Abstract: A method of making a needled and ornamentally patterned fleece material according to which at least one one-color first pre-needled web of fleece material including fibers, is prepared followed by substantially binding together at least partially fibers of the first web in those surface sections thereof which correspond to the areas where the ornamentation is desired. Furthermore, a second pre-needled web of fleece material is prepared which has a color differing from the color of the first pre-needled web of fleece material and being free from surface sections with fibers bound together. Subsequently placing the first pre-needled web of fleece material in dry condition in face-to-face contact with the second pre-needled web of fleece material, and commonly needling the first and second webs of fleece material together from the outer side of the second web of fleece material to form a pile on the outer side of the first web of fleece material.

Abstract: Pile fabric is produced by needling in an ornamental pattern a pile layer of loose fibers through the back or nonvisible side of a fabric backing web which is intermittently passed with its back side up through a series of needling stations comprising needles disposed in a particular arrangement to form the fibers into the backing web in a predetermined pattern. A feed duct including a discharge port extending across the fabric web transversely of its feed direction is arranged to deliver fibers onto the back side of the web at a point upstream from the needling station. A suction duct located downstream from the needling station draws loose fibers from the back side of the web through an inlet port which extends across the web transversely of the feed direction.