relative to the cost of purchase of manufactured products, thereby reducing the demand for low-cost supply chains and the exploitative consequences of that. The method enables products to be tailored to individual taste and design ad enables easy assembly of the fabric products. The invention aims to improve access to home-production of fabric goods to users who may not possess relevant expertise or skills or confidence to produce their own products or clothes, especially for clothes which are of sufficient quality, design and fabrication quality to allow a person to wear such clothes in the presence of third parties or the general public. Further, the invention allows fabric products to be produced at home to the desired size and fit, colour, design and the like, on demand, and thereby facilitates a reduction in waste or over-production, often observed in commercial supply chains.

The invention further enables selection of local suppliers, desirable fabrics, for example natural materials. By providing pre-shaped portions of fabrics and optionally, materials and equipment to assemble the options into the final product, packaging may also be reduced as compared to conventional supply chains for manufactured fabric products.

The fabric portions suitably independently comprise one or more design features, symbols or markings to enable correspondence with another portion, referred to herein as a matching-marking, or accessory, for example another portion of fabric, a zip, button or the like.

The markings may include design features, symbols matching-markings for aligning two or more portions of fabric for affixing to each other for example, serrated edges optionally with numbers to enable precise alignment of fabric portions to be matched or fitted together. The fabric portion may comprise markings to indicate manipulation of a fabric portion but without use of other portions or accessories, for example, pleating. The markings may be two dimensional, for example printed or otherwise marked on the surface of the fabric, or tree-dimensional, for example, notches, indentations, embossment, trimmings and shaping of edges. Examples of suitable design features, symbols or markings include numbers, notches, seam lines, fold lines, tucks and dart, corners or edges trimmed, inner curves clipped, "pre-pinked" elements or fused edges to reduce the risk of fraying, indicators for placement of buttons, zips, fasteners, pockets and other design features or accessories.

The design features, symbols or markings may be scored or otherwise marked to provide guidance to a user or sewer to follow the predetermined design feature whilst sewing.

The fabric portions are suitably cut to the appropriate shape and size according to the product design. In a preferred embodiment, the edges of the fabric portions have suitably been treated or processed to provide a finished edge, for example by sealing, sewing or the like, to reduce the risk of the fabric shedding fibres, if fibre-based, or otherwise, the shape of the fabric being altered and to provide a "clean" finish to the edge of the portion of fabric.

Any accessories employed in the design of a finished fabric product may be included in the design and the markings on the portions of fabric may include markings for the location of any such accessories and corresponding instructions for the affixing of any such accessories to the fabric portion or finished product. Examples of accessories include zips, buttons, fibres, colouring materials or compositions, yarn, sequins, metal and plastic adornments.

The markings are suitably applied to the fabric portions using an automated process. The automated process suitably provides an output of applying markings to the fabric portions based on an input of a product design for the intended finished fabric product, such that upon assembly of the fabric portions by the user utilising the instructions, a finished fabric product according to the product design results. The product design may be a design produced by hand, by computer-aided design software or any other conventional design process. The product design suitably comprises a design of the finished fabric product and information relating to the shape and configuration of the or each of the plurality of portions intended to be assembled to provide the finished fabric product and the markings to be applied to the or each of the plurality of portions and instructions for the user to carry out a series of assembly steps in affixing the portions together to provide the finished fabric product.

Suitably, the fabric portion is produced by a computer-controlled laser cutting process for example mechanical cutting and laser cutting, comprising providing a product design including one or a plurality of portions with markings which, taken together and when fastened together provide a product according to the product design, providing a fabric and a computer-controlled cutting system, for example a laser cutting system, and controlling the movement of the cutting means, for example a tangential knife and a laser, over the fabric in accordance with the product design input into the computer system so as to cut the fabric into one or a plurality of portions of fabric and to mark each portion of fabric with the markings of that portion as set out in the product design.

Any computer-controlled cutting system adapted to cut and mark fabric may be employed. By way of example, laser-cutting may be employed and the laser may emit 50 to 400 MicroJ of energy with 0.25 -10,000 Hz of pulse, or 0.5 -200 W of power with more than 10,000 Hz of pulse.

In one embodiment, where the thickness of the material is 0.3-0.5 mm, the laser suitably emits an energy of 75-100 MicroJ with 2000 Hz of laser pulse. In one embodiment, where the thickness of the material is 0.5-0.7 mm, the laser suitably emits an energy of 100-150 MicroJ with 3000 Hz of laser pulse.

The present invention may be used by individuals or to produce multiple finished products, suitably in response to an order for a product. Where multiple orders are received for a fabrication kit in the same fabric, suitably such orders are collated such that all relevant fabric portions for the multiple orders may be arranged in an optimal configuration or nested and be cut from the minimal area of fabric.

