Md.

Rashed-Ul-Islam
Assistant Professor, Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology
University of Dhaka

A. Finishing:

The treatment of the surface and/or top section of the leather with materials which will
enhance the appearance of the leather and improve its properties for the purpose to which
it is to be used.

The final and the most important operation in leather manufacture before they are sent to
market or to make leather products is finishing where the leather surface is coated with a
nice looking, a colored or colorless, flexible, stretchy, durable film of some film forming
materials.

B. Why leathers are finished:

Finishing may improve the qualities of leather in so far as:

1. Imparting color to the undyed leather.

2. Changing the color to that which is required.
3. Uniformity of shade from skin to skin and pack to pack.
4. Levelness of color on the skin.
5. Giving a surface to the leather varying from matt to gloss.
6. Adding a transparent film through which the natural appearance of the leather
may be viewed.
7. Adding a transparent colored film to the leather.
8. Covering the leather with an opaque film in order to obliterate all defects.
9. Alter the surface of the material i.e. splits.
10. Improve the scuff resistance of leather.
11. Improve the water resistance of the leather i.e. the finish should not discolor or
swell and hence protect the leather and retain its good appearance.
12. By filling the surface of loose leather improve the break of the grain.
13. Seal the leather surface so that it remains clear.
14. Render the leather lightfast, heatfast and fast to acids & alkalis.
15. Render the leather resistant to a light pull up on lasting.

C. Finishing properties of shoe upper leather:

1. Scuff resistant.
 2. Easily cleaned.
3. Flexible.
4. Good adhesion
5. Attractive appearance
6. Water resistant if possible
7. Good break
8. Resistant to solvent used in shoe making.

Finishing properties of shoe lining leather:

Lining is one of the very few leathers which come in direct contact with human skin so it
should a. give maximum comfort to the user

b. be totally harmless to the human skin

c. at the same time durable and cheap

Specific need for the ideal lining materials:

i. The material must absorb and transmit foot moisture easily and quickly
ii. It must remain smooth, mellow and soft with wear
iii. It must resist foot And shoe odours caused by perspiration
iv. It must be light weight and flexible
v. It must be thin enough to prevent bulkiness, yet plump enough to have a
cushion effect against the foot.
vi. It must be resistant to mould or fungus growth the shoe.
vii. It must be non-cracky and non-shrinking
viii. It must be easily adaptable to all types of footwear
ix. It must have aesthetic appeal- color fastness, a look of quality, fine surface
texture etc.
x. It must be economical for use by the shoe manufacturer.

Finishing properties of sole leather:

i. Give an attractive pale look

ii. Impart gloss or shine
iii. Not crack on flexing.

D. Finishing materials:
In leather finishes the finishing materials are suspended, dispersed, emulsified or
dissolved in water or solvents. The important finishing materials are generally the
followings:

i. Finely ground pigments with or without dyes of same shade to intensify,

brighten and level up the shade
ii. Film forming materials having binding power
iii. Preservatives to prevent putrefaction
iv. Plasticizers to make the film soft, flexible and stretchy
v. Gloss giving materials

Pigment: A pigment is any particulate matter that is insoluble in and essentially

physically and chemically unaffected by the media which it is dispersed. The particles of
pigment are too large to penetrate into the substrate. They are usually present on the
substrate surface. So the pigment is easily removed unless fixed with an adhesive.

Sources of pigment powders:

White pigments: titanium di oxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc sulphide (ZnS),
lithopone (ZnS+BaSO4), alumina (Al2O3), china clay etc

Black pigments: carbon black or gas black, lamp black or vegetable black, bone black,
graphite, black iron oxide (FeO.Fe2O3), manganese dioxide, aniline black, black lakes,
cobalt oxide etc.

Yellow pigments: lead chromes, barium chromate, zinc chrome, molybdenum chrome,
cadmium yellow, cadmium lithopone, hansa yellow, napthol yellows, chrome orange
(PbCrO4.PbO) etc.

Red pigment: Iron oxide (Fe2O3), cadmium reds, para reds, toluidine reds, lithol reds,
permanent reds, lakes of phosphotungstic acid etc.

Blue pigments: Prussian blue, cobalt blue, ultramarines, phthalocyanine blues etc.

Green pigments: chromic oxide, pigment green –B, phthalocyanine green etc.

