Clariant showcases innovative highlights from Wet End to Finishing at Guangzhou Shoes and Leather Show

Muttenz, April 14, 2010 - Visitors to the 2010 Guangzhou Leather Fair will be inspired by Clariant’s new collection of leathers, based on Spring-Summer 2011 color and fashion trends and covering most types of leathers, including shoe uppers, handbags, garments, and sofas. At Booth 0110 0112 & 0131 0133 in Hall 11.2, Clariant will demonstrate how innovative products and processing techniques, offering environmental benefits and optimum processing economy, can enhance the natural beauty of leather with the look and performance to suit individual customer requirements.

Under the motto: Clariant – Always One Shoe Step Ahead Clariant will showcase innovative highlights from Wet End to Finishing, created through its new global approach to fashion and article development. New specifications constantly require adjustment and innovation. The following new products, techniques and application systems will be presented during the fair.

Highlights from Wet End

Innovative systems for full and soft chrome or chrome free leathers

Clariant continues to use leading edge technology in order to provide chemicals that meet today’s requirements for ecological, innovative and aesthetically pleasing leathers, while giving the tanner maximum added value and process simplicity:

Chrome Free Collections

Chrome free leather, using Clariant’s pretanning system Granofin® F-60 in synergy with the retanning agent Tanicor® SCU.

Nappa and Sofa Collections

Clariant offers Natural Nappa and Superb Sofa collections produced using its specialty retanning and fatliquoring systems, Tergotan® PMB and Tergotan TSP. These intelligent polymer retanning agents deliver even softness, tightness and grain pattern. Tergotan PO-60, a brand new development from Clariant, is a true retanning and softening polymer that gives superb softness / tightness when used as a replacement for conventional retanning agents and fatliquors. On a phenol and formaldehyde free basis, it can meet even the toughest ecological legislation. In combination with Clariant’s specialty fatliquoring systems featuring the new Derminol® SO-31, a highly softening synthetic fatliquor, Clariant can offer total solutions for all nappa and sofa requirements.

Vegetable looks and handles from chrome and chrome free substrates

To meet current market trends for vegetable type leathers Clariant presents a full range of new articles with that classical vegetable look and feel using our new specialty fatliquors: Derminol DDS and Derminol PUA. These products along with innovative processing techniques offer the tanner the opportunities to produce beautiful vegetable type articles with the simplicity and economy of traditional chrome leathers.

From the Finishing side Clariant presents the following innovations:

Elegant Upgrading

Elegant upgrading continues to play an important role in today’s leather manufacture. The importance of cutting yield and increased profitability are still at the forefront of Clariant’s finishing developments. As one of the market leaders in specialty chemicals and in upgrading technologies, Clariant offers its customers complete tailor-made solutions with real benefits.

Finishing techniques for upgrading using Melio® Aquabase and Melio Ground systems provide solutions for the low grade raw materials currently available and meet the current requirements of the market. In particular, customers can take advantage of the outstanding upgrading and natural looks obtained with Clariant’s highly innovative cationic prebase compound Melio Ground UP.

Melio Aquabase Technique – to cover hide defects

Melio Aquabase M-90

This new innovative development is used to cover deep defects, in order to make them invisible after finishing. Melio Aquabase M-90 is applied by hand with a spatula. The application is extremely simple due to its special composition which allows application without drying too quickly and enables buffing without smearing. Melio Aquabase M-90 is suitable for a wide range of leathers, including automotive, shoe upper and upholstery leathers.

Beautiful rich wax effects and versatility for both shoe and upholstery styles

Melio 06-F-88

Clariant offers a new water-based wax with excellent burnishability along with high gloss and a natural waxy touch that make it suitable for both shoe and upholstery leathers. Clariant’s new Melio 06-F-88 gives versatility and ease of use to the Finisher.

New Aqualen® topcoat systems for all requirements

Aqualen Top DC-2050.B / Top GC-2051.A

Clariant’s new topcoat system based on Aqualen Top DC-2050.B (dull) and Aqualen Top GC-2051.A (gloss) is a brand new development especially for soft leathers such as furniture leather or shoe upper nappas.

Both products can be mixed in any ratio in order to adjust the desired level of gloss or dullness. Common to both products and therefore the whole system is the very elegant optic achieved as a result of the softness, very high resistance to rubbing and flexing, no hardening even after long period of time, and a very natural appearance and pleasant feel.

Melio WF-5238 / WF-5243

Two new developments to compliment our already outstanding aqueous topcoat systems. Melio WF-5238, a highly concentrated silicone with a luxurious smooth feel which also improves physical properties of aqueous topcoats, and Melio WF-5243, an additive with a natural pleasant handle and the ‘wet touch’ feel which now features strongly in customer requirements.

Neosan® 2000 – the intelligent pigment system

These pioneering casein free aqueous pigment dispersions offer new customized solutions with outstanding advantages. They are Arizona-proofed for outstanding heat and light fastness as well as hot light ageing properties. When used with Clariant’s Pelcroma® Computer Color Matching, accurate, true and brilliant colors are assured.

Supronil® HK dyes

Discover Clariant’s very well established Supronil HK range, a complete range of versatile colors suited to today’s fashion demands.