LE 3101

Leather Manufacturing Technology ɪν

Lecture On

Manufacturing of Suede Leather

Prepared By:
Rajan Kumar Raha
Assistant Professor
Department of Leather Engineering
KUET, Khulna-9203
Full Chrome Suede Leather
 Suede simply refers to the finish that gives the fabric or leather a soft, fibrous
effect
 Suede is a particular finish of leather (fine velvety nap)
 Suede is the inner surface of animal hides, visible on the underside of leather
 Suede leather is a type of fancy leather characterized by its fine velvety nap on
( one of its surfaces generally flesh surfaces), exceptionally softness and
practically non-stretchiness
 Occasionally manufacturers or designers will use this soft underside of the
leather simply by turning the material upside down so the suede is on the
exterior.
 The majority of the time a more popular method is used where the leather is
split and the upper grain is removed to reveal only the fuzzy, napped underside
which then becomes visible on both sides of the fabric
Uses of Suede Leather
 The beautifully soft and light nature of suede makes it perfect for clothing and
high-quality fashion accessories, including bags, shoes and more, as well as being
a lining for sturdier leather items.
 One of the most popular uses for suede is traditional Western leather jackets
Properties of naps of a suede leather:
 Naps should be very close to each other; average perpendicular distance
between the axis of two adjacent vertical piles almost coincides with average
resolving power of our eyes (0.3mm)
 uniformly distributed throughout the leather surface
 completely dry and non sticky
 always point vertically upward
 naps should have springy property with sufficient softness
 the length of almost all the naps should be equal; very thin
Raw materials selection
 hides cannot fulfill the requirements of suede leather; fibers are thick, naps
are not close to each other, not uniformly distributed
 reticulin sheath surrounding the fiber bundles are strong; very drastic
chemical and mechanical actions needs to rupture; this action removes large
amount of IFM; making leather stretchy
 hide splits; used as clothing leather
 goat and sheep skins; fibers comparatively thin and compact
 calf skins; naps are produced to the grain side
Principles of manufacturing
 three layers are observed in a suede leather cross-section
 thin upper velvety layer (A), thick intermediate compact layer (B), thin grain layer,
compact and highly splitted and free from IFM ( C ).

 A and B show entirely different properties

 in A; reticular sheath around the collagen fiber bundles are completely ruptured and
the fibers are separated from each other
 IFM are completely removed during pre-tanning operations
 the open fibers (piles) should be springy, equal and should not have greasiness to
their surfaces
 the presence of raw oil in free state and oil of high iodine value is not at all
desirable in this region
 in B; reticular sheath remain intact, sufficient degree of splitting inside the
fiber bundles are maintained
 removal of IFM is avoided to a large extent and the final IFM in finished
leather is made medium hard; leather does not show run
 good degree of lubrication of splitted fibers and their bundles with raw and
modified oils is demanded so that sufficient sliding effects between fiber to
fiber, fiber bundle to fiber bundle and fiber bundle to IFM exist
 these oils should not reduce the hardness of IFM of the finished leather
Green fleshing and soaking
 dried raw materials are avoided; to avoid drastic chemical and mechanical
action
 green skins are simply washed with water
 wet salted skins; no hard portions remain throughout the skins
 recipe is same as glove leather