Binder: Pigment are insoluble materials and having no affinity for leather must be bonded
onto leather surfaces. For this a wide range of binder is used in finishing, e.g

i. Casein
ii. Shellac
iii. Glues
iv. Isinglass
 v. Egg albumen
vi. Blood albumen
vii. Methyl cellulose
viii. Linseed
ix. Locust bean
x. Resin emulsion- acrylates- metharylate, polyacrylate, poly urethane, butadiene
etc.
xi. Nitro-cellulose emulsions
xii. Nitro-cellulose lacquer (NC lacquer) etc.

Diluents: For better application on leather the viscosity of lacquer should be reduced
considerably and that is done by dilution. Diluents are liquid which do not themselves
dissolve cellulose esters but can be blended with out interfaring with film forming
properties of the lacquer, e.g alcohols- methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl alcohol etc.

Plasticizers: plasticizers are usually heavy, non volatile liquids with high boiling points
compound (ester).

Primary function is softening the film

Other functions are ease of glazing or provide the film additional water resistance

For instance- castor oil, dibutyl phthalate, butyl stearate, olive oil etc.

Waxes: Waxes are generally used to provide the finish film polishing, which give very
good shine, also provide good feel, water proofness and good gloss on brushing to the
finished leather surfaces. Commonly used waxes are –carnuba wax, bees wax, paraffin
wax, montan wax, synthetic waxes etc.

Antibacteriacides: mercuric chloride, sodium fluoride, thymol, phenol or carbolic acid or

beta napthol, tri chlorophenol etc. are used as antibacteriacides in finishing.

Wetting agents: soap, sulphated oil etc are used.

Antifoams: wax emulsion is used

Leveling agent: these are largely surfactants which enable the finish to have good flow
out over the tight finishes.

Fillers: they are used to fill any open or loose grain and prevent the finish sinking into
the grain of the leather.
Thickener: used on heavily buffed or split leathers in order to get a good thick film
buildup or to achieve a reasonably good film very quickly in one coat.

Sodium or ammonium polyacrylates are chiefly used.

Matting agent or dullers: silica

Fluorescent materials: zinc sulphide

Fixing agents: formaldehyde, acetic acid, chromium salts are used as fixing agent in
finishing.

E. Characteristics of the film:

An ideal film for leather should have following characteristics:

1. Flexibility and stretchiness:

Leather is a flexible material with certain degree of stretchiness. If the film does not
possess these properties to the same extent as leather, it will make the leather hard
and the film will crack in course of time.

2. Adhesion:
The film should be firmly fixed to the leather surfaces so that the former does not
come out during use. The film should also adhere to the pigment particles and
others very firmly.
3. Holding power:
The film should have sufficient capacity to hold in it other substances like
pigment, plasticizer etc. During drying or fil formation no ingredient of the finish
should precipitate out.
4. Gloss:
The film should glaze by itself or should acuire this quality after glazing under
glazing machine or hot plating or brushing.
5. Abrasive resistance and fastness:
The film should have sufficient resistance to abrasion for longer life and it should
hold the coloring materials so tightly that it does not come out when rubbed with
a dry and wet cloth.
6. Water proofness and water vapour permeability:
The film should repell water so that the leather under it does not come in contact
with water but it should allow water vapour to pass through. This is important for
shoe upper leathers.
7. Thickness:
 The film should be as thin as possible so that it does not spoil the leathery
appearance but the film should hide all the defects in the leather.
8. Resistance to acid, alkali and chemicals:
During use the leather comes in contact with dirt, mud, acid, alkali, sweat, etc.
This is specially common for leathers used by air, navi and army personnel in the
field. So, the film should have sufficient capacity to protect the leather from these.

F. Application of finish:

The final look and qualities of finished leathers largely depend upon how the finish was
applied on the leather surfaces. Finishes are applied on leathers by three methods-

a. Pad Coating
b. Roller coating
c. Spray coating

Pad coating:

Plush pad, with or without the plastic foam padding underneath the soft velvet like cloth,
soft hair brush and sponge are generally used

Bottom coat is generally applied by pad coating system.

Intermediate coat is applied on both pad and spray system.

Top coat is always applied by spray system

Advantages:

i. Copes well with light weight skins

ii. Uneven substance skins receive even coats
iii. Low or no maintenance cost
iv. Where labour cost are low, economical

Disadvantages:

i. Labour intensive
ii. Dirty flesh side
iii. Uneven coating and streaking if labour is unskilled
Roller coating:

The roller coating machine consists of an application roller which is grooved or has
cavities which hold the liquid materials, excess liquid being wiped off by a doctor blade.
The leather is introduced to the machine on a rubber conveyor.

