WO2001031115A2 - Colored bleach-resistant pile fabrics and floor mat articles comprising said pile fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to new dyeing systems for nylon pile fabrics which are free from chrome-metallized dyestuffs and which comprise at least one cobalt-metallized dyestuff and at least one milling acid dyestuff. Such systems provide highly desirable and effective colorations within target pile fabrics and also provide dramatic improvements in bleach resistance to the nylon fabric surface. The inventive colored pile fabrics are utilized generally as components within launderable floor mat articles which require periodic cleaning with bleach-containing formulations. Thus, the inventive colored fabrics do not exhibit any appreciable reduction in color after such continuous, periodic rigorous cleaning procedures. Floor mats comprised of such inventive colored pile fabrics as well as the particular dyestuff compositions themselves are also encompassed within this invention. Furthermore, methods of coloring pile fabrics with dyestuffs including a heated topical overspray treatment to provide improvements in lightfastness and washfastness are also included.

Description

D E S C R I P T I O N COLORED BLEACH-RESISTANT PILE FABRICS AND FLOOR MAT

ARTICLES COM PRISING SAID PILE TABRICS

Field of the In \ entiou

This invention i elates to new dveing systems toi nvlon pile fabrics which are free fiom chrome-metallized d\ estuffs and which comprise at least one cobalt- metallized dvestuff and at least one milling acid dvestutf Such systems pi ovide highly desirable and effective coloi ations within tai get pile fabπcs and also provide dramatic impi ovements m bleach resistance to the nvlon fabric surface The inventive colored pile fabπcs aie utilized genei allv as components within launderable flooi mat articles which l equire peπodic cleaning with bleach- containing foi mulations Thus, the inventive coloied fabπcs do not exhibit any appreciable reduction in color aftei such continuous, penodic ngoi ous cleaning procedures Flooi mats compπsed of such inventive coloied pile fabπcs as well as the particular dyestuff compositions themselves are also encompassed within this invention Furthermoie methods of coloring pile fabπcs with dvestuffs including a heated topical ovei sprav treatment to piovide improvements in ghtfastness and washfastness ai e also included

Background of the Invention

All U S patents listed beiow ai e heiem incoi porated bv refeience Pile fabrics in particulai tufted fabπcs

e been utilized for man\ yeai s within various applications most notablv within flooi covei ings One particular

type of floor coveiing pioduct which compiises pile fabi ics is a caipeted floor mat Floor mats have long been utilized to facilitate the cleaning of the bottoms of people's shoes, particulai ly in aieas of high pedestπan ti affic such as doorways Moistuie, dirt, and debus fi om out of doois easily adhei e to such footweai, particulai ly in inclement weathei and particulai ly in aieas of iass 01 mud or the like Such unwanted and potentially floor staining 01 dirtying articles need to be removed from a peison s footwear pnor to entry indoors As will be appreciated, such outdooi mats by then natui e must undeigo fiequent lepeated washings and dryings so as to remove the dirt and debris deposited theieon duiing use Furthermoie, such cleaning proceduies geneially include the exposure of the soiled pile fabiics to bleach formulations in ordei to tfuoughly lemove such dirt and debus and possibly kill any unwanted and potentially haimful microorganisms from the floor mat surface Generally, such floor mats rented from service entities which retrieve the soiled mats fiom the usei and provide clean replacement mats on a frequent basis The soiled mats aie theieafter cleaned and dried in an industrial laundering process (such as within rotary washing and drying machines, for example) and then sent to another user in replacement of newly soiled mats

Floor and/or dust contiol mats have been developed in the past which provide an easy mannei of cleaning the soles of a person's shoes simply by scraping the footweai against such a stiff article Examples of such floor mats oi carpet piles are exemplified in U S Patents 1 008,618 to Skowionski et al , 4,045,605, to Breens et al , 3,306 808, to Thompson et al , 4 353 944, to Tarui, 4,741,065, to Paikins 4 886 692, to Ken et al , 5,227,214, to Keir et al , 5,305,565 to Nagahama et al 5 350 478 to Bojstaip et al and 5 680 826 to Nagahama et al as well as Fiench Patent No 1 21 1 755 assigned to Cos\ntex (S A ) and PCT Application 95/30040 assigned to Kleen-Tex Industries Inc , all of which aie incoipoiated heiein b\ iefeience Nowheie in the pnor art is an industiially laundei able flooi mat compnsed of Further examples of such floor mat articles are taught within U S Patents 5 707 469 to

