Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-17
ARTIFICIAL LEATHER WANTED.
Higher Cost and 1ecreasing Quality
of Genuine Article Cause Wide De-
nnand for Substitute,


of Genuine Article Cause Wide De-
nand for Substitute.
n spite of the higher quotations for
leather. its quality is decreasing con
siderably, SAYS J.. ", kessipr. in Fibre
and Fabric. To overcome these difficult
ties artificial products have been pro-
posed as substitutes for feather for
many years. More than two hundred
patents have been taken out for this
purpose here and abroad, the majority
of which, either have nevef passed be-
yond the experimental stage or have
not met with commercial success.
The only manufactured leather that
will meet the requirements of the up
helstery, bookninding, novelty wall pa
Fer and similar leather trtdas as to
price, appearance, uniformity and dur
ability is that which consists of cot
ten fabrics coated with pyroxilyn COM
POUNDS and afterward calendered and
embossed in any desired grain or de-
sign. The fabrics may be sheetings,
sateens, moleskins, drills, ducks. etc,
either bleached or dyed to match the
coating and sized if necessary.
Alexander Parkes, an English chem
ist in the early flfties of the last cen.
fury, was one of the first to introduce
ryroxilyn in connection With oil and
resins for impregnating cloth to make
it waterproof and pliable. Although the
present process of manufacturing ar
tificial leather rests on these old pat
ents it took almost forty years to over
come ell the difficulties in producing a
Hpytbta -alhacix-a ora
ing which at the same time had the
necessary toughness with extreme pill
ability and Elasticity to replace real
leather in many instances.
One of the largest consumers of arti-
fetal leather both for upholstery and
tops is the automobile industry Most
of the well-known automobile firms
which manufacture hundreds of the
low priced popular cars a day. have
adopted it exclusively. All the other
lines OF furniture upholstery are using
it extensively. Multi-eolored effects
With dull finish in artificial antique, all
SO called Spanish and mission leath-
err, fine ready and steadily increasing
markets. Pocketbooks, handbags, .leath-
or novelties in the cheaper substitute.
1t is especially well fitted for the pro-
dpction OF staple leather goods on a
large scale due t., its ability. to be
manufactured relatively. cheap in any
modern eoloring and granting effect
and in unlimited quantity and uni
firm thickness, throughout. Another
great advantage is that it can be sew
ed much more easily with machine
than real leather of equal thickness. An
ta,. f,p 4
pieces Of military accoutrements, plac-
part of this year, impartially proves
that the new product stands the most
critical tests and highest demands.
Trunk and suitcase manufacturers
are consuming great quantities of this
substitute for real leather because of
its waterproof properties. Fer the same
reason it is used for sweatbands in
hats and caps, for doh ou,iies, toys.
hookbnding and wan Paper. Most OF
the Government and municipal libra
ries and public reading-rooms have
adopted it as the best existing binding
material. especially for hard usage of
circulating books and heavy volumes
like cyclopedias, ALIASES, etc. The
writer knows of one particular public
library where the original binding of
over sixteen thousand volumes has
been changed to that of artificial leath-
er during the last year.
Whereas in the heretofore mentioned
applications of the. new product the i'm
itation only of the different grains of
real lesther is shown, there is much
wider field open for original designs
and artistic displays IN wall paper
made from it. Railroads throughout
Europe are decorated with these newer
coverings in simple and multi colored
effects In this country the use of
artificial leather is limited to the up
holstery of smoking cars. Several gov
ernments have introduced it as wall
decoration in living compartments on
battleships and in armories. For hos
pitfalls and for the household in kitch-
ems and bathrooms. it is especially val
able.
No other wall coverings is more sanit
tary and permanent than this because
it is damp proof and can be cleaned
easily with soap and water, whenever
desired. Grease, smoke and atmospher-
ic influences do not affect it in the
least. 1t can be made completely unin-
fammable and SO decreases risk in
case ct fire. The shoe industry con-
sumes the largest amount OF real iestth-
or and here the artificial leather plays
a very important part also. II is used
for Innings and TO make cheap slippers.
.ieggings and CATERS. There are many
,ether ways in which artificial heather
anay be employed owingsao thesexeei,
lent qualities which giyeaits adsptabA-
isy wide scope, q ac% az Isl
Augustus, emperor of Rome made
babies a passport to Office BY the Lex