Leather Man

The Leather Man has long since turned to dust. In the 1930s, Shrub Oak became a popular summer destination for families in New York City and lower Westchester. I landed here in the early 1980s, after graduating from Yale. Sushi didn t come to our town until a few years ago. 

Every now and then I have difficulty drifting to sleep, wondering what became of the Leather Man. But mostly I sleep pretty well. 

In the second quarter of the twentieth century, with the development of poly(vinyl chloride), nylon, polyurethane, and other polymers, many new and improved leather-like materials, so-called coated fabrics (qv), were placed on the market. Shortages of leather after World War 11 led to the expansion of these leather-like materials ("man-made" leathers) to replace leather in shoes, clothing, bags, upholstery, and other items. DurabiUty and waterproof quahties superior to leather made coated fabrics advantageous, in spite of imperfection in breathabihty and flexibiUty. Demands for shoes, clothing, and other items are stiU increasing due to growing world population and urbanization. 

During the third quarter of the twentieth century, with improved nonwoven fabrics, man-made leathers finally succeeded in simulating leather to such an extent that they are nearly identical in appearance, physical properties, and stmcture. These leathers have enjoyed success in all leather-use areas. With the technology of microfibers, they continue to evolve both in quaUty and quantity. 

Leather-like materials now important in the market are of three main classes (/) vinyl-coated fabrics, (2) urethane-coated (synthetic) fabrics, and (J) man-made leathers. To appreciate their leather-replacement capabiUties it is necessary to know the stmcture of natural leather. 

Significant improvement in the fiber stmctuie of leather is finally achieved by using microfibers as fine as 0.001—0.0001 tex (0.01—0.001 den). With this microfiber, a man-made grain leather Sofrina (Kuraray Co., Ltd.) with a thin surface layer (Fig. 7), and a man-made suede Suedemark (Kuraray Co., Ltd.) with a fine nap (Fig. 8) were first developed for clothing, and have expanded their uses. Ultrasuede (Toray Industries, Inc.) also uses microfibers with a rather thick fineness of 0.01 tex (0.1 den). Contemporary (1995) man-made leathers employ microfibers of not mote than 0.03 tex (0.3 den) to obtain excellent properties and appearance resembling leather. 

Product is nylon in man-made leathers cotton in urethane- and vinyl-coated fabrics. 

Weight, Thickness, and Density. The thickness differs according to appHcation. Vinyl-coated fabrics are very heavy and dense. Urethane-coated fabrics and man-made leather are very light and two-thirds to one-half leather in density. 

Water-Vapor Permeability. Water-vapor permeabiUty depends on the polymer used for the coating layer and its stmcture. Vinyl-coated fabrics have Httie water-vapor permeabiUty due to the coating layer. Although polyurethane polymer is water-vapor permeable, urethane-coated fabrics also have low permeabiUty values due to their soHd layer stmcture. On the other hand, man-made leathers have good permeabiUty values as high as that of leather due to their porous layer stmcture. The permeabiUty of grain-type is lower than that of suede-type, influenced by finishing method. 

Other Properties. With respect to dry-cleanabiUty, vinyl-coated fabrics are worse than the others due to dissolution of plasticizer in the cleaning solvent. Only man-made leathers with poromeric nonwoven can be skived, spHt, and cut in the same manner as leather. 

Man-Made Leathers. These materials contain a nonwoven fabric which is impregnated with a polyurethane to improve fiexibiHty, processibiHty, and conformabiHty (Fig. 9). Advanced man-made leathers contain microfibers as fine as 0.03 tex (0.3 den) or less to imitate coUagen fiber bundles, thereby attaining the soft feel and appearance essential for soft leather use. Polyurethane in the substrate is usually provided with porous stmcture by poromeric technology. The coating layer is also porous in the two-layer type man-made leathers (5—10). 

Fig. 10. Formation of fibers used in Kuraray man-made leather (a) porous fiber, and (b) a bundle of microfibers.

The production of man-made leather has increased rapidly due to its high quaUty (Table 5). Production was first started in Japan, and is expanding to the world. Up to 90% is produced in the Far East, and approximately 50% is exported to the United States and European countries. 

David Bakhash, Remedy s manager, a gracious man with a shaved head and a seven o clock shadow, wearing a black leather jacket and a diamond pinky ring that spelled DBserved Sake Sunrises to my table on Wednesday—the most improbable geisha imaginable. 

It was but a few minutes before the trumpets would sound. In our enclosure I looked over my horse, Belle Bete, and all our harness, as I have done a thousand times before and since. On such care for small things may a man s life rest, my father used to say in the stables, when I grew impatient as boys will with buckles and thongs, the proper care of leather and iron. Do not trust such care to any but yourself. When it was time to mount, I saw that the trappings over Belle Bete s chest hung crookedly, and the straps at his withers were differently fastened. Who has done this I asked. 

I look up. The sky still arches above me. Somewhere beyond it, beyond all possibility of imagining, judgment awaits. I walk forward to the block. The men stand silent. The man in the leather apron is speaking I nod, for I do forgive him as we all hope to be forgiven, each of us, for what we have done in our lord s service. 

Figure 6.2 A ceremonial Masonic leather apron bears several symbols. Inside the circular ouroboros in the center is the primary Masonic symbol, the square and the compass joined, which is a reference to the alchemical squaring of the circle. The skull of Hiram is in the middle of that, and the landscape below is the Temple of Solomon with the two pillars, named Boaz and jakin, in front. The great pyramids are in the bottom left comer. (Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages [1995])...

Bugayev examined the man as he approached. He knew the type brown skin like tanned leather, thick moustache drooping over his lip so he could take a taste of his vodka home with him, to savour long after the last glass of the day. Overalls under his coat, a tatty moth-eaten fur hat. 

---