I. Raw Materials: From PET chips to single filaments
The core raw material of 3D net fabric is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chips, which are the processed products of petrochemicals. These chips are dried and melted before entering the spinning process.
Spinning is the first process of 3D net fabric production and is the source that determines the quality of the product. The PET chips melt in high temperature to become a melt, which is extruded through the spinneret to form continuous fine filaments. These filaments go through multiple processes such as cooling, oiling, bundling, pre-stretching, one-time stretching, and two-time stretching, and finally are wound into a single filament roll and enter the next stage.
II. Weaving: Prepare for weaving
The spun single filaments cannot be directly put on the loom for weaving. They need to go through the weaving process.
Weaving is to roll the single filaments in a certain density and sequence on the warp shaft to provide "raw material discs" for the loom. This process seems simple, but it directly affects the efficiency and quality of the subsequent weaving and the final product. Uneven tension during weaving will cause the woven 3D net fabric to have inconsistent tightness and uneven thickness.
III. Warp Knitting: One-time formation
Warp knitting is the core technical process of 3D net fabric production and is the key difference between 3D net fabric and ordinary fabrics.
3D net fabric is woven using a double-needle bed warp knitting machine. The double-needle bed warp knitting machine has two needle beds that can work simultaneously. During the weaving process, the upper needle bed weaves the surface fabric, the lower needle bed weaves the bottom fabric, and the intermediate single filaments are introduced through the spacing yarn guide comb to form a vertical three-dimensional supporting structure. The upper, lower layers and the intermediate connecting single filaments are formed in one go, forming the unique "sandwich" structure of 3D net fabric - the upper mesh, the intermediate single filament support, and the lower plain fabric.
The precision of this process directly affects the porosity, ventilation capacity and thickness uniformity of 3D net fabric.
IV. Shaping: Give the material a stable form
The 3D net fabric that comes off the warp knitting machine is still in a "fluffy" state and the structure is not stable. The shaping process turns the net fabric into the form we see.
Shaping is to send the woven 3D net fabric to the high-temperature shaping equipment and perform heat shaping treatment at the set temperature to make the material reach the design requirements for flatness, recovery rate and dimensional stability.
The three parameters of temperature, speed and tension must be precisely controlled. Too high a temperature will damage the fibers, and too low a temperature will result in insufficient shaping.
V. Post-treatment and Finished Product Processing
After shaping, 3D net fabric still needs to go through multiple post-treatment processes, including cutting, inspection, cutting and rolling.
Cutting: Cut the shaped wide net fabric according to customer requirements.
Inspection: Conduct a comprehensive inspection of the net fabric, including key indicators such as ventilation rate, recovery rate, color fastness and thickness deviation.
Cutting or rolling: Cut to specific sizes according to customer requirements or roll into finished products.
Some 3D net fabrics also need to undergo functional composite processing, such as antibacterial, flame retardant and UV resistance functional treatments.
VI. The value of the entire industrial chain: One-stop delivery from source to terminal
The complete production process of 3D net fabric involves spinning, weaving, warp knitting, shaping, post-treatment and many other stages. In the industry, most manufacturers only have the ability to weave a single process, rely on external purchase for raw materials, and outsource the later processes.
However, 3D net fabric manufacturers with a complete industrial chain capability have broken through the "spinning - weaving - shaping - finished product processing" complete loop. From raw fibers to the final product, all stages are completed within the same factory and under the same management system. This not only ensures controllable batch color variations and predictable delivery times, but also means that customers do not need to coordinate with the spinning factory, weaving factory, finishing factory, and composite factory - as long as a command is given, all stages respond synchronously.
From PET chips to 3D mesh fabric products, there are 56 processes that are closely linked. Behind each process, there is continuous investment in equipment precision, process parameters, and quality control systems.
3D mesh fabric has been widely applied in mattresses, pillows, automotive seats, filtration systems, and other fields. The global market size of 3D mesh fabric is approximately 7.025 billion yuan in 2025. With the continuous expansion of downstream scenarios such as new energy vehicles and smart home, the market space for 3D mesh fabric is still expanding.