3D Printing for Kiswah Adornment: An Applied Investigation into Additive Manufacturing as an Alternative to Gold Thread Embroidery

This investigation assesses the technical feasibility of employing additive manufacturing for components traditionally produced via gold thread embroidery, specifically for the Kiswah's adornment. The conventional gold and silver thread embroidery faces significant challenges, including vulnerability to ultraviolet, thermal, and hydric degradation, alongside a contracting artisanal labor pool, leading to substantial annual renewal costs. The research systematically evaluates three distinct 3D printable material systems: gold-look polylactic acid (PLA) processed through fused deposition modeling, ultraviolet-stabilized photopolymer resin loaded with metallic pigment processed via stereolithography (SLA), and metal-loaded glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG-Cu). A comprehensive 12-month outdoor exposure protocol was implemented in Makkah, subjecting 24 printed test specimens, alongside four traditional embroidered control specimens,

to environmental conditions. Periodic instrumental assessments were conducted to monitor critical material properties, including colour change (delta E), gloss retention, adhesion to the silk substrate, and dimensional stability. The findings indicate that while all three printed material systems exhibited measurable degradation, UV-stabilized SLA resin and PETG-Cu demonstrated superior performance in maintaining colour and adhesion, suggesting their potential as viable alternatives for specific applications in textile adornment.

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