et al 5,645,914 to Hoiowitz and 4,741 065 to Paikins

As will be appreciated by the ordinarily skilled artisan such pile fabπcs may be colored and/oi patterned w ith dyestuffs to piovide aesthetically pleasing products for placement in certain locations around entryways, around produce refπgeiators and freezeis in giocerv stores, and the like Since such colored pile fabπcs must be subjected to harsh cleaning proceduies, both physically and chemically, the dyestuffs utilized to provide such desired coloiations must be able to withstand bleach exposuie as well as vigorous lotary washings and diyings on an industrial level

In older to piovide consumers with aesthetically pleasing floor covering pioducts which also exhibit beneficial bleach-iesistance metal-containing dyestuffs have been utilized to color such pile fabrics in unifoi m shades or patterns Chrome-metallized dyestuffs have constituted one of the most prevalent classes of dyestuffs utilized within pile fabric coloring piocesses These dyestuffs have histoncally piovided such excellent colorations and beneficial bleach- resistance to the target pile fabnc substrates Such chiome-metallized compounds, howevei, have lost favoi recently as pile fabric dyestuffs due to safety issues with their use on an industrial level. In particular, chromium (VI) metal-containing dyestuffs have been banned in Europe. Furthermore, the use of all chromium- containing dyestuffs has been discontinued in Japan. Although such harmful effects are not caused as prevalently by chromium-containing dyestuffs of different valences [such as chromium (III), for example], the removal of all chrome-metallized dyestuffs from pile fabric coloring procedures has been followed recently in response to the new information concerning the danger involved with the utilization of chromium (VΙ)-containing dyestuffs Thus, there has been a recognized need for the replacement of such potentially dangerous colorants with other, relatively safe non-chromium-metallized dyestuffs, within such coloring processes. To date, this problem has not been addressed within the pile fabric art, particularly not within the floor mat product art. Thus, the prior art has no accorded the floor mat rental laundry industry with any teaching or fair suggestion providing any basis for replacement of such well-performing chrome- metallized dyestuffs

Objects and Description of the Invention

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a highly bleach-resistant, colored pile fabric. Another object of this invention is to provide a floor mat product including a colored pile fabric which exhibits excellent coloring without the need for chrome-metallized dyestuffs A further object of this invention is to provide a floor mat product including a colored pile fabric which can be laundered periodically with bleach compositions and which do not lose an appreciable amount of color due to such exposui e to bleach-contaming cleaning foimulations

Accoi dingly this invention encompasses a pile fabnc compnsing synthetic fibeis (piefei ably nylon and moie prefei ably solution-dyed nylon) wheiein at least a portion of said s\ nthetιc fibers is coloied with at least two

different dyestuffs, a first dyestuff selected fiom the gioup consisting of at least one cobalt-metallized dyestuff and a second dyestuff selected from the group consisting of at least one milling acid dyestuff, and wherein said synthetic fibers are not colored with any chrome-metallized dyestuffs The invention also encompasses a floor mat product comprising such a pile fabnc Such a specific combination of dyestuffs provides excellent durable coloiations, washfastness, weatherfastness, and bleach-iesistance to the target pile fabric

The synthetic fibers of the inventive pile fabric thus may be any fiber of manmade origin Such fibeis may be thus be selected from, without limitation, polyester, polyamide (nvlon such as nylon-6, or nylon-6,6, which is preferred), polypropylene, fibei glass and the like, as well as blends of such fibers The fibers may be coarse or fine in structure as well The deniei of such individual fibers may lange fiom about 10 to about 200, preferably, such fibers possess deniers ranging from about 20 about 100, moie prefeiably from about 20 to about 25, and most preferably at about 23 A plurality of such fibeis may preferably be twisted together to form vai ns (pi efei ably between about 40 and 80 aie twisted in such a manner, most preferably about 60) and then multiple plies of such yarns (3, as one prefened example) may also be twisted togethei to form the final yarn stmctuies to be mcoipoi ted within the taiget pile fabi ics Of particular interest in this invention as noted above are 100% solution dved nylon fibers Such pile fibers provide the best pile surface toi overpi mting with diffei ent dves in oidei to pi ovide the most aesthetically pleasing coloi ations and shades on the flooi mat pile surface Such fibei s are geneially nylon-6,6 m stiucture and possess deniers in the range from about 10 to about 30, fiom 20 to about 25 prefeired, which are twisted together (about 60 for example) in 3-ply stmctuies The pieferred solution-dyed nvlon fibei s are available, as merely one example fiom Camac Such fibeis have been coloi ed in the past with a vanetv of different dyestuffs, however, there is no teaching oi fan suggestion legaiding the utilization of the particular mixture of cobalt-metallized and milling acid dyestuffs of this invention

