Project Development & Realisation
On-Trend
Fur & Leather will be big in
Winter 15/16 and innovation
will be the focus.
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ers
Testing the Laser Cutting of Different Leathers
Evaluation
Deer Hide
The laser did not cut all the way through
three cells of the geometric design so that
digital design integrity and definition is poor.
This is probably due to variations in the
thickness of the corium.
The laser cutting did not affect the integrity
of the leather material i.e.:
 it did not scorch or mark the surrounding
surface areas
 the surrounding areas did not become
hard or brittle.
Whilst those sections that the laser did
manage to cut through cleanly had good
definition, the issue of corium thickness
variance renders it unsuitable for application
to peplum, collar or other modular plug-in
application for my MDP.
Aim
The aim of this experiment is to determine the
most appropriate type of leather for constructing
a modular peplum and collar plug in to which a
digital design is to be laser cut. The experiment
seeks to:
 identify the most suitable type of leather to
apply a laser cut digital design for the
making of a modular peplum and collar plug
in
 understand how different leathers behave
when treated with laser.
Criteria for Evaluation



Quality of design definition – aesthetic and
functional.
Appearance retention post treatment with
laser.
Retention of leather suppleness and handle
properties post laser treatment
Materials and Tools
Patent Leather
The patent leather cut cleanly to produce
good digital design definition.
The patent leather however, did not react
well to the laser with the:
 surrounding areas of the design
becoming brittle and hard
 patent gloss on the areas immediately
surrounding the laser cut sections have
become dull.
The dulling of the patent is probably the
result of a breakdown of the surface lacquer
that produces the shine. The brittleness may
be a consequence of a chemical reaction
between the lacquer and the corium which
has been activated by the heat of the laser.
These factors combined make the patent
unsuitable for a laser cut application.
Goatskin Chamois
The goatskin chamois cut well with little or
no surface marking to be seen or hardening
or brittleness of the surrounding skin.
The longer surface tendrils occasioned by
opening up the collagen fibres of the corium,
have however, produced a small amount of
edge “furriness” in sections, detracting from
the cleanness of the design.
This factor makes it unsuitable for a plug in
application to which a laser cut design is to
be applied.
Sueded Pigskin
The pigskin cut cleanly to produce good
digital design definition.
There is no evidence of surface marking,
hardening or brittleness of the surrounding
skin.
There is a small amount of edge furriness.
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
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Adobe Illustrator
Laser cutter
Leather – different types (sueded pigskin,
patent leather, goat skin chamois, deer hide)
Leather
Leather is the skin of an animal that is
commonly used in apparel and footwear and is
divided into two categories: hides and skins.
Hides are from large animals such as cows and
are thicker than skins. Skins are from smaller
animals such as sheep or goats and are thinner
than hides.
Animal skin comprises three layers: the outer
layer or epidermis, the middle layer or corium
and the bottom layer or flesh.
Tanning is a chemical process that stops the
natural decay process of raw skin. The skin is
prepared for tanning by scraping away the hair
and epidermis and cutting away the flesh. This
leaves the corium layer for tanning. The corium
comprises collagen fibres of helically twisted
protein bipolymers which are chemically linked
giving strength and flexibility.
The dermis has two layers: the papillary layer is
the outermost layer and gives the distinctive
grain pattern that you see on a piece of leather.
The grain is due to the way hair grows on
different animals. The thickness and strength of
a piece of leather is in the fibre network layer,
which consists of long wavy bundles of collagen
fibrils, arranged in a network perpendicular to
the surface.
Suede is a tanned skin that has been further
processed to raise and open the surface
collagen fibres of the corium. Natural skin
suedes have a soft velvety surface and carry a
grain that creates shading depending on the
way the sueded surface fibres lay.
Patent leather has a glossy, varnished surface.
It is tanned in the same way as other leathers
except for the final finishing stage when it is
coated with a lacquer to give it its characteristic
glossiness
After tanning, leathers are frequently dressed, or
treated with fatty substances, to improve their
flexibility and resistance to water and wear.
Conclusion
The sueded pigskin and the goatskin chamois produced the best results when laser cut. Both resulted in a clean cut with no surface marking,
hardening or brittleness occurring in the leather in the sections adjacent to the line of cutting. Whilst the laser cutting caused some edge
furriness in both materials, it is only very moderate. As a material for laser cutting a digital design into, both leathers would make a suitable
choice. For my MDP however, I have decided to go with the sueded pigskin because of the colour palette the skin is available in and because of
its good drape and handle – not too limp, but not too heavy.
20140812 V2 Laser Experimentation Plug Ins with Leather A3.docx
Page
Research & Experimentation Modular Plug Ins with Laser Cut Design
Laser Result