 initial fleshing after soaking is recommended

 uniform liming throughout the surface fibers are necessary but that is not
possible if some portions of the flesh side remain covered with flesh
Liming
 liming action in layer A is drastic but on the layer B is mild
 conventional; unhair the skin by painting; liming with fresh lime liquor
mixed with certain quantity of old ones; appreciable amount of IFM from B is
expected to be removed.
 Ideal method; both the surfaces should swell far before the mild liming
action starts inside layer B.
 the following method may be followed:
300-400% water
2.5-3% sodium sulphide
3-4% slaked lime
0.5-0.75% soda ash
haul and replace two to three times and keep the skins in this solution
overnight.
 next morning unhair and put into the following liquor:
250-300% water
5-6% slacked lime
100-150% old lime liquor
1.5-2% fused sodium sulphide
 the skins are hauled and replaced every day and the liquor is strengthned
daily with approximately 1% slaked lime for the first 3 days and then 0.5%
everyday.
 after 6 days of such liming the skins are scudded on the grain, fleshed,
washed and taken for next operation
 in this method of liming; the surfaces of the skin swell at the beginning
 when unhairing goes on, preventing very rapid penetration of lime and
sulfide in layer B
 in the second stage of liming; the alkali produced by lime and sulfide ,
maintain the swelling considerably allowing the old lime liquor to remove
the IFM
 in this way reticular sheaths around the collagen fiber bundles get weakend
 in A which then rupture due to swelling pressure
Deliming & Bating
 bating before deliming is recommended
 bating removes IFM, rupture reticular sheaths, loosens hair roots, dirts etc;
bating action should be allowed mainly on the surface layer and not interior
 if bating is done the pelt with sufficient lime; enzymes will not act on the
pelts due to high alkalinity
 as soon as the ammonium salt delime the surfaces; the enzyme will act on
the surfaces only.
 bating reduces the springiness of the fiber piles in A but that is prevented
to a considerable extent when lime from the interior comes out slowly to
the pelt surface limiting the bating action
 after bating the pelt can be delimed completely
Deliming & Bating formulations
Washing:
200-300% water run 30 min. and drain
Bating:
200% water at 25-30 0C
1% alkaline bate
0.5% no ionic emulsifier
Run 2-3 hours, thoroughly scudded, washed and delimed
Delime:
200% water
1% boric acid
Run 1-1.5 hours, drain, wash well
Pickling
• To bring down the pH of collagen to a very low level (2.7-2.8) so as to
facilitate the penetration of mineral tanning agent
• the stock must not be aged after pickling; ageing makes the leather stretchy
what is not desirable in suede leather.

Pickle formulation
80% water
6-8% salt , run 10min
2-3% aluminium salt run 15-20 mins.
Add 1.25% sulphuric acid, 1:10 diluted (30+30+30+30min)
Run until desired pH is achieved
Degreasing formulation
20% Kerosene oil, run 30mins.
1-1.5% Non-ionic surfactants , run 1 hr.
100% water at 35 0C , run 30min, drain float

Brine wash 1:
100% water at 35 0C
6% salt, mixed together, 30mins, drain float

Brine wash 2:
Repeat as in 1
Chrome Tanning
• maximum cross linkages are desired between polypeptide chains in chrome
tanning; fibers tanned in this way gives good degree of springiness what is
desired in the piles of suede leather
• unmasked, olated and slightly polymerized, cationic chrome liquor can fulfill
this requirements
• chrome liquor prepared from chrome alum by the addition of calculated
amount of sodium carbonate is generally recommended for suede tanning
• chrome alum is basified with sodium carbonate at elevated temperature;
otherwise violet chrome complex will make the leather stretchy
• at ordinary temperature a part of carbonate ion may penetrate to the
chrome complex and can make it mildly masked
• this does not happen at elevated temperature
• for maximum crosslink formation chrome liquor of very high basicity (45-
50%) is required; such high basic liquor is not used for casehardening
• tanning is first done with low basicity (33%) and finally finished with high
basicity (50%)
• the leather must pass the boil test
• the stock is aged for 2-3 days after tanning
Chrome tanning formulations
50% water
3% salt run 10mins
Add 4% BCS liquor (33%) run 1 hour
Add 4% BCS liquor (40%) run 1 hour
Add 4% BCS liquor (45%) run 1 hour
Add 2 % soda ash (1:20, 30+30+30+30mins)
leathers taken out; aged for 3 days
sammed, shaved (1.3-1.4 mm) and again tanned with 3% BCS liquor (50% ) in a drum containing
70-80% water
after 1 hour the drum is flooded with 400-500% water
this flooding is important; chrome complexes hydrolyze due to dilutions; are big in molecular size
such molecules fix to the surfaces of the fiber making it stiff and springy
this is also important from dyeing point of view
Chrome tanning formulations
 highly basic, unmasked cationic chrome liquor is also required from
dyeing point of view
 soluble protein present in the pelt ; strongly mask the chrome
complexes; giving slight violet color to the leather
 such leather causes difficulty during dyeing with fancy shades
 the final chrome tanning helps to overcome
Neutralization
• Skins should be neutralized near IEP for complete penetration of fat liquor
Formulations
150% water, 45 0C
1.5% sodium bicarbonate
2% neutral syntan run 60 mins.
pH 6.0-6.5
Retanning
• maximum cross linkages are desired; carboxyl group is blocked in chrome
tanning
• Further cross linkage can be created using amino group of proteins
Formulation
50% water at 45 0C
5-6% mimosa and quebracho extract (50:50)
2% napthalene syntan run 60 mins. OR

