Breather Cloth
Breather Cloth
Breather Cloth is a non-woven polyester material used in vacuum bagging applications to allow consistent airflow throughout the laminate during the curing process. Designed to maintain an even vacuum across the entire part, breather cloth helps remove trapped air and excess volatiles while improving laminate consolidation and surface quality.
It also acts as a cushioning layer within the vacuum bagging stack, protecting the bag film from sharp edges and helping ensure reliable vacuum performance.
Key Features
- Provides consistent airflow under vacuum
- Improves laminate consolidation and vacuum distribution
- Helps remove trapped air and excess resin vapours
- Soft, flexible, and easy to conform over complex shapes
- Can be used as breather and bleeder material
- Suitable for oven and elevated temperature curing processes
Typical Applications
- Vacuum bagging
- Prepreg laminating
- Composite repairs
- Tooling and mould manufacture
- Oven and autoclave curing processes
Why Use Breather Cloth
Breather cloth is essential in vacuum bagging systems to maintain even vacuum pressure throughout the laminate stack. Without proper airflow, vacuum pressure can become uneven, leading to:
- Air entrapment
- Poor consolidation
- Resin-rich areas
- Reduced laminate quality
Using breather cloth helps produce stronger, cleaner, and more consistent composite parts.
Performance & Compatibility
Suitable for use with:
- Epoxy resins
- Polyester resins
- Vinyl ester resins
Compatible with:
- Vacuum bagging films
- Peel ply
- Release films
- Infusion consumables
Available Options
- Lightweight and heavy-duty grades
- Various thicknesses available
- Standard roll widths for workshop and production use
Ironbark Tip
For best vacuum performance:
- Ensure breather cloth connects continuously to the vacuum port
- Avoid compressing airflow paths around corners or edges
- Combine with peel ply and release film for easier laminate finishing and cleanup
