This page describes a laser cutting setting published for Coton / Denim at 1 mm, tested on a Monport Onyx 55W fitted with a CO2 55W source (10,600 nm CO2, 55 W). It states the exact machine, source, material, thickness and operation of the test; power, speed and number of passes are shown with a Premium pass.
Why those four facts matter: a cutting setting that works on Coton / Denim at 1 mm does not transfer to another thickness, nor to another source. A 10,600 nm CO2 rated 55 W does not deposit the same energy as a stronger module, and the speed has to be adjusted accordingly. Copying a number without checking those four points is the first cause of a ruined part.
Published by LaserSettings (estimation). No other workshop has confirmed it yet: treat it as a starting point, and confirm it from your account if you reproduce it.
No photo comes with this setting yet. If you reproduce it, publish yours from your account: a picture of the result is worth more than a line of numbers.
Recommended routine before running the part: clean the lens, redo the focus, engrave a small test grid on an offcut of the same Coton / Denim, then adjust the speed rather than the power. Work with fume extraction and air assist, wear glasses rated for 10,600 nm CO2, and never leave the machine unattended.
Monport offers enclosed CO2 machines (often 40 to 100 W, water-cooled) and fibre markers, priced below the long-established builders. CO2 tubes age: at the same displayed power, a two-year-old machine cuts slower than on day one, which explains many gaps between published settings.
A laser does two very different things on cotton: cut pieces with clean edges, and above all bleach denim to create patterns — an effect impossible to achieve otherwise at this level of detail.
The principle is not to burn but to remove indigo from the surface of the yarn. At very low power and high speed the laser lightens the fabric without damaging it: you get a photographic gradient, adjustable through power alone.
Always run a test gradient on an offcut of the same garment: two jeans of the same apparent colour react differently depending on dye and washing.
On a garment, keep the fabric taut and the focal distance constant: a single fold creates a darker patch in the middle of the pattern.
Cotton cuts at very low power. The edge is not heat-sealed as on synthetics: it will fray, so plan a seam or hem.
Fabric shifts and lifts even more easily than paper. A heavy frame, magnets or temporary adhesive backing are essential for an accurate cut.
Beware of water- or stain-repellent treated fabrics: the treatment is sometimes a fluorinated or chlorinated compound of unknown composition.