Textile Mold

This process involves molding multi-layered fabric materials using a vacuum forming method. A specialized cloth composite is drawn into a pre-heated mold through vacuum pressure applied between the mold surface and the fabric. The composite typically consists of a fabric layer made from heat-flexible fibers—where the stitch structure has not been previously thermally set—bonded with a polyurethane (PU) foam layer and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film layer.

The composite material is heated to a temperature equal to or exceeding the higher of the thermal set points of the fabric layer and the PVC film. This ensures that both layers soften and become formable. Once the material conforms precisely to the mold’s contours, it is cooled within the mold to solidify the shape.

The heating and subsequent cooling steps effectively set the fabric’s stitch and overall structure to match the mold’s geometry. Following this, liquid polyurethane foam may be introduced into the mold cavity, where it expands and cures to form components such as seat cushions, panels, or other upholstered parts with complex shapes and integrated surface finishes.

This technique is commonly used in automotive, furniture, and interior design industries, offering both structural integrity and aesthetic surface detailing in a single molding cycle.