Made with a split leather backing covered with a layer of polyurethane (hence the term PU leather) that is applied to the surface and then embossed.
Some polyurethane foams are used as artificial or faux leather (PU leather) for shoes, upholstery in sofas, and iPad smart covers. Leather is tanned animal hide and is more expensive than polyurethane. PU leather is always man made and not animal skin. Because of the fashion conscious people looking for cheaper alternative to pure leather, men’s belts and other items such as purses, bags etc are being made using PU leather these days. In some cases, PU leather may be made using split leather that is combined with polyurethane and then pasted on to a surface. Despite being totally different from genuine leather, there are many similarities between the two causing confusion to those who cannot spot the difference. Faux leather is one of several names given to artificial or synthetic leather. These names are often used to describe specific end uses of synthetic leather products such as faux leather (sofa, chair and headboard upholstery), leatherette (auto upholstery, clothing), and koskin (consumer goods). Polyurethane is a greener alternative to PVC (vinyl) and leather in both production and after-care. Naturally soft and flexible, polyurethane does not require the solvents used to soften PVC or leather in the manufacturing process. Leather production is an especially chemical-laden process involving heavy metals. Bicast leather (also known as bycast leather or PU leather, sometimes described as split leather) is a material made with a split leather backing covered with a layer of polyurethane (hence the term PU leather) that is applied to the surface and then embossed. Polyurethane Upholstery PU is made by coating a backing fabric such as cotton, polyester or shredded leather with a flexible polymer and then treating it to look more like animal hide. Polyurethane upholstery is the most realistic imitation of genuine leather, with respect to hand, surface feel, and overall appearance. Many major vegan leather brands claim their products are made of ‘eco friendly’ PU (Polyurethane) microfibers, used because their ‘feel’ is similar to that of leather, and it can be imprinted with grains that mimic suede and natural skins. But make no mistake–there is no such thing as ‘eco friendly’ PU.
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what is polyurethane leather made of