In Soviet Russia, it was rare for a family to have a door that was not upholstered with a material called “leatherette,” or “dermantin,” as many mistakenly pronounce this word.
Leatherette is a material for interior decoration made of nitrocellulose, PVC, polyamide or rubber, the basis of which is cotton fabric.
In the USSR, leatherette was widely used for decorating and insulating entrance doors; together with the lining base, it also performed a soundproofing function and was valued for its wear resistance and practicality. Accessories and clothing were also made from this material.
How to distinguish genuine leather from dermantine
We have already indicated several times that in our case it is not so easy to distinguish between natural and artificial materials. So what is the difference between artificial dermantine and genuine leather?
- Natural material is more elastic and has higher thermal conductivity
- If you hold a leather product in your hands, it will absorb moisture and remain dry, the substitute will remain wet
- The cut of a leather product is rough, while that of a dermantine product is absolutely smooth.
- Take a closer look at the porosity. For natural leather it is arbitrary, the imprint on artificial turf has its own order
- You should not set fire to the material on your jacket to check the quality of the item. Even natural material can catch fire if the manufacturer has treated it with a special chemical composition.
Phonetic transcription of the word “dermatin”
Having received an answer to the question: “Which is correct: dermantin or leatherette?” — it’s worth finding out how to accurately pronounce the noun in question. And for this you need to make a phonetic transcription of it. It looks like this: [d'irmat'in].
The stress in the word being studied falls on the last syllable “tin”, as in French. By the way, because of this pronunciation in the past, some attributed it to French origin.
In the transcription considered, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the vowel letter “e” in the first syllable is read as [i] and gives softness to the consonant sound preceding it [d'].
Such a pronunciation sometimes leads to schoolchildren writing the name of this leatherette with an “i”: dirmatin or dirmantin.
Varieties
Leatherette material varies in density:
- Monolithic. This type of fabric is dense. During the production process, a solution of polyvinyl chloride is used, which is applied to the finished base. This type of leatherette has a higher cost. The scope of application is wide and extends to upholstery and plating where a denser texture is required.
- Perforated is a not very dense type of leatherette. It is made by applying a perforated coating and embossing layers. This type of material is considered to be hypoallergenic. May have different textures. Used for making clothing.
Leatherette bag
Important! Perforated “young” leatherette in everyday life is called eco-leather, or stretch leather.
When you hear the name monolithic or perforated leatherette, you should know that this is the same name for species that differ in density.
Leatherette is also sorted by technology, composition and coating. It can be porous, single-layer, multi-layer, with or without a base.
In addition, there are differences in the type of polymer coating.
Leatherette clothing
Leatherette: what is it and what is it made from?
Leatherette is a leather substitute. The material belongs to artificial leather. The fabric was widely used in the USSR and now does not lose its popularity.
What is leatherette made from? The material is made of cotton, and the top layer is covered with nitrocellulose. For a beautiful appearance, the fabric is closely matched to genuine leather. Nitrocellulose coating can be coated on one or both sides.
Type of nitrocellulose
Later, nitrocellulose was replaced by amidiskin or vinyl leatherette. These substances improved the quality of leatherette and made it possible to increase the range of shades. Also, the range of products has become more diverse.
For your information! The first versions of artificial leather were produced in Europe. Rubber was used as a basis.
Leatherette furniture
Production highlights:
- Manufacturing of fabric base. This is one of the most important stages, which is the key to the quality of the future material. If production is poorly controlled at this stage, elasticity and strength suffer. When finished, the material will crack, tear and have high creasing properties. For the base, either cotton fabric or materials in the form of cardboard and paper can be used. The paper base has low moisture resistance and strength. Moreover, if the base is not strong, special compounds can be used to increase strength and durability.
- Material coating. Dispersion, melt or solution are the main methods for coating. The polymer coating must be uniform and adhere firmly to the base, otherwise it may peel off. Thin coatings are applied to the paper base, which can be superficial or through-through. There are various application methods. The industry uses a large amount of equipment for this process.
- Finishing stage. At this stage, the material is given a shade and design, and the external finishing appearance is determined. You can get fabric with a pattern or any color. Most often, the design is applied by printing.
