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How flocking works

By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 11, 2007

High Point — At the most basic level, there are two types of flocking — mechanical and electrostatic.

Electrostatic is the type used for flat surfaces like textiles. In a nutshell, here's how it's done:

Millions of tiny cut fibers — frequently nylon — are charged in an electrical field and then propelled into an adhesive-coated substrate.

The length and thickness of the cut fibers determines the type of surface that will result —velvety smooth or otherwise, depending on the application and desired result. In addition to flat materials like fabric, paper, metal or foil, flocking can cover almost any three-dimensional object, inside or out. (For those applications, flocking is usually done mechanically.)

After the fibers are attached to the adhesive, all pointing in the appropriate direction, there is a drying process that fixes the fibers into the adhesive coating. Following drying, there can be a variety of finishing processes such as printing, embossing, and foil and air embossing.

This illustration is a simple representation of a typical electrostatic flocking range.

Illustration courtesy American Flock Assn.

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