Although the name skin expression is mentioned, artificial leather has nothing to do with real skin. Artificial leather is a textile material which is used as a substitute for leather. In parallel with the developments in raw material technology, artificial leather is frequently used instead of leather in recent years. In general, polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are used in the manufacture of artificial leather. Artificial leathers made with polyurethane coating are very similar to real leather. In the textile industry, artificial leathers are preferred not only for upholstery but also for garments and accessories.
Artificial leather was first used in China around 1400 years ago. The Chinese made umbrellas from fabric that they dipped in wax. This application is considered to be the first example of today's artificial leather. However, in today's sense, the first upholstery artificial leather was obtained in the early 1840s by processing the rubber material with sulfur.
Artificial leather responds to small strains by flexing. Here, the strength of the material used in the coating is as effective as the strength of the fabric being coated. The durability tests determine the condition and usability of the product made of artificial leather. As well as the normal leather products, the following tests are carried out by the test and inspection organizations:
- Determination of tensile and elongation resistance
- Determination of tear strength
- Air permeability test
- Determination of water resistance
- Determination of bending strength
- Determination of color fastness to friction
The current legal regulations and standards published by many national and international organizations are taken into consideration in textile analysis studies. In line with the needs of the enterprises, our company conducts artificial leather tests within the framework of textile analyzes.
In the meantime, our organization, in accordance with the TS EN ISO / IEC 17025 General Conditions for the Competence of Experiment and Calibration Laboratories standard, UAF From the Accreditation Agency has been accredited and serves within this framework.