Performance, ecology and fashion the focus for Clariant at ACLE 2010
22/07/2010
Visitors to its stand (E10 Hall W2) will be able to gather information about the forecasts the company has put together for leather for the autumn-winter 2011–2012 season. Clariant’s contributions to a greener world, through products that allow producers to eliminate salt during tanning or developing NMP-free topcoats for example, will also feature.
Wet-end developments show that Clariant continues to use leading-edge technology to provide chemicals that meet today’s requirements for ecological, innovative and aesthetically pleasing leathers, while giving the tanner “maximum added value and process simplicity”.
But the company has also made it clear that at this edition of ACLE, it will introduce “a step-change innovation in tanning”. This is a reference to the forthcoming launch of a new technology that generates a leaner, faster and cleaner process than ever before, it claims. The process does not require a pickle stage and therefore eliminates the need for salt. This provides a more environmentally friendly and safer tanning process for a wide range of leather types such as shoe upper, hand bags, suede, automotive, garments and so on.
Clariant also offers collections called Natural Nappa and Superb Sofa, produced using its retanning and fatliquoring systems, Tergotan PMB and Tergotan TSP. These “intelligent polymer” retanning agents deliver softness, tightness and grain pattern evenly.
Tergotan PO-60, a brand new development, is a true retanning and softening polymer that gives superb softness and tightness when used as a replacement for conventional retanning agents and fatliquors. On a phenol and formaldehyde free basis, it can meet even the toughest ecological legislation, Clariant says. In combination with the company’s specialty fatliquoring systems featuring the new Derminol SO-31, a softening synthetic fatliquor, it claims to offer total solutions for all nappa and sofa requirements.
To meet current market trends for vegetable type leathers Clariant will also present a full range of new articles with a classical vegetable look and feel using new specialty fatliquors, Derminol DDS and Derminol PUA. These products, along with innovative processing techniques, offer tanners the opportunity to produce beautiful vegetable-type articles with the simplicity and economy of traditional chrome leathers, according to the chemicals provider.
Innovations for the topcoat market include NMP-free products that improve aesthetics and physical performance. Clariant’s Aqualen topcoat range meets strict customer requirements without the use of phthalates, alkylphenolethoxylates, and NMP, and with very low volatile organic compounds (VOC) levels. These benefits support finishers’ efforts to comply with current and future market specifications.
The company’s new topcoat system based on Aqualen Top DC-2050.B (dull) and Aqualen Top GC-2051.A (gloss) is a brand new development especially for soft leathers such as furniture leather or shoe upper nappas.
Both products can be mixed in any ratio to adjust the desired level of gloss or dullness. Common to both products and therefore the whole system is the very elegant optic achieved as a result of the softness, very high resistance to rubbing and flexing, no hardening even after long period of time, and a very natural appearance and pleasant feel.
To support the market’s drive for greater environmental care and trouble-free embossing and milling, Clariant’s new aqueous Aqualen Top IL provides an easy and effective intermediate lacquer for base-coated leathers without the use of solvents.
Performing similarly to commonly-used emulsion lacquers in terms of plate release milling behaviour, Aqualen Top IL only needs to be diluted with water before it is ready for use as a substitute for intermediate coats based on nitro-cellulose emulsion lacquers.
Elegant upgrading continues to play an important role in today’s leather manufacture. The importance of cutting yield and increased profitability are still at the forefront of Clariant’s finishing developments. Finishing techniques for upgrading using Melio Aquabase and Melio Ground systems provide solutions for lower-grade raw materials. Customers can take advantage of the outstanding upgrading and natural looks obtained with Clariant’s highly innovative cationic pre-base compound Melio Ground UP.
Another innovation is to use Melio Aquabase to hide defects. Melio Aquabase M-90 is applied by hand with a spatula. The application is extremely simple due to its special composition, which allows application without drying too quickly and enables buffing without smearing. Melio Aquabase M-90 is suitable for a wide range of leathers, including automotive, shoe upper and upholstery leathers.
There is also a new water-based wax with excellent burnishability along with high gloss and a natural waxy touch that make it suitable for both shoe and upholstery leathers. Clariant’s new Melio 06-F-88 gives versatility and ease of use to the Finisher.
Two new developments complement Clariant’s aqueous topcoat systems. Melio WF-5238, a highly concentrated silicone with a luxurious smooth feel which also improves physical properties of aqueous topcoats, and Melio WF-5243, an additive with a natural pleasant feel and the ‘wet touch’ that now features strongly in customer requirements.
Supronil HK dyes will also be on show in Shanghai.
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