Cobalt-metallized dyestuffs have been utilized extensively foi coloring different fibeis, most notably polyamides, in the past For example, LJ S Patents 3,658,460 to Mikula, 3,221 ,004 to Neiei, and 2,374, 106 to Kvalnes et al all discuss such coloi ing pioceduies The teim "cobalt-metallized ' is intended to encompass any class of dyestuffs comprising water-solubi zing gioups (such as carboxyhc acid, sulfonic acid sulfonoamido, etc , gioups) and which also comprise cobalt metal ions complexed with standaid dye components (such as azos, disazos, methines bisazos and the like) Thus, as meiely examples, azo compounds complexed with cobalt metals and which also comprise at least one watei-solubilizing gioup aie encompassed within the term cobalt-metallized dyestuffs Specific types of cobalt-metallized dyesuffs which may be utilized within this invention include, without limitation Isolan® Bordeaux R 220 (fiom DvStar), Kavakalan™ Bi own GL (fiom Nippon Kayaku), and Iigalan® Yellow 3RL 250° o (fi om Ciba As will be fullv undei stood and appieciated by one of oi dinarv skill in this ai t an\ combinations of such dyestuffs may be pi oduced in ol der to piovide diffei ent shades oi hues on the taiget pile fabi ics Such dvestuffs geneially piovide excellent weather fastness to the taiget pile fabi ics as well as excellent coloiations (with blue led, yellow gieen, giay and the like, hues and shades available) Since most caipeted ( I e , including a pile fabnc component) floor mat articles aie placed at exteπois of entryways, exposuie to outdoor envnonment is a majoi concern foi such articles Thus, these dyestuffs pi ovide such desnable chaiacteπstics Milling acid dyestuffs have been utilized foi coloring other types of fibers, such as wool (U S Patent 4,436,521 to Annen et al , foi example) Such a teim as "milling acid" basically encompasses dyestuffs which comprise acid gioups (such as sulfonic, caiboxyhc, phthahc acid groups, and the like) and which do not comprise metal constituents anywheie on the dyestuff Such a term is standaid as will be appreciated by the ordinarily skilled artisan in the dyestuff art (These are vei y similar to metallized dvestuffs but do not compnse such metals, as noted above) However, theie is no teaching of the combination of such dyestuffs within compositions oi piocesses for the coloring of pile fabrics Such dyestuffs have been found to provide the desn able bleach resistance required of the inventive pile fabiics, particularly those to be incorpoiated within flooi mat articles that must undeigo ngoious and periodic industrial cleaning procedui es (which will include bleach exposure) Specific types of milling acid dyestuffs which may be utilized in this invention include, without limitation Amm\ l Rubine FD-BL™ (fi om Sumitomo) Supianol© Fast Blue GN 167% (fi om Dv Stai ) and Supianol® Oi ange GSN (horn DyStar) Any milling acid may be utilized

ei and this list is not meant to be exhaustive

Compositions compiis g both of these types of dyestuffs may be applied in any mannei to the taiget pile fibeis Examples of such available coloiing procedures includes jet dye g spiaying immersing brushing and the like Spray techniques aie most piefeired including piocesses that utilize a plurality of individual jet nozzles foi patterning capability as well as thoiough coloiing of each individual target fibei Such spraying techniques include the utilization of Milhtron® and Chiomojet® dyeing machines

