Sculptured and etched textile having shade contrast corresponding to surface etched regions

A method for making a fabric having regions exhibiting different pile heights and a color contrast between said regions exhibiting different pile height, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a polyester fabric having a pile on one side thereof, said pile comprising a plurality of yarns or fibers having a first height,
• (b) applying in an aqueous process an unfixed dye to said pile of said fabric,
• (c) drying said fabric produced in step (b) by application of electromagnetic radio frequency energy to the fabric, said drying step being performed under conditions sufficient to at least partially dry said fabric but without fixing a substantial portion of said unfixed dye to said pile of said fabric,
• (d) selectively applying a chemical etching agent to said pile of said fabric, said chemical etching agent being an alkaline paste, the agent being applied to one or more second regions of said pile of said fabric and not applied to one or more first regions of said pile of said fabric,
• (e) reacting said chemical etching agent with said one or more second regions of said pile of said fabric, thereby etching said yarns or fibers in said one or more second regions to produce yarns or fibers having a second height, said second height being less than said first height, and
• (f) heating said fabric produced in step (e) in a superheated steamer to fix said dye to said yarns or fibers in said first and second regions of said pile of said fabric1 said heating temperature being at least about 180 degrees C.;
• (g) washing the fabric to remove residual chemical agent and unfixed dye remaining on the fabric;
• and
• (h) drying the fabric at elevated temperature;
• (i) thereby producing a fabric having a pile on a surface thereof, said pile comprising a plurality of yarns or fibers in one or more first regions having a first height and one or more second regions having a second height, said second height being less than said first height, and said yarns or fibers in said second region exhibiting a different color than said yarns or fibers in said first region;
• (j) wherein the yarns or fibers in the first region exhibit a first L* value, the yarns or fibers in the second region exhibit a second L* value, and the difference between the first L* value and the second L* value is equal to about 10% or more of the first L* value.