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Laser engraving and laser cutting textiles and fabrics
For cotton, silk, felt, etc.
Textile types suitable for laser processing
With a Trotec laser you can quickly and easily laser cut a variety of textiles to size. Materials can be also be given a high-quality finish with laser engraving thanks to the creation of a haptic effect. Whether you use it to engrave felt or to cut extravagant shapes out of polyester - the laser offers you incredible design possibilities. Synthetic substances react very well during processing. The laser beam fuses laser cutting edges on polyester and thereby prevents fraying.
Laser cutting textiles and fabrics: Suitable applications
- Cotton
- Felt
- Silk
- Linen
- Lace
- Polyester
- Fleece
- Softshell
- Jeans
- Alcantara
- Neoprene
Examples of laser engraved and laser cut fabrics and textiles
Laser cutting textiles: Application examples
Applications
When processing textiles, the laser excels with precision and flexibility. The laser beam melts the material while cutting. The results are clean, perfectly sealed edges. Laser engraving creates a tangible haptic effect. This way end products can be given a special finish.
- Clothing
- Curtains, drapes
- Decorations
- Promotional items
- Design
- Arts and crafts
- Automotive industry
Are there advantages to laser cutting textiles and fabrics??
There are many advantages. Single-layer laser cut fabrics are produced quicker than manual cutting with a knife, increasing productivity. Laser processing is a non-contact, tool-free process. Laser cut fabrics and textiles are not touched during laser cutting, meaning the material is not warped. The laser beam melts the material and the results are clean, perfectly sealed edges.
Function and advantages of laser technology
Perfect sealed edges when laser cutting tectiles and fabrics
- No fraying, no seams, no post-processing is required
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- The high-quality axis drive and intelligent routing of air flow of the Trotec lasers
Accurate contour cutting
- Accurate cutting of printed materials, such as flags or banners
- There is no need for positioning, distortions in the printed design are adjusted automatically
Advantages of a Trotec laser machine
- JobControl™ Vision camera system for perfect contour cutting of printed materials
Productive processing
- Laser cutting is faster than knife cutting
- Thanks to contactless machining there is no resistance from the material
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Speedy series: The fastest laser engravers available on the market with a maximum processing speed of 3.55m/sec and an acceleration of 5 g
Non-contact processing
- No time-consuming fixating of material in comparison to knife cutting
- No warping of the material
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- Multifunctional table concept for easy handling
Simple high-quality manufacturing
- Designs are created in the usual graphics program and sent via the print command to the laser
- Higher quality processing thanks to the haptic effect, which cannot be achieved with textile printing
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- JobControl® laser software: Simply intuitive. Work efficiently.
One tool for all geometries
- The tool's diameter does not have to be taken into account
- Depending on the lens used the laser beam is about 0.1 mm wide
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- High-quality optics and beam quality
No tool wear
- No wear of the laser beam results from the material processing
- No costs for new tools unlike with milling cutters
Advantages of a Trotec laser
- CeramiCore laser sources with a particularly long service life
"We were so impressed with the Speedy 100, our machine has been fantastic. It’s twice as fast as the old laser cutter we used to have, and production speeds and lead times have increased twofold as a result."- Di Oliver - production manager at Tando Creative -
"Our Trotec machine is streets ahead of the old machine we used to have in terms of the quality of engraving and the efficiency with which it operates. Any problems we’ve had have been dealt with swiftly, and Trotec’s friendly staff are always happy to help."- Lynn Walsh - Managing Director of History Craft -
"We chose Trotec because of the flexibility of the machine, the knowledge of the staff and the machine performance on demos in terms of speed, efficiency and quality of finish."- Alton Greenwood - Process Development Manager at SKF Aerospace -
Trotec product recommendation
Tips laser cutting textiles
Can all materials be lasered equally well?
Synthetic fabrics respond very well to processing. They often comprise plastics such as polyester. The laser beam melts polyester in a controlled manner, and this provides fiber-free, sealed edges. For organic fabrics such as cotton and linen, a brownish discolored cutting edge is obtained similar to when processing wood. This effect can be partially compensated by selecting the correct lens and laser parameters and using compressed air.
What must be taken into account when selecting neoprene?
Only SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) is suitable for laser processing. Please do not use any other neoprene blends, such as CR (chloroprene rubber) or SCR (styrene chloroprene rubber), as these are not suitable for laser processing.
Laserflexx – as easy as iron-ons
Laserflexx is a high-quality, multi-layered film that has been specifically designed for laser processing. Enrich textiles with designs of your choice, logos, and lettering with a screen-like finish. Optimal laser settings vary depending on the laser power and the speed of your laser plotter. We recommend processing from the bottom up while using the highest possible exhaust power setting. This way, any dust produced is no longer drawn across the area that has already been laser-processed.