The hghtfastness and washfastness of such inventive pile fabrics have been found to be at acceptable levels through the sole utilization of the aforementioned cobalt-metallized and milling acid dyestuffs However, improvements in these two benefits aie available upon the use of a topical oversprav as meiely one example applied after printing of the target pile fibers with the desned dvestuff compositions steamed (to set the coloiations within the pile fabric) and washed of excess dyestuff In geneial the topical overspiay should comprise a polymei IC finishing agent to coat the pile fabnc (01, actually, the individual pile fibeis) in oidei to protect the same fiom environmental and atmospheric exposure and potential damage One specific topical ovei spray includes Sunlife® EPS-2 manufactui ed by Emoπ Shoji which comprises an anionic polymei finish The aqueous form of such a topical oveispiay possesses a pH of roughh 2 0 (in 2% concentration) This is due in laige part to the presence of relatively laige amounts of oiganic acid (1 e , acetic acid) within such a composition Genei ally it has been found that differing concentiations of such a topical oveispi ay piovide beneficial finishing coats (levels of piotection) for different dyestuff systems Fuithei moi e, it has been supπsingly found that of particular importance with such an o\ eιspιay application is heating such a composition to about at least 70°C pi eferably above about 85°C Such an elevated temperature piovides the desired mciease in washfastness and hghtfastness for the inventive pile fabrics over not only the absence of such an overspray, but also ovei an overspiav which is first heated to ambient temperature or, at least, at a tempei atuie lowei than about 70°C, and then added to the inventive pile fabric Nowhere within the pπoi art is such a heated overspray composition step taught or even fairly suggested foi beneficial improvements in pile fabric coloi protection from envnonmental and/oi atmospheπc exposure

The inventive pile fabrics have thus been colored with a specific combination of dyestuffs and, optionally, tieated with a heated topical overspray It has now been detei mined that pleasing textuies and shades aie possible thiough the utilization of cobalt-metallized dyestuffs while such pleasant colorations are not compromised thiough the introduction of at least one additional milling acid dyestuff which piovides the beneficial bleach-iesistance properties to the finished product Such a finding lequned extensive ieview of many diffeient types of metallized dy estuffs (othei than chromium-based compounds of course) Even with propei colorations, the selected dyestuffs had to provide bleach-resistance in older to be utilized as possible ieplacements for the afoiementioned chromium- metallized dyestuffs It was detei mined that bleach-i esistance was not completely

obtainable thiough the sole utilization of othei metallized dyestuffs additional

ingredients wei e l equn ed within the inventive dvestuff foi mulation to piovide

such a necessai y benefit After tui thei extensive testing it was i ea zed that

milling acid dyes pi ovided such desu ed and i equired bleach-i esistance without

deleteπously affecting the colorations piovided by the cobalt-metallized

compounds Such a combination as noted above is neithei taught noi fairly

suggested within the pi 101 art

The inventive flooi mat article geneiallv compi ises any amount of the inventive coloi ed pile fabric Othei types of fibei s, such as cotton, wool, and the like, may be piesent within the inventive floor mat, as well as non-colored synthetic fibei s The key component of this inventive floor mat is the presence of

at least a portion of the inventive colored pile fabric Such pile fabi ics, both the

inventive and standard types, within the inventive floor mat ai e generally tufted

thiough a pile substiate pπoi to incoiporation within the floor mat article itself Any type of standaid pile substrate may be utilized including woven non-woven

and knit foims The pile substiate may comprise withei synthetic or natui al fibers,

including, as mei ely examples polyester, polyamide cotton sisal wool, and the

In general, such flooi mat articles also include rubbei backing sheets The

carpet fibers tufted thi ough the pile substrate are placed on top of such a backing

sheet and the entne composite is then subjected to high vulcanization

temperatuies and pi essui es (1 e pi essui es of from about 25 to about 40 psi at a tempeiatui e of fi om about 300 to about 400°F for anywhei e betw een about 30

seconds and 20 minutes) The substi ate and pile fabnc become attached to the aibbei backing sheet duiing such a v ulcanization pi ocedui e U S Patent 5,585,565, to Nagahama et al pieviously entnely incoiporated by lefeience, shows the usual mannei of pioducing flooi mats compπsing caipet pile fibeis, a carpet pile substiate, and a rubbei backing sheet This lefeience, however, makes no mention as to the importance of coloring pile fabi ics with specific metallized and milling acid dyes to provide excellent alternatives to chiomium-metalhzed dyestuffs It is furthei noted that the inventive combination of dyestuffs for such pile fabrics must also be able to withstand such elevated temperatuies and pressures This selection cπteria was also met by the cobalt-metallized and milling acid dyestuffs applied to the target pile fabiics

