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

Fabric hand has been recognized as one of the most important performance attributes of apparel
textiles. It is defined as “perceived overall fabric aesthetic quality”. The quality of the textile material is
mainly perceived by touching and has a direct impact on the product’s appeal. 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. Results obtained for
the fabric hand properties demonstrate that laser treatment can be successfully used to change
different aspects of the fabrics including stiffness, smoothness, softness, drapability, and wrinkle
recovery.