Guidelines for Capturing Fabric Textures

Use a flatbed scanner to ensure the highest quality capture.

Fabric must be a minimum of 2” x 2” (5 cm x 5 cm) in size. For printed fabric, the full repeat in all directions must be present in the scan so the print can be repeated correctly in 3D.

Fabric must be the final treated fabric.

Fabric must be clean and free of:

Iron the fabric if necessary.

Use a lint roller or tape to remove any visible lint or hair on the swatch.

Make sure no bowing or defects are present in the swatch being scanned.

Lay the fabric flat on the scanner, checking again that there are no wrinkles or folds.

For example, the scans shown in the following image are unacceptable scans for 3D material creation.

Scan fabrics at a minimum resolution of 600 DPI. The final image must not be blurry, and the fabric weave/knit detail should be clear and recognizable.

If a fabric has different textures on its face and back, you should capture the image of each side.

Lighting in the scanner must be uniform so the scanned fabric is evenly lit. There should be no shadows apparent in the scan.

Save the scan using your company’s naming convention, noting the location for easy access in the future.