Methods of forming an artificial leather substrate from leather waste and products therefrom
Methods of making an artificial leather substrate from leather waste (e.g., shavings, such as wet blue, and/or pulverized trim scrap) and products formed using the artificial leather substrate are disclosed. In one example, the artificial leather substrate comprises a composite web comprising leather waste mixed with a lightweight web, a lightweight web atop the composite web, and another lightweight web atop the first lightweight web. A method of making the artificial leather substrate includes the steps of mixing one or more fiber components, leather shavings, and/or pulverized leather trim scrap to form the composite web; needle punching the composite web; and bonding the composite web.
1. A method for forming a nonwoven artificial leather substrate, the method comprising:
(a) forming a lightweight web comprising one or more fiber components;
(b) forming a composite web by adding leather shavings and/or pulverized leather trim scrap to the lightweight web by one or more of:
(i) depositing leather shavings and/or pulverized leather trim scrap onto the lightweight web prior to the crosslapping of step (c); and/or
(ii) adding leather shavings and/or pulverized leather trim scrap to the lightweight web during the crosslapping of step (c);
(c) crosslapping the composite web to form a crosslapped web;
(d) needle punching the crosslapped web to form a nonwoven fabric;
(e) crosslapping the nonwoven fabric in preparation for bonding; and
(f) bonding the nonwoven fabric by one or more of:
(i) hydroentangling; and/or
(ii) saturating with a binder, resin, or combinations thereof;
to form a nonwoven artificial leather substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fiber components are selected from the group consisting of a natural fiber component, a synthetic homo-component or synthetic multicomponent fiber component, and mixtures thereof.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fiber components are a natural fiber component selected from the group consisting of cotton and wool.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fiber components are a synthetic fiber component selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a polyamide, and rayon.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fiber components are a synthetic fiber component which comprises a bicomponent fiber.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fiber components comprise a low-melt binder fiber.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the low-melt binder fiber has at least one component that melts at a temperature having a range from about 120° C. to about 180° C.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite web comprises more than one layer comprising one or more fiber components and leather shavings and/or pulverized leather trim scrap.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite web has a basis weight ranging from about 500 g/m 2 to about 650 g/m 2 .
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the leather shavings comprise wet blue shavings.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite web comprises at least about 50% by weight of leather shavings and/or pulverized leather trim scrap.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the crosslapped web prior to the needle punching of step (d).
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calendering the artificial leather substrate.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising treating the artificial leather substrate with an additive selected from the group consisting of an oil emulsion, a wetting agent, a pigment, a dye, a perfume, a fire retardant, an anti-static agent, an antimicrobial, and combinations thereof.
15. The method of claim 1 , further finishing the artificial leather substrate.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the finishing comprises a technique selected from the group consisting of embossing, drying, buffing, surface coating, and combinations thereof.