Method and apparatus for treating fabric

A machine for imparting a localized worn-out appearance to articles of clothing to be treated thereby comprising:

• at least one manikin for supporting thereon the article of clothing to be treated, each comprising a supple inflatable structure;
• inflating means for inflating the manikin, so that it will adhere to the article of clothing, so as to simulate a shape similar to which it will acquire when it is worn by a person;
• at least one rotating brush;
• a slide and rail for reciprocally supporting each brush and a displacing means operatively coupled to the slide for engaging said brushes into contact with the article of clothing to be treated;
• a structure for supporting and moving the manikins and articles of clothing carried thereby into at least first and second positions, said first position being a treatment position, proximate the at least one brush, and the second position being a fitting position for fitting the article of clothing on the manikin and removing it from the same, said second position being remote from the treatment position;
• and
• kinematic means for driving the at least one brush into rotation, the slides along the rails and the displacement of the structure supporting the manikins.

A method for imparting a localized worn-out appearance to an article of clothing to be treated comprising the steps of:

• fitting the article of clothing to be treated on a supporting manikin;
• inflating the article;
• abrading the inflated article by abrasive action generated by relative motion between the article of clothing and at least one rotating brush contacting against said article of clothing;
• and
• removing the article of clothing from the manikin after the abrading step.

An apparatus for imparting a localized worn-out appearance in an article of clothing to be treated comprising:

• at least one manikin supporting the article of clothing to be treated, the manikin comprising a supple inflatable structure;
• inflating means coupled to the manikin so that it will adhere to the article of clothing thereon;
• at least one rotatable brush reciprocally mounted for engaging the article on the manikin;
• means coupled to the brush for reciprocally driving the brush into contact with the article and for rotating the brush thereagainst;
• and
• means for supporting the manikin having first and second positions, the first position located proximate the brush for engaging the article and the second position remote from the brush for fitting the article of clothing thereon.