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Press forming of thermoplastic textile composites is a fast and efficient method of production. Friction occurring between the composite material and pressure blank-holder during forming imparts tensile stresses in the sheet which help counteract compressive stresses generated by material deformation; stresses that can result in unwanted wrinkling of the forming sheet. In order to model the press forming process and optimise boundary conditions, this friction behaviour must be characterised and modelled. Two different test methods are employed to characterise the friction and two complementary modelling strategies, an empirical and a predictive approach, are presented.