The use of laser in garment manufacturing: an overview

Introduction Laser is being used in apparel industry from ninenteenth century. Recently the use of laser in apparel industry is increasing in cutting garment patterns, patterning designer neckties, 3D body scanning, denim fading and engraving leather (Nayak and Khandual 2010; Istook and Hwang 2001; Simmons and Istook 2003; Ortiz-Morales et al. 2003; Ozguney 2007; Bahtiyari 2011). The major reasons for wide application of laser in garment industries may be due to reduced cost, flexibility and anti-counterfeiting (Kovacs et al. 2006; Tarhan and Sarıışık, 2009; Yuan et al. 2012). For example the artwork of highend necktie producers are digitally stored rather than physical patterns to lower the theft risk. When needed, the digital patterns are converted into physical samples using lasers (Lucas et al. 2015; Kan 2015). Recently, the application of laser in denim engraving is increasing rapidly for value addition by replacing the traditional denim-distressing technics, which will take the denim segment to a height of sophistication that can never be realised by non-laser methods (Kan 2014a). The unique nature of the garment manufacturing industry needs laser applications, which combines performance with reduced cost by eliminating the handling systems used in non-laser workstations. Abstract