As noted previously, this invention concerns, in its broadest sense, pile fabπcs colored with compositions of cobalt-metallized and milling acid dyestuffs, these pile fabrics may therefoie be incorporated within or utilized as carpets, rugs, mats, wall-covei ings automobile mtei iors, and the like

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Without limiting the scope of the invention, the piefen ed features of the invention aie exemplified below EXAMPLE 1

An undyed pile fabnc comprising

fine three-ply solution-dyed nylon fibers with each individual fibei possessing a deniei of about 23, each yarn containing about 60 twisted fibers (thus having a deniei of about 1380), and each three-ply structure of vains having a deniei of about 4140 was placed within a Mιllιtron®-bι and jet-dyeing machine The fabnc was then dyed a red pattern, with discrete black spots inteipersed theiein The colorant composition spiayed onto the fabric surface compπsed the following (each in aqueous solution)

TABLE 1

Dyestuff Concentration (g/L)

Isolan® Bordeaux R 220 0 5200

Supi anol® Orange GSN 2 0000

Kayakalan® Bi own GL 0 7280

Water Balance

A thickening agent (Kelzan S) was added to modify the viscosity of the composition to about 450 cps The colored pile fabnc exhibited an excellent thorough red color throughout The colored fabric was then laundered utilizing standard industrial-style l otary washing and diying machines, including cleaning compositions compπsing chloπne bleach constituents The pile fabric did not exhibit any appreciable loss of coloi upon 10 such repeated laundering piocedures

Also, the pile fabric was then placed on top of a aibber sheet and subsequently subjected to a vulcanization piocedure for about 15 minutes The color was not appreciably affected by such high temperatuies and pressures Lastly, the pile fabric-containing (inventive) flooi mat article was placed outside an entryway for 4 weeks to test foi peifoimance as a floor mat article Attei another laundering as noted above the floor mat article did not exhibit anv appi eciable diffeience in coloi shade oi coloi stiength empiπcally This floor mat article pile fabric was also compared with a standaid chi ome-metallized red-colored pile fabnc incorpoiated within a similai flooi mat article Thiough the utilization of a gray scale (empu ical test) aftei bleaching and after exposui e to a xenon-aic Weatherometei appaiatus all of the bleachfastness and weatherabihty (lightfastness) charactenstics of the inventive fabric eithei met 01 exceeded that of the comparative chrome-metallized colored fabric

EXAMPLE 2

An undyed pile fabric comprising veiy fine three-ply solution-dyed nylon fibers, with each individual fiber possessing a deniei of about 23, each yarn containing about 60 twisted fibeis (thus having a deniei of about 1380), and each three-plv structure of yains having a denier of about 4140 was placed within a

Mιllιtron®-brand jet-dyeing machine The fabnc was then dyed a green pattern, with discrete black spots interpersed therein The colorant composition sprayed onto the fabric surface compπsed the following (each in aqueous solution)

TABLE 2

Dyestuff Concentiation (g/L)

Isolan® Boideaux R 220 0 6540

Supianol® Fast Blue GN 2 7380

Irgalan® Yellow 3 RL 0 0196

Aminyl Rubine™ FD-BL 0 6540

Water Balance A thickening agent (Kelzan S) was added to modify the viscosity of the composition to about 450 cps The coloi ed pile fabric exhibited an excellent thorough green coloi thioughout The coloi ed fabnc was then laundeied utilizing standard industrial-style rotary washing and diying machines including cleaning compositions compπsing chloπne bleach constituents The pile fabnc did not exhibit any appieciable loss of coloi upon 10 such lepeated laundei mg piocedures Also, the pile fabric was then placed on top of a rubbei sheet and subsequently subjected to a vulcanization procedure for about 15 minutes The color was not appreciably affected by such high temperatures and piessuies Lastly, the pile fabric-containing (inventive) flooi mat article was placed outside an entryway for 4 weeks to test for perfoimance as a floor mat article After another laundeimg as noted above, the floor mat article did not exhibit any appieciable difference in color shade or color stiength empiπcally This floor mat article pile fabric was also compared with a standard chrome-metallized red-colored pile fabric incorporated within a similar floor mat article Through the utilization of a gray scale (empirical test) after bleaching and aftei exposure to a xenon-arc Weatherometer apparatus, all of the bleachfastness and weatherabihty (lightfastness) charactenstics of the inventive fabnc eithei met oi exceeded that of the comparative chiome-metallized colored fabric

