Improvements in fabric of garment technology

A method of providing a linear zone of limited and concealed elasticity to a garment or a part therefor comprises the steps of: (1) raising the temperature of a strip of elastic fabric comprising an elastic component and a heat-shrinkable component to such a temperature for such a duration that the inherent heat-shrinkage is reduced to a predetermined value; (2) causing a heat-fusible adhesive layer to adhere to a surface of the strip at a temperature below the treatment temperature of step (1) and below the full melt temperature of the adhesive; (3) superimposing the strip on the garment or part so orientated that one set of threads thereof are oblique to the strip; (4) heating and pressing the superimposed strip and garment or part together at a temperature greater than that in step (1) to cause the strip to be firmly bonded to the garment or part, the bonding temperature being selected to give a predetermined shrinkage on cooling and relaxing; (5) allowing the assembly to cool and relax and the strip to shrink thus compressing the fabric of the garment or part to a predetermined amount leaving the fabric flat and unruched in the bonded area.