Because natural rare leather is very expensive, it is common in the bag industry to carry out texture design and processing on basic leather such as cow and sheep to enrich the visual effect of leather.
Artificial leather also through a variety of processing technology highly imitates the texture and performance of natural leather, thus forming a variety of leather texture processing technology.
1. Finishing process
The surface of the leather grain surface is partially ground away to form "glossy leather", the characteristic is that the surface is flat and smooth, without pores and leather grain, after grinding surface trimming, spraying a layer of colored resin to cover the surface grain of the leather, and then spraying water-based light transparent resin, so it is a higher grade leather.
Especially the glossy cowhide looks bright and dazzling, noble and gorgeous style, and is a popular leather for fashion luggage.
2. Trimming process
The production requirements of the trim process with the trim leather, but the processing techniques on the leather surface are numerous, to form a variety of popular texture effects, but because of the thicker coating its wear resistance and breathability are poor, is a middle-grade leather.
The common finishing process has the semi-formed leather after the coating through the process of washing and other processes to form a two-color process; in the original film and mechanical force pulls out the cracks and then decorates the crack process; in the effect, layer to add metal powder, issued a golden luster of the metal effect process; leather or PU leather and other materials on the paint lacquer processing technology, its characteristics are bright color, natural finish, waterproof and moisture-proof, not easy to deformation and easy color migration.
The wax film process that rolls a layer of oil wax on the surface of the leather, and then folds or creases the wax film effect; the antique process that makes the dark pattern or antique color in the middle coating part when the middle coating is not transparent.
In addition, leather can also use special printing technology to simulate the texture of nature or decorate artificial patterns and other processes.
3. Embossing process
The metal embossing plate with pattern (aluminum, copper) is in a special embossing machine, then the natural leather or artificial leather sheet is fed into the machine, in the leather surface for heating and pressing out a variety of imitation natural leather textures.
This process usually uses cowhide and other conventional leather to imitate the more valuable crocodile, ostrich, python, and other leather or used to transform the surface damage to the leather, on the one hand, to enhance the utilization of leather; on the other hand, to meet the fashion needs at the same time, to reduce the hunting of rare animals.
This process produces leather grain size that can be controlled, due to the size of the embossing plate and lead to a certain atmosphere of the grain will have a circular repetition phenomenon; like the python texture of the tiny scales feel need to be embossed and then cut out by hand with a blade.
4. Split layer process
The term "split layer process" refers to the splitting of thick leather with a piece of leather machinery; the first layer is used to produce full grain leather, trimmed leather, and finished leather; the second layer is produced into two-layer leather and film leather after several processing steps, such as coating or lamination; it has a poor fastness and wear resistance but is the least expensive of the leathers.
The change of process also made various grades of varieties, such as imported two-layer leather, because of the unique process, stable quality, novel varieties, and other characteristics, and become the current high-end leather, price and grade are no less than the first layer of leather.
5. Suede leather
Suede leather refers to leather with a suede surface. The use of leather front (growth hair or scale side) made by grinding leather is called positive velvet; the use of leather reverse (meat side) made by grinding leather is called reverse velvet.
It is called two-layer suede when it is made of two-layer leather, mostly made of pigskin, cowhide, and sheepskin by chrome tanning method. Since suede has no coating layer, its breathability is better and its softness is more improved, but its waterproof, dustproof, and maintenance are worse, and the firmness of positive suede without grain surface is lower and the easy maintenance is worse.
The suede has an elegant and generous appearance and good breathability, but it is easy to dirty and has bad maintenance, and the suede is easy to fall after encountering water.
