Laser-engraved leather patches

Step by step instructions

This tutorial will show you how you can use your laser machine to create trendy leather patches for the fashion and textile industry.

Job preparation

Materials required:

Genuine leather (leftover pieces). Please note that any synthetic leathers or leathers that contain PVC cannot be processed with a laser system.
Tape to fix it, post-processing.
Needle and thread to sew the patch on.

Laser machine and accessories used:

Speedy 100 CO2 laser machine- 40 watts
2" lens
Honeycomb table

This sample requires the use of any laser machine from the Speedy laser engraver series.

Recommendations:

We recommend using the 2" lens to achieve a uniform appearance of the engraving, when working with larger material surfaces.

Step by Step

Step 1: File preparation and design importing

When working with files for this application, you can select one of your own designs or use our provided template. We engraved the material using the relief mode to obtain variation in color, and processed the piece in one pass. This technique saves processing time as well as increases efficiency by utilizing the machines programmed laser parameters. Please note that laser parameters can vary depending on the system being used as well as available laser power.

Print settings

Process mode	Resolution	Cut line
Relief	500 dpi	none

Halftone	Others
Color	Optimized geometries, inner geometries first

Tip:

To determine the proper values for relief mode engraving, use the grayscale matrix.

Step 2: Laser process the leather

Position the material within the laser systems work area and secure it in place using tape. To achieve a consistent engraving result, verify that the surface is as even as possible. Once the material is properly in place, engrave and cut the desired design. (Please note that laser parameters may vary depending on the system being used as well as available power).

Laser Parameters

Color	Process	Power (%)	Speed (%)	ppi/Hz
Black	Engrave CO2	50	50	500
Red	Cut CO2	50	1.5	1000

Passes	Air Assist	Z-Offset	Advanced
1	on	-	High quality
1	on	-	-

Step 3: Cleaning the material and sewing on

Once the patch has been laser processed, use a damp cloth to clean the material if necessary. The patch can then be sewn on to jackets, jeans, caps and many additional similar products using a needle and thread.

Inspiration

Creating individual leather patches with your Trotec laser system offers limitless possibilities, and you can use your system to produce highly customized logos for a start-up company or even sports memorabilia for a local team. Expand business opportunities by personalizing patches with unique texts or names to add extra value to you designs.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our addtional resources:

Leather applications Trotec DIY tutorials