Hard Finish Micro Fiber Leather Substitutes from Kuraray
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 12.17.05
This just out of Tokyo: "Kuraray [has] announced...TIRRENINA, a new type of artificial leather. Produced using the company's proprietary manufacturing process, the new product is made of Kuraray's unique microfiber to give texture and appearance comparable to natural leather while preserving the functionality of artificial leather. In order to reduce harmful emissions, the company has refrained from using any organic solvent in the fiber. The company anticipates a variety of applications for the product, ranging from car seats and interior textile to sportswear, bags as well as IT product materials". The Kurararay company's US division directed us to this web promo. which depicts their "Clarino" line of artificial leathers (click on the artificial leathers link to see the animated application examples that we can't link to directly). Artificial leathers to-date have been primarily of the "suede" variety, such as we have covered here on TreeHugger. Although we can't verify the environmental "footprint" of Clarino products, one thing is certain: this is a killer app for the vegan market. We're thinking of the boots, the saddle, the crop, and the belt all at once. Of course it's going to start with upscale. But what new product does not begin that way, stuggling for media attention? Even at TreeHugger.
