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WF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
All the illustrated colours in
Clariant’s Global Color Card show wet
end formulations achieved with the
Melioderm dyestuff range. The
finishing recipes are based on
Clariant’s Neosan 2000 and PPE
Pigment range.
MERINO LEATHER OFFERS
NEW POTENTIAL
Merino wool supplier New Zealand
Merino has been working on how to
make use of the skin of merino sheep.
While merino skins have historically
been regarded as useless, New
Zealand Light Leathers managing
director Neil Dickson believes there is
“real potential” that as yet has been
left untapped. Merino skin was
challenging to work with but it had a
wonderful natural texture, he stated.
New Zealand Light Leathers, which
is based at Washdyke in South
Canterbury, was established in 1974,
initially processing the South Island
lamb kill. In 2004, operations were
restructured to concentrate on
deerskin and it claims to be the
world's largest supplier of deer leather
from New Zealand farmed deer.
BASF LEATHER TRENDS FOR
AUTUMN-WINTER 2013–14
Specialty chemicals manufacturer
BASF has launched a new version of
its ‘Inspirations for Leather, Edition
Friuli’ publication, unveiling its trend
forecasts for the autumn-winter 2013-
14 fashion season. The predictions are
based on three major themes, which it
has called New Aristocracy, Clean
Attitude and Metallic Moon.
“This season is inspired by great
contrasts between outright opulence
and sophistication represented by
New Aristocracy, and the desire for
aesthetic simplicity together with a
strong ethical edge from Clean
Attitude,” according to the company.
“Virtual reality, fantasy worlds with
space journeys cloaked in nebulae
and technological innovations imbue
this season with optimism, with
colour combinations that are full of
brightness,
iridescence
and
luminosity emerging in Metallic
Moon.”
The colour inspiration for New
Aristocracy feeds off combinations of
metallic greys and golds. Hennas and
coppers combine with Prussian blues
“that hint at military undertones”,
along with gold stripes. Opulent red
and dark aubergine ranges are
lightened
by
orange’s
“more
aristocratic side”. Gold combines with
deep blacks.
In Clean Attitude, serene and
luxurious combinations highlight “the
purity and balance” of the designs.
Bluish greys mix with fragments of
khaki and modern earth tones. Flesh
tones contrast with “simple, timeless”
dark brown.
“Holographics
and
feminine
combinations of colours” emphasise
green and pinks in Metallic Moon.
Other combinations include blue
shades with silver, white lunar ranges
with metallic sparkles, and pairings of
red, silver and violet.
Colours in each of these ranges come
in matt and metallic versions.
50
WORLD FOOTWEAR | JULY/AUGUST 2012
LANXESS RESPONDS TO
DEMAND FOR WIDER
RANGE OF PATENT
LEATHER
Leather chemicals manufacturer
Lanxess has launched a new range
of finishing products specifically to
allow tanners to extend their patent
leather offerings. “Patent leather is a
fashion classic, especially for shoes
and bags,” the company said.
“However, gone are the days when
consumers were satisfied with
standard black or white. Now they
want bright colours, special effects,
or a matt or deep lustre. In addition
to mastering these challenges,
leather manufacturers today have to
satisfy
numerous
technical
requirements, too, as patent
leathers are also expected to have
good lightfastness, cold flex
resistance, heat stability and
elasticity.”
The Lanxess range of products has
Baygen at its core, a patent finish
with two-component aromatic and
aliphatic polyurethane systems. Base coats, based on Baygen Compact, give
uniform, elastic films. Acrylic-based Baygen Compact CC2, for example,
provides transparent, medium-hard films with good adhesion, especially for
full grain leather and small skins. The range also includes general-purpose
products such as Baygen Top U 01 and specialties such as Baygen Top MS for
use in top coats. The gloss level of the patent finish can be adjusted by
varying the mixing ratio of these two grades.
Customised components are available for brilliant white and black
lacquers with covering power or for special, thermally resistant
formulations.
Lanxess’ Bayderm Finish F2 is an aqueous polyurethane system that
makes it possible to produce high-gloss patent leather by roll-coating or
spraying rather than curtain-coating process. The resultant lacquer coat is
transparent and has high levels of mechanical fastness.
The finishing products for patent leather are rounded off by acrylic blends
from the Primal Prebottom range for tightening the grain (impregnation) and
by Baygen X-Grade ST, a system specially modified for patent leather for
concealing hide defects. The filling effect of all the X-Grade brands is based
on a microcapsule technology that was specially developed for use on
leather. A wide range of colours and individual effects can be obtained with
the anionic Levaderm dyestuffs.
Patent leather is in high demand for
shoes and boots.
CREDIT: PAKERSON/MICAM