Advantages:

i. Even coating of higher density material

ii. Clean flesh
iii. Continuous production
iv. Suitable for long runs of single colors
v. Production rate high i.e 2000 sq ft of leather coated once take 15-20 mins only

Disadvantages:

i. Will only cope with small variation in substance (0.3-0.4mm)

ii. Good maintenance is necessary for consistent results
iii. Adhesion may be poor due to less mechanical action

Spraying:

It is the most common method and is applied by means of compressed air. It is suitable
for aqueous and solvent containing finishing float. Normally compressed air is forced
through a small nozzle and to this air finish is fed in the form of fine stream. When the
finish, mixed with air, is forced out through the nozzle, atomization of finish takes place
and the mixture moves towards the leather surface.

Advantages:

i. Uniformity is easily achieved

ii. Spray season or coat dries up on leather very quickly

Disadvantages:

i. Less adhesion, less rub fastness

ii. Materials loss high

Different types of spraying:

i. Hand spray gun

ii. Rotary spray gun
iii. Reciprocating spray gun
iv. Airless spray
 G. Different layers in finish coat:

The final film on leather is composed of mainly three layers which can be named as (a)
Ground or bottom layer (b) Intermediate or middle layer (c) Top or final layer

Ground layer:

The layer which remains in direct contact with the leather surface. Generally, a solution
of asuitable film forming materials which may or may not be colored with acid dye is
used for this purpose.

Objectives:

i. To prepare a suitable base for the successive intermediate and top layers.
ii. To make the leather surface impermeable both ways to different materials.
iii. To provide better adhesion between leather surface and the film layer i.e.
intermediate layer.
iv. To fill up the empty spaces between the corium major and minor for better
break and tightness of the grain.
v. To make, as far as possible, the leather surface smooth and uniform.
vi. To cover up the defects on leather surface to some extent.

Intermediate layer or Pigment layer:

The layer just above the ground coat is the intermediate layer or Middle coat and it
represents the major portion of the film thickness. This layer can also be called ―the
pigment coat ―as most of the pigment particles remain embedded in the film forming
materials of this layer. Like stone chips embedded in the slab pigment particles give the
body to the finish layer bear the load or stress applied on finish film.

Top layer:
This is the final topmost layer resting on the intermediate one.

Objectives:

i. To give required degree of gloss.

ii. To protect intermediate layer from scratch, frictional damages and abrasion.
iii. To make the finish film waterproof or at least water resistance
iv. To protect the leather from damages due to sweat, acids, alkalies and other
injurious materials and vapours with which the leather may come in contact.
v. To provide extra resiliency, feel and smoothness to the leather.
vi. To make the top surface of the leather ideal for embossing.
vii. To prevent mould or fungal growths

H. Classification of finishes:
a. Classification according to the finishing effect:
i. Aniline finish
ii. Semi-aniline finish
iii. Opaque finish
iv. Antique finish
v. Two or multitone finish
vi. Fancy finish
vii. invisible finish etc

b. Classification according to finishing technique:

i. Glaze finish
ii. Plate finish
iii. Glaze/plate finish
iv. Corrected grain finish
v. Embossed finish
vi. Spray finish
vii. Roller coating finish
viii. Pad finish etc

c. Classification according to main finishing material used:

i. Casein finish
ii. Polymer or binder finish
 iii. Nitro-cellulose (NC) finish
iv. Polyurethane finish
v. Patent finish etc

I. Formulation of leather:

Aniline finish:

Clearing coat:

Lactic acid 30 gm
Water to make 1000 cc

Apply 1X coat and dry

Bottom coat:

Transparent pigment paste Upto 25 parts

Matching dye 5-10 parts
15% casein solution 100 parts
10% linseed mucilage 50 parts
Wax emulsion 10 pars
Water to make 1000 cc

Top coat:

10% casein solution 100 parts

Egg albumen 50 parts
Glazing binder 50 parts
Formaldehyde 40 parts
Water to make 1000 cc

Fixing:
formaldehyde 200cc
Acetic acid 10 cc
Water to make 1000cc

Spray 2 cross coat and dry

Corrected grain finish:

Impregnation:

Impregnating resin 100 parts

Penetrator 100 parts
Brilliant dyestuff 600 parts

Apply 1 pad coat and dry

Pigment coat:

Pigment paste 100-200 parts

15% casein solution 25- 50 parts
Acrylic resin binder (medium soft) 200-300 parts
Wax emulsion 15- 20 parts
Water to make 1000 cc

Top coat:

NC-lacquer emulsion 300 parts

Wax emulsion 50 parts
water 150 parts

Apply by spraying

Fixing coat:

Formaldehyde 200 cc
Acetic acid 10 cc
Water to make 1000 cc

Apply 1 or 2 X and dry over night

J. Machine processing after finishing:

Plating: the leather may have been plated after applying the base coat to seal the leather
and to reduce absorbency.