The fabrication kit may suitably be ordered on-line, preferably via an app in which size, style, fabric, quantity, personalisation and other variables are specified.

The fabrication kit is suitably adapted for packing in an envelope to enable ease of posting and to facilitate remote or internet based sales.

The present invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 to 13 show representations of different markings which may be employed on the fabric portions used in the invention; Figures 14A to 14F show representations of a single fabric portion in successive stages of manipulation to form a ring of fabric as a finished product; Figures 15A to 15E show representations of a single fabric portion in successive stages of manipulation to form a pleated finished product which may then be combined with further fabric portions to construct a garment; Figures 16A to 16E show representations of a single fabric portion in successive stages of manipulation to form a ring of fabric as a pleated finished product which may then be combined with further fabric portions to construct a garment; Figures 17A and 17B show representations of a plurality of fabric portions in successive stages of manipulation to construct a garment.

In the Figures, surfaces marked with dots represent an underside surface, an inside surface or a surface otherwise not visible to a third party observer (referred to herein as the "wrong" side) in the finished fabric product. Plain surfaces, as shown in the Figures, represent surfaces which are visible to ta third party observer in the finished fabric product (referred to herein as the "correct" side).

Any of the fabric portions may also have further marks including a abbreviations for quick identification for example RS -Right Sleeve LS -Left Sleeve CB -Center Back FB -Front Bodice BB -Back Bodice.

Figure 1 shows pleat markings (1) for application to the wrong side of a fabric portion to indicate where to construct a pleat using circles and triangular cut-outs (2, 3), accompanied by etched arrows (4) showing the direction the fabric should be folded to form the pleat. The pleat is formed by carefully pinching the fabric along the centre-line of the circular / diamond shape cut outs. Bring the folded fabric over towards the middle and cut-out and match the shape.

Figures 2A and 2B shows numbered notches with numbers (5) applied along cutting line, used for matching seams. The seams are to be joined progressing from lower to higher matching number pairs on two fabric portions (6, 7). The numbers are applied etched on the wrong side of the fabric, placed alongside snips which are cut through. The user aligns the numbers on one portion of fabric with the same number on the second portion of fabric.

Figure 3 shows a seam allowance marking which consists of a continuous line, located inside the cutting line. The seam allowance marking indicates where the seamline stitching goes, suitably on the wrong side of the fabric. The fabric portion is prepared for a straight stitch and the seam allowance marking is positioned perpendicular to sewing machine needle for sewing.

Figure 4 shows a dashed line to be applied on the wrong side of the fabric, indicating placement of the top line of stitching. The fabric portion is prepared for the top stitch and the positioned perpendicular to machine needle for sewing.

Figure 5 shows a cut through line for a button hole with a solid horizontal with perpendicular end parts (8) indicating the length of the button hole.

Figure 6 shows a marking to indicate parallel lines along a seamline where a zipper is to be inserted. The zipper is inserted such that the pull tab and bottom stop are positioned as indicated Figure 7 shows a fabric portion with semi-circular markings (9) for fabric portions to be arranged contiguously. The fabric portion is folded in the direction of the arrow to match with wrong sides together with the markings (9) aligning.

Figure 8 shows a continuous line pattern for marking on a fabric portion on the wrong side to indicate where the facing face of another fabric portion should be placed Figure 9 shows asymmetrically placed geometric shapes, for example, circular, semi-circular and triangular shapes, which align when the fabric portions are correctly placed.

Suitably, the facing or correct sides are placed facing each other such that the cut-out markings align and the fabric portions may be sewn on the wrong side.

Figure 10 show small geometric markings for cut-outs made on the edge of the fabric portion which indicate a basic fold -where the correct side of the garment folds onto itself.

In Figure 11, the curved arrow indicates backstitching. The arrow is applied on the wrong side of the fabric and stitching is carried out in the opposite the direction of the overall stitch line to secure the thread.

Figure 12 shows an origin marker to show where to start sewing for a particular fabric portion and is suitably applied to the wrong side of the fabric.

The wavy line in Figure 13 indicates the placement of gathers and a row of stitches is sewn along the marked area leaving both start and end unsecured. The fabric may be eased along the threads to create gathers.8 Figures 14A to 14F show a series of images of a fabric portion (10) which, with the aid of markings and user instructions, is manipulated to form a ring (11) as shown in Figure 14F. The fabric portion (10) is marked, suitably in an automated, computer controlled, marking process with markings on the wrong side of the fabric portion as shown in Figure 14B. The markings include top stitch markings (12) as shown in Figure 4 with thread (13), asymmetrically-placed geometric shapes as shown in Figure 9, which are to be aligned with each other when the fabric is manipulated and contiguous piece markings (9) as shown in Figure 7. The fabric portion is folded in the direction of the arrow in Figure 14B to form the folded fabric with the wrong side outwardly facing as shown in Figure 140 and, in more detail showing alignment of the contiguous piece markings (14) in Figure 140'. The fabric portion is sewn along the top stitch marking as shown in Figure 140 and, as shown in Figure 14E, folded in the direction of the arrow with the contiguous piece markings aligning. The manipulated fabric portion may then be turned "inside out" to provide the finished product, a ring of fabric (11) as shown in Figure 14F.

