Abstract: Woven pile fabrics, particularly upholstery fabrics and corduroy, characterized by a superior balance of strength and softness are backcoated utilizing an aqueous emulsion prepared by the emulsion polymerization of: 30 to 50% by weight of a vinyl ester of an alkanoic acid; 10 to 30% by weight ethylene; 30 to 50% by weight of a C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 alkyl acrylate; 1 to 5% by weight of copolymerizable N-methylol containing monomer; 0 to 4% by weight of an olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid and 0 to 1% by weight of a polyethylenically unsaturated comonomer.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved styrene-butadiene (SBR) core-alkyl acrylate/methacrylate shell-polymer compositions and an improved process for applying patterns to textiles by screen printing employing these polymer compositions as binders. The process for preparing the improved polymers is also set forth. The core comprises an SBR copolymer which contains an antioxidant and is at least partially encased by an integral shell of a copolymer of an alkyl acrylate or methacrylate which is formed by copolymerization with an ultraviolet light stabilizer. When used as binders for screen printing, these compositions produce textiles which exhibit a desirable combination of crock fastness, cyclic aging and hand properties.

Abstract: A method of making a hydrophobic membrane comprising stabilizing a hydrophobic latex binder by admixture with a fugitive, heat decomposable, hydrophilic surfactant which upon heating yields a hydrophobic residue; applying the latex thus stabilized to a hydrophobic web or substrate of non-woven fibers and then heating the coated web to decompose the surfactant to provide a dry hydrophobic web containing the hydrophobic residue of the surfactant.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved core-shell polymer compositions and an improved process for applying patterns to textiles by screen printing employing these polymer compositions as binders. The polymer comprises a core of styrene-butadiene copolymer which is at least partially encased by an integral shell of a copolymer of butyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate. When used as a binder in a screen printing process, this composition produces textiles which exhibit a surprisingly desirable combination of the properties of crock fastness, cyclic aging and hand.