Plating after completely finishing is to impart the leather a shiny surface. The higher the
temperature the lower the pressure required to get average plating or embossing effect.

Embossing: greater pressure is normally used in embossing than is used for the normal
plating process.

Glazing machine:

This process is mainly carried out upon leathers which have been protein finished. Its
main function is to flatten the grain, makes the leather surface smooth as well as glaze.
Full grain aniline leather, calf and kid leathers are usually glazed.

Polishing, ironing:

Polishing machine sets the leather and gives it softness and a uniform gloss

Remove any dust.

Ironing is similar to glazing but heat from the iron draws grease to the surface goving
natural looking gloss to the leather.

K. Sorting or grading:

All the leather pieces in a lot are not alike.

Some pieces may have grain defects

Some pieces may have perfect grain but with slight looseness

Few may be of sound and silky without any defect.

Grain defects may be slight or severe type. So on the basis of these, sorting can be done
on following grading

Grade-A : Tight grained defect less leathers or aniline or pigment finish leather

Grade-B: Loose grained defect less for pigment finish.

Grade-C: Slightly grain defected leathers for corrected grain finish

Grade-D: Leather with severe grain defects to be split finished

L. Measuring machines:

A large variety of machines are available for the measurement of area of finished
leathers. For instance

a. The planometer
May be used for manually for finding the surface area of small irregular shaped
skin by following the outline of the skin anti-clockwise with a pointer and
reading the area on the central dial after completing the outline to starting point.
b. The pinwheel or plan wheel type
c. A range of machines:
Which work on the electron beam or magic eye principle i.e. there is no physical
movement of parts, that do the measuring only a breaking the lightbeams. Most
accurate and measured in square feet, square metres etc.

M. Finishing Defects:
i. Change of shade on finished leather

Causes: Faulty combination of pigment.

Remedy: Use suitable combination and avoid using such pigments which fade on
exposure.
ii. Poor covering, showing of stained bottom

Causes:

a. Dyed and finishing shade do not match

b. Improper brushing or spraying of the finish solution

Remedy:

a. Bottom dyeing must be matched to finish shade

b. Check application of the finish solution.

iii. Glazing difficulties

Causes:

a. Use of excess or insufficient plasticizers

b. Insufficient drying

Remedy:

a. Adjust the quantity of plasticizers

b. Dry properly.

iv. Dry and wet rubbing of pigment film

Causes:

a. Insufficient binder or plasticizer

b. Excess of binder

Remedy:

a. Increase the quantity as the case may be

b. Reduce binder

v.
vi. Top coat cracks:

Causes:

a. Use of too thick top coat

 b. Too much of binder
c. Inadequate plasticizer

Remedy:

a. Dilute the top coat

b. Reduce binder
c. Increase plasticizer

vii. Grayish undertone on finished leather

Causes:

a. Optical effect due to low grain

b. Too much use of chrome salts in fixing solution.

Remedy:

a. Hot ironing before finishing.

b. Adjust the quantity in chrome in fixing solution.

viii. Pigment coat peeling off:

Causes:

Too much pigment or too little binder- Correct which is applicable

ix. Scratch marks on corrected grain finished leather

Causes and remedy:

Buffing sores—Changing abrasive paper to correct grit.

x. Streaks of color appearing after glazing operation (comet formation)

Causes and remedy:

Dust, soot, dye stuff powder or undissolved pigments on the pigmented leather –Keep the
finishing room clean and away from contamination with foreign particles.

xi. Frequent change of shades with the same recipe:

Causes and remedy:

Consistency of pigment past differs or the finish not sufficiently stirred before
use.
Check consistency before making finish solution.
Stirr well before taking the solution every time.

xii. Tackiness of finish surface with tendency to get finger marks.

Causes and remedy: Too much plasticizer and the finish surface hygroscopic

Reduce plasticizer, wax emulsion may be used.

xiii. Poor rubfastness

Causes:

a. Improper fixing
b. Insufficient binder
c. Too much plasticizer

Remedy:

a. Fix with 10% formaldehyde and sprit solution

b. Increase binder
c. Reduce sulphated oil

N. Physical Testing of Finished Leather:

a. Wet and dry rub fastness
b. Adhesion test
c. Flexibility test
d. Light fatness
e. Cold crack resistance
f. Ageing test
g. Effect of heat on finish film
h. Bleeding
i. Water penetration
j. Abrasion resistance and scuff resistance
k. Water vapour permeability
l. Break