Dyed fabric with visible and near infrared differential yarn fiber signature

Abstract

A fabric having a camouflage appearance in the near infrared (NIR) spectrum with a substantially a single color appearance in the visible (VIS) spectrum is provided. The novel fabric may include at least two synthetic polymer multifilament yarns. The multifilament yarns are selected from 3 types of multifilament yarns: multifilaments comprising carbon black, multifilaments comprising pigments which modify the NIR reflectance characteristics of the multifilaments, and multifilaments substantially free of additives capable of modifying the NIR reflectance characteristics of the multifilaments. The fabric is dyed to a substantially single color appearance in the visible spectrum. In general, the fabric has a NIR spectrum comprising two reflectance curves having about 10% to about 85% reflectance separated by about 5% reflectance in a range of wavelengths from about 700 to about 860 nanometers (nm). The fabric may be used to manufacture garments, equipment, tents and tarpaulins that exhibit a camouflage appearance in NIR reflectance observed using night vision devices. At the same time, these garments, equipment, tents and tarpaulins have a single color and substantially non-camouflage in the VIS reflectance spectrum.