Materials for Artificial Leather Manufacturing
Due to its low cost, highly close match in look, hand feel and mechanical performance with real leather, as well as sustainability (non-animal source), artificial leather (synthetic leather) has been gaining popularity in many applications ranging from car upholstery, to clothing, furnishing, footwear, baggage, gallery etc. Although there are many names being used for artificial leathers, including "leatherette", "faux leather", "vegan leather", "PU leather" and "pleather”, they all fall under 3 categories based on the binder polymer used - PU (polyurethane), PU and PVC (polyvinylchloride) hybrid, and PVC artificial leather. Traditional processes, wet or dry, have been solvent based, using such toxic solvents as dimethylformamide (DMF), toluene, etc. Over the years, using high solid content water based polyurethane dispersion (PUD), water based processes have evolved and now can essentially replace all the solvent process without impacting on the artificial leathers’ mechanical properties, soft feel, breathability and other performance parameters. Additional advantages of using PUDs in making artificial leather are energy and operational cost savings as well as being easier to comply with increasingly stricter environment and health regulations. We supply a range of these new generation of PUDs to provide excellent performance: good mechanical properties, flexibility, soft feel, good compatibility with UV stabilizer, flame retardant, dynes, additives or other ionic substrates, besides being environment and health friendly. In addition, we also supply key additives, such as colorants, UV stabilizers and flame retardants for artificial leather manufacturing. Click below to check out our selective raw materials for manufacturing of artificial leathers.