2.2.1. Optimization of Drug Loading

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and fabric strings were cut into a length of 4 cm and marked up to a height of 2 cm (Supplementary Figure S1A). The dipping solution (2 mg/mL fluticasone in acetone/PLGA 1:5 *w/w*; 10 mL) was introduced in a 20 mL scintillation vial and the strings were immersed in the solution and incubated at room temperature for different time durations ranging from 1 min to 24 h (Supplementary Figure S1D). The strings were subsequently removed from the solution and allowed to dry at room temperature (RT) for 24 h. To investigate the effect of successive dipping of strings in the drug solution on percent drug loading, strings were subjected to a repeated dipping process. In this process, strings were incubated in the drug solution for a predetermined duration, removed, then reintroduced again in the solution and finally dried at RT. Various incubation times (1 min, 24 h), time between the repeated incubations (3, 10, 30 s), and number of incubation iterations (1 vs. 6) were investigated to optimize the amount of fluticasone loading onto the string.