EXAMPLE 3

An undyed pile fabnc compπsing all solution-dyed nvlon fibers possessing deniei s of between about 20 to 25 was placed within a Milhtron®- biand jet-dyeing machine The fabnc was then dyed a ted pattern, with discrete black spots inteipeised theiein, with the same composition as in TABLE 1, above The pile fabric exhibited an excellent thoiough red coloi thioughout The coloied fabric was then steamed (with watei vapoi heated to a tempeiature above about 212°C) and subsequently washed with watei to iemove any excess dyestuff lemainmg on the surface of the fabric Then , the pile fabnc was completely spiayed with a composition of Sunhfe® EPS-2 which had been heated to a tempeiature of about 85°C and allowed to dry The treated pile fabric was then laundered utilizing standaid lndustπal-style lotary washing and diying machines, including cleaning compositions compπsing chlorine bleach constituents The pile fabric did not exhibit any appieciable loss of color upon 10 such repeated laundering procedures Also, the pile fabric was then placed on top of a rubber sheet and subsequently subjected to a vulcanization pioceduie for about 15 minutes The coloi was not appreciably affected by such high tempeiatures and pressures Lastly, the pile fabric-containing (inventive) floor mat article was placed outside an entiyway foi 4 weeks to test for peiformance as a floor mat article After another laundering as noted above, the flooi mat article did not exhibit any appreciable diffeience in color shade or coloi stiength empn ically This floor mat article pile fabnc was also compaied with a standaid chrome- metallized red-colored pile fabric incoiporated within a similai flooi mat article Thiough the utilization of a giay scale (empn ical test) aftei bleaching and aftei exposure to a xenon-arc Weatherometer apparatus, all of the bleachfastness and weatherability (lightfastness) characteristics of the inventive fabric either met or exceeded that of the comparative chrome-metallized colored fabric

While specific features of the invention have been described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to any particular configuration or practice since modification may well be made and other embodiments of the principals of the invention will no doubt occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains Therefore, it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as incorporate the features of the invention within the true meaning, spirit, and scope of such claims

Claims

1 A pile fabric comprising synthetic fibers wherein at least a portion of said synthetic fibers is colored with at least two different dyestuffs, a first dyestuff selected from the group consisting of at least one cobalt-metallized dyestuff and a second dyestuff selected from the group consisting of at least one milling acid

dyestuff; and wherein said synthetic fibers are not colored with any chrome-metallized dyestuffs .

2. The pile fabric of Claim 1 wherein said synthetic fibers within said pile fabric are comprised of nylon fibers.

3 The pile fabric of Claim 2 wherein said nylon fibers are solution-dyed nylon fibers

4 A floor mat comprising the pile fabric of Claim 1

5 A floor mat comprising the pile fabric of Claim 2

6 A floor mat comprising the pile fabric of Claim 3 7 A method of coloring synthetic pile fibers incoi porated within pile fabrics, said method comprising the steps of

(a) providing said synthetic pile fibers,

(b) coloring said synthetic pile fibers with a composition comprising at least one cobalt-metallized dyestuff and at least one milling acid dyestuff,

(c) optionally, steaming said colored pile fibers,

(d) optionally, washing any excess dyestuff from said pile fibers,

(e) optionally, providing a topical overspray composition heated to at least 70°C, and

(f) optionally, applying said topical overspray composition of step "e" to said colored pile fibers

8 The method of Claim 7 wherein said synthetic pile fibers are comprised of nylon fibers and wherein steps "c" through "e" are present

9 The method of Claim 8 wherein said nylon fibers are solution-dyed nylon fibers

10 A method of coloring pile fibers incorporated within pile fabrics, said method comprising the steps of

(g) providing said pile fibers,

(h) coloring said pile fibers with a composition comprising at least one dyestuff, (i) steaming said colored pile fibers, (j) washing any excess dyestuff from said pile fibers, (k) providing a topical overspray composition heated to at least 70°C, and (1) applying said topical overspray composition of step "e" to said colored pile fibers