Figures 15A to 15 E show a portion of fabric having pre-formed pleats and fold marks (15) as shown in Figure 15B and, folded, in Figure 150 and Figure 15C'. Figure 15D shows stitching marks (16) and thread (17). Upon inversion of the fabric portion, a finished product (18) is formed with inclined side seams (19) which is suitable for use with other fabric portions or finished products to form a top or vest.

Figures 16A to 16E show a portion of fabric having pleat markings (20) in Figure 16A and, in Figure 16B, lines on the wrong side to indicate the locus of the pleats to be formed. Figure 160 shows a close-up view of the correct side of the fabric portion with pleat markings and arrows to indicate the direction in which the fabric is to be folded to form the pleats. The folds are formed and manipulated in the direction of the arrows towards each other as shown in Figure 160, thereby to form the finished product (21) as shown in Figure 16E.

Figures 17A and 17B shows several fabric portions (22-24), in which two portions (22 and 23) are already fastened or affixed to each other about seam (25) with interlocking matching marks. The edge of each of the fabric portions comprise serrated formations (26) which facilitate interlocking engagement of the portions. The fabric portions also have number markings (27) which indicate precisely where correspondingly numbered parts of other portions are to be located, thereby ensuring the fabric portions are accurately aligned along the joining edges as indicated by the arrows in Figure 17B.

Claims

CLAIMS1 A method of providing a fabrication kit which enables a non-expert user to produce a finished fabric product, comprising providing a fabric portion or a plurality of fabric portions, the or each portion having applied markings, and instructions for the user to enable the or each portion to be manipulated or fastened by use of the markings and instructions in combination and further in combination with fixing means to produce the finished fabric product and the method further comprising applying the markings to the or each said portion.
2. A fabrication kit for the manual production of a finished fabric product comprising a fabric portion or a plurality of fabric portions, the or each portion having applied markings and instructions for the user to enable the or each portion to be manipulated or fastened in a pre-determined manner and at pre-determined locations in accordance with the instructions and the markings so as to produce the finished fabric product.
3. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the fabric comprises any material suitable for the production of a non-rigid product employed in the design of clothes or soft furnishings selected from woven materials, leather, man-made materials, plastics materials and rubber.
4. A method of reusing a first finished fabric product, the first fabric product having been produced from a fabrication kit comprising one or more fabric portions which comprise a first set of applied markings to enable production of the first finished product and a further set of markings to enable production of a further finished products, the kit further comprising corresponding sets of instructions to produce the first finished product and a further finished product, the method comprising providing a first finished product constructed from the fabrication kit and using the applied markings for a further use in the first finished product in combination with instructions for the corresponding further use for the user to enable the first finished product to be reconfigured into a second finished product.
5. A finished fabric product produced by a user from a fabrication kit comprising a one or a plurality of fabric portions, the or each portion having applied markings and instructions for the user to enable the portions to be manipulated or fastened in a pre-determined manner and at pre-determined locations in accordance with the instructions and the markings, to produce the finished fabric product.
6. A shaped fabric blank for use by a user in producing a fabric-product, the blank comprising a fabric portion with pre-determined markings and user instructions for use of the blank in combination with other fabric blanks to produce a finished fabric product.
7. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each fabric portion comprises two or more sets of applied markings to allow multiple use to produce two or more finished products and corresponding user instructions for each set of markings.
8. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each fabric portion independently comprises one or more design features, symbols or markings to enable correspondence with another portion or accessory.
9. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the markings are selected from design features, symbols and matching markings to enable two or more portions to be placed in a pre-determined relationship for affixing together.
10. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the markings are printed or otherwise marked on the surface of the fabric.
11 A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the markings are adapted to enable location of respective parts of different fabric portions, shaping of edges, location of design features, symbols or matching markings selected from numbers, notches, seam lines, fold lines, tucks and dart, corners or edges trimmed, inner curves clipped, "pre-pinked" elements or fused edges to reduce the risk of fraying, indicators for placement of buttons, zips, fasteners and pockets.
12. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein some or all of the markings are scored onto the fabric portion.
13. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising accessories and corresponding instructions for the affixing the accessories to the fabric portion or finished product.
14. A method or product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each of a plurality of fabric portions are produced by a computer-controlled cutting process.