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Contact form Laser cutting for fashion designers
Refine your designs for textiles and fabrics with a laser cutter
Lasers and in particular laser cutting is becoming more popular within the fashion design industry. From laser engraving velvet to laser cutting fabrics and leather, almost any design is possible with laser technology. With faster processing speeds for individual graphic designs, each piece can be made unique even when produced as a large series. Laser cutting single-layer textiles is more productive than using traditional methods of cutting such as a knife or scissors. The laser cut edges of synthetic materials are also melted during processing, resulting in a clean, perfectly sealed edge. A laser cutter can also process other materials such as acrylics, woods and stone, which can be incorporated into fashion design.
Laser materials for the fashion industry
- Felt
- Viscose
- Lenzing Modal®
- Tencel®
- Lace
- Polyester
- Polyamide material
- Fleece
- Softshell
- Cotton
- Silk
- Linen
- Denim
- Alcantara
- EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate)
- Leather
- Fluffy materials (e.g. teddy bear materials, artificial fur)
- Laserflex (available from our engraving supplies webshop)
- Acrylic
- Wood
- Stone
- Paper
A CO2 laser is used for cutting and engraving fabrics and textiles. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester or polyamide are well suited for laser processing. During laser cutting the synthetic materials are melted in a controlled manner which prevents the edges from becoming frayed. Depending on the laser engraving process used, the top layer of the materials is more or less removed during processing allowing various contrasts to be achieved.
Application examples
Fashion industry applications
Within the fashion industry laser machines are a versatile tool offering precision and flexibility. Form laser cutting unique designs to refining garments, the laser will cut a wide variety of materials. The edges of synthetic materials are melted when processed, reducing lint produced from fluffy materials. A more tangible haptic effect can be achieved with laser engraving, allowing end products to be personalised.
Applications:
- Fashion collections
- Cutting patterns
- Textile processing
- Patterns
- Dresses
- Skirts
- Trousers
- Blouses
- Coats
- Shoes
- Acrylic jewellery
- Wood jewellery
- Acrylic sequins
- Leather handbags
Industries:
- Fashion Design
- Clothing industry
- Jewellery
- Prototyping
- Concepts
- Design
Why use a laser cutter for processing fabrics?
- Trotec laser machines are a universal tool for processing a wide variety of materials
- Laser cutting gives fashion designers complete freedom to develop and implement their ideas
- With laser engraving, haptic and visual effects with even the finest details can be created in just a few processing steps
- Laser-engraved designs can be easily reproduced at any time with the same quality and finish
- Laser cutting textiles fuses the material resulting in clean, perfectly sealed edges
Function and advantages of laser technology
Implement complex shape cuts and filigree designs quickly and precisely
- No need to take tool diameter into consideration
- Depending on the lens used, the laser beam is approx. 0.1 mm wide.
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- High-quality optics/lenses and best beam quality
Productive processing
- Laser cutting is faster than traditional processing methods such as a knife cut
- Laser-engraved designs can be easily reproduced at any time with the same quality and appearance, even during large production runs
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- Speedy series: The fastest laser engravers on the market with a max. processing speed of 3.55 m/sec and acceleration of 5 g.
Contact-free processing
- No time-consuming fixation of materials is required unlike knife processing
- The material is not distorted during processing
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- Multi-functional table concept for easy handling
Easy high-quality manufacturing
- Designs are created in your graphics program and sent to the laser via the “Print” command
- Higher quality refinement through haptic effects can be achieved with a laser that cannot be achieved with textile printing
- Reduction of lint reduces cleaning times
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- JobControl® laser software: Simply intuitive. Works efficiently
No tool wear
- No wear of the laser beam from material processing
- No costs for new tools compared to traditional processing methods
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- CeramiCore laser sources offer particularly long service life
Laser parameters included in the software
- Laser parameters for commonly used materials are available in the JobControl® laser software
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- JobControl® material database stores your preferred materials parameters
Perfect sealed edges when laser cutting synthetic materials
- No fraying, no seams, no post-processing necessary
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- High quality axle drives and intelligent air flow of the Trotec laser machine
Trotec Product Recommendations
Does laser processing work equally well on all materials?
Synthetic materials and fabrics respond well to laser cutting and engraving. Using polyester as an example, the laser beam melts the materials during laser cutting resulting in fiber free, sealed edges. Natural and organic fabrics like cotton and linen will have a discoloured edge when laser cutting, similar to the result produced when laser cutting wood. This effect can be partially compensated by using the right lens and parameters while using compressed air.