Wildcard Week: 3D Printing on Fabric

For Wildcard Week, I experimented with 3D printing directly onto fabric using a Bambu Lab 3D printer. This technique blends rigid and soft materials, making it useful for wearable tech, artistic elements, and flexible enclosures.

Material and Tools Used

  • Fabric: Velvet-like textile (soft and slightly textured)
  • Filament: PLA, 1.75 mm
  • Printer: Bambu Lab X1 Carbon

Experimentation Process

I ran three main experiments to test the effectiveness of printing on fabric:

  1. Experiment 1 – Minecraft Sword: I printed a Minecraft sword design where the middle section was replaced with fabric. The idea was to combine rigid edges with a soft, flexible center. The alignment worked visually, but the fabric wasn’t tightly fixed and caused uneven layers.
  2. Experiment 2 – Cut Heart Shapes: I tried printing small heart shapes on the fabric, which had some pre-cut details. However, the fabric was not properly secured and shifted during printing, causing the nozzle to miss and exposing the cuts.
  3. Experiment 3 – Fixed Fabric with Magnets and Tape: I repeated the heart shapes, this time fixing the fabric tightly using magnets and heat-resistant tape directly on the build plate. This approach stabilized the fabric and allowed clean, successful prints with proper adhesion and alignment.

Printing Method

I used a simple but effective technique to integrate fabric mid-print:

  • I sliced the design using Bambu Studio with standard PLA settings.
  • During printing, I paused the print manually after the first few layers (around 1 mm height).
  • I then carefully placed the fabric on the build plate, securing it flat with magnets and heat-resistant tape.
  • Once the fabric was secured and flat, I resumed the print. The nozzle continued printing over the fabric, successfully bonding the PLA to the textile surface.

Results and Observations

  • The PLA adhered well to the velvet-like surface due to the fabric’s texture and grip.
  • Proper fixing is critical—loose fabric leads to shifted layers or nozzle collisions.
  • The final result in Experiment 3 produced smooth, clean prints that merged soft and rigid elements elegantly.

Applications

  • Wearable designs (e.g., logos, patches, or decorative panels)
  • Textile-integrated enclosures or soft pouches
  • Soft robotics or artistic textile works

Reflection

3D printing on fabric was an exciting and hands-on experience. The process of pausing the print and integrating materials mid-process required attention to detail and timing. I learned the importance of fabric stability, nozzle clearance, and surface selection. Next, I’d like to experiment with TPU or conductive filament to explore more functional wearable applications.