Effect of CO₂ Laser Treatment on the Fabric Hand of Cotton and Cotton/Polyester Blended Fabric

Polymers (Basel). 2017 Nov 13;9(11):609. doi: 10.3390/polym9110609.

Abstract

This paper compares the impact of laser treatment on cotton and cotton/polyester blended fabric hand properties, using the PhabrOmeter system. Five fabric hand properties, namely, stiffness, smoothness, softness, wrinkle recovery rate, and drapability, were obtained, and it was proven that laser treatment could be successfully used to change the fabric hand. In the case of pure cotton woven fabrics, the fabrics were found to have better drapability and wrinkle recovery after laser treatment. In cotton/polyester blended fabrics, stiffness was found to be relatively higher after laser irradiation.

Keywords: CO2 laser; PhabrOmeter; blended fabric; cotton; fabric hand; polyester; woven.