It's no secret that natural suede is a very beautiful, but expensive and impractical material. Modern technologies have made it possible to develop an artificial analogue that is visually almost indistinguishable from the original and surpasses it in many respects.
What is ecosuede
Fabrics that imitate suede are widely used in many areas. They are used to make clothes, shoes, fashion accessories, furniture upholstery and more. Such products are characterized by a relatively affordable price, high wear resistance and durability, and ease of maintenance. Typically, the following production methods are used:
- woven method is the most expensive, but in this case a more durable and high-quality result is obtained. The fabric is woven from microfiber threads and then processed with a special machine to split the threads into fibers;
- with non-woven method In production, the pile is glued onto a suitable base.This fabric is of lower quality, but can be used in everyday life.
Artificial materials are often impregnated with special compounds to protect the fabric from moisture and dirt.
Properties and advantages of artificial suede
Ecosuede is widely in demand due to its excellent aesthetic and performance characteristics. According to experts, it has a lot of advantages:
- humane method of production, in which no animal suffers;
- affordable price. This is an important point, because not everyone can afford natural products, and artificial material can be a worthy replacement;
- good imitation. The soft, velvety surface is pleasant to the touch and looks very similar to natural fabric. Sometimes identifying unnatural origin is difficult even for professionals;
- strength and durability allow you to significantly save on the purchase of new products;
- uniformity of color. Artificial fabric can be dyed evenly in any color. This cannot be done with natural material due to its complex texture.
Ecosuede does not change its original appearance for a very long time; it does not stretch or deform. In addition, it practically does not form bald spots.
It is worth noting that the artificial fabric is resistant to fading, even with regular exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It is much easier to care for - thanks to special impregnations, it does not absorb moisture and has the ability to repel dirt particles.
Quality items There is no characteristic synthetic odor, so even allergy sufferers can use them. Tthickness is uniform in all areas of the canvas, which means its properties will be the same everywhere.This is very convenient, because in a noble analogue the pile may differ in different places. In this case, some area will wear out faster.
Many users note that furniture upholstery made from artificial suede has an interesting property - it warms you up in the cold season and gives you coolness in the summer.
Thus, ecosuede is practically no different from natural fabric, and in some characteristics it even significantly surpasses it. It is stronger and more durable, and is not afraid of sunlight. True, there are some disadvantages.
Weak side of ecosuede
Ecosuede has an attractive appearance and a lot of other advantages, but here we can highlight some disadvantages:
- insufficient heat exchange. Natural fabric can “breathe”, but clothes or shoes made of artificial fabric can be very hot in the summer;
- the material does not tolerate high humidity;
- need for special care. It is better to wash such items by hand, using neutral detergents. However, this also applies to products made from natural linen.
Manufacturing technologies are constantly being improved, so ecosuede definitely deserves attention, despite some shortcomings.
How to easily and quickly distinguish natural suede from artificial one?
When looking for suitable suede items, it is important to understand the criteria by which natural and artificial fabrics differ. Experts recommend paying attention to cost, fabric structure, pile and smell.
Price. For obvious reasons, natural products will not be very cheap. This especially applies to exclusive items from famous brands.
Fabric structure. Natural suede usually has certain flaws: small scratches, uneven surface and color.Such defects, although not clearly expressed, can be easily noticed upon careful inspection.
Pile direction. If the color of the product changes after you run your hand over it, this may mean that the suede is of natural origin.
Even the highest quality substitute may smell slightly of paint or other chemicals, but real suede has the characteristic aroma of a leather product.
You can do the test using a drop of clean water. Natural fabric will quickly absorb liquid due to its porous structure. The synthetic analogue will keep it on the surface for several seconds, thanks to its water-repellent properties.
Ecosuede can easily be called a new generation material. The fabric has an attractive appearance, is pleasant to the touch and is superior to the expensive original in many respects.