Effects of laser treatment on fabric characteristics and performance

In most of the applications, textiles require specific surface preparation to control designated categories of fabric performance – for example, dye uptake and retention, adhesion and wettability – or various organoleptic properties specific to the targeted end use of the fabric. There are several methods available to apply patterns and improve color control and retention on a fabric. Among the various methods for modification of surfaces of synthetic or natural fibers, laser treatment facilitating the fabric dyeing and finishing has found increasingly broad applications in the past few years. This study examined the effects of laser treatment on fabric surface in the context of changes in organoleptic fabric properties, including shape and dimensions retention, deformability, shape conformation or drapeability and other properties commonly considered as ‘hand feel’. One cotton fabric and two polyester/cotton blended fabrics were treated with laser and evaluated by the Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabric (KES-F) and by PhabrOmeter, which were used to test the hand feel value of the fabric. It was found through this work that the fabric's hand feel decreases with increase of pixel resolution and the energy density associated with the laser power output and time of fabric exposure to laser treatment.