50% water at 45 0C
4% melamine resin syntan
4% phenol-condensation product run 60 mints.
Fat liquoring
• springiness and softness of the fibers are opposite properties
• in suede; springiness in layer A; good degree of softness to the leather
• if the leather is made soft by heavy dosage of fat liquoring; fibers will lose
their resiliency
• if fat liquoring percentage is reduced; the leather does not possess the
required degree of softness
• desired softness is achieved by improving the sliding effects in the fibers and
fibers bundle
• oils used in fat liquoring should not penetrate much into the bodies of fibers
but remains on the surface only as a lubricants
• oil; penetrate slowly but spread on the wet fibers speedly
• castor oil is preferred; high viscosity so low penetration power; spreads
quickly due to its low oil/water interfacial tension
• iodine value of the oil is low; possibility of production gummy substance is
minimized
• lightly sulphated products of this oil; used as an emulsifying agent
• total amount of raw and sulphated oil is always less than 2.5%
• this amount is insufficient to provide desired sliding effect
• if oil content is increased; the excess oil will reduce the resiliency of the
fibers; will make the IFM soft and will increase the stretchiness that is
undesirable
• for this reason egg yolk and flour are recommended
• the egg yolk act as an emulsifier; its oil lubricates and its solid portion
together with flour stiffens the fiber and fill up the voids of leather when
dried
Fat liquoring formulation
100% water at 45 0C, 30min
1-2% Lightly sulfated castor oil
0.4-0.5% castor oil
1.5-3% egg yolk
1.5-2% flour
1-1.5% glucose
0.5-1% sulfochlorinated synthetic oil run 60 mins.

Horsed up, struck out, dried, saw-dusted, staked, hook dry and dried
Buffing
 inspire of all possible controls the piles of leather fibers in the region A can
not be made springy to that extent what is desired
 the length of the piles are reduced considerably by buffing the flesh side with
120 and then with 320 emery papers
 a very small percentage is generally found slightly longer
 therefore wet buffing is recommended and then dry the skins
 this weight is taken for subsequent operations
Wet Back
 thorough wetting back is necessary for uniform dyeing

Recipe
500% water at 50 0C
1.5% liquid ammonia
Dyeing
 suede requires uniform dyeing with complete penetration should be fast
to buffing
 light fastness, wet and dry rub fastness are also demanded
 selection of dyestuffs are very important
 the acid dyes ; react with protein by both primary and secondary
valences, soluble in water, fast to light and medium molecular dimension
should be selected
 direct dyestuffs; acid but avoided for surface dyeing
 for full shade dyeing; black-15-18%
 other shades—10-15%
 for pale shade----1-3%
 dyes are applied in installments (sandwich method)
 first portion; in presence of ammonia for complete penetration
 second portion; on slightly acidified leather where penetration reduces
but better fixation results
 the final portion is done; to more acidified leather that gives maximum
fixation
 this possesses sufficient penetration to withstand the final buffing
Dyeing formulation
300-400% water at 60-65 0C
1-2% ammonia
Run 10 mins and add
5% suitable acid dye
Drumming 1 hour and add
3% formic acid, (1:10)
Drum for 20 mins and add
5% acid dye, after 30-40 minsadd as before
After 20 mins add again
5% Acid dye
Drum for 30-40 mins: exhaust the bath with formic acid (1:10)
• drum for 15-20mins and then drain out
• if necessary skins should be re fat liquored with 1-2% sulfited oil
• now topped with 1.5-2% basic dye stuffs for maximum intensity
• the skins are then dried, staked, buffed with 400 emery and brushed