- Test checks are the final stage. The fabric is tested by deformation and stretching. Consideration is given to environmental influences such as temperature. If the test results are positive, the material is allowed for sale.
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Production has advanced so much that substances can be added to the composition that improve the porosity of the fabric and can change the basic properties of the material. This is done using mechanical and chemical methods. As a result, you can distinguish between the formed closed or open pores, the size of which may differ.
How to distinguish dermantine from leather
You can distinguish dermantine from leather by the following characteristics:
- natural material, as a rule, is stamped - there are signs on it with the image of a skin;
- if you cut into a piece of material that manufacturers usually sew to the lining, you can easily understand what we are dealing with - if the threads come off at the cut, most likely you have dermantine;
- the surface of natural leather darkens when in contact with water;
- leather heats up quickly if you hold it between your palms, while artificial material will heat up much more slowly;
- piercing dermantine with a needle is not difficult - it will easily pass through the material, leaving a hole with smooth edges, but to pierce the skin of an animal, you will have to make an effort;
- when set on fire, the artificial fabric quickly melts, leaving a chemical smell, which is unusual for natural leather;
Important. You should only set the product on fire if you have already purchased it. Although genuine leather is not subject to combustion, it can be treated with flammable compounds, and if the goods are damaged, you will have to pay for it.
- when the skin is stretched in the light, you can see chaotically located microdots - traces of animal fur, while on dermantine the pattern is more orderly, because it is applied artificially.
Advantages and disadvantages
One of the main advantages is its low cost, because this material was specially released as imitation leather. However, not everyone will be able to distinguish a leather analogue from the original. Another plus is the beautiful appearance and pleasant surface. Furniture manufacturers include texture as a positive quality. At the same time, the fabric is durable and comes in various shades.
The fabric is environmentally friendly and safe to use. Does not lose its qualities at high or low temperatures and is resistant to moisture.
Anyone who knows what leatherette is will note that such fabric does not require special care.
Material color
Important! You can wipe the surface with a damp cloth or sponge. It is permissible to use special compounds for the care of leatherette.
There are also many disadvantages. First of all, this is a synthetic type of fabric. Faux leather does not breathe. Due to poor air flow, prolonged contact with the material will be uncomfortable.
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Another disadvantage is low abrasion resistance, so it deteriorates much faster than genuine leather. At temperatures below −25°C it cracks and breaks. Slightly flammable. Easily susceptible to pressure from sharp objects.
Wiping with a cloth
Origin
The Soviet people learned what dermatin was in 1930. It was from this moment that its mass production began. The material was made by applying a nitrocellulose composition to cotton fabric. At first it was presented as a cheap water-repellent finishing material.
Leatherette is the first plausible copy of natural leather made from artificial materials.
Actually, this is where its name comes from. "Derma" is translated from Greek "skin". Doors, furniture, and book covers were decorated with leatherette.
- What is composite leather: the process of creating the material, comparison with classic genuine leather
The production of leatherette clothing and shoes began much later - in the 1950-1960s. By this time, the composition of the material had been improved. It contained polyvinyl chloride (vinyl leather) and polyamide (amidis leather).
Synonyms of the word
Currently, the word is somewhat forgotten; the following synonyms and synonymous expressions are more common: “artificial leather”, “vinyl”, “leatherette”. A somewhat disdainful attitude towards this material has given rise to the catchphrase: “made of young dermantine leather,” which means that the item does not look fashionable and is made from cheap substitutes for genuine leather.
Quite a lot of people make mistakes in the pronunciation and spelling of this word; “dermatin” is often among the top words that everyone pronounces incorrectly, along with “slip”, “scrupulous”, “colander” (correct options are slip, scrupulous, colander). The incorrect spelling may have been formed by analogy with consonant words - “serpentine”, “quarantine”, “stole”.
The history of language knows many examples when incorrect pronunciation, spelling or usage eventually become established as a literary norm, as, for example, happened with the words “coffee” (the neuter gender in colloquial speech is no longer considered an error) or the verbal adjective “read "(previously, the correct spelling was considered to be the one with two “n”).
Perhaps “dermatin” will eventually be reflected in the dictionary as the more familiar pronunciation “dermatin”.
What purposes can this fabric be used for?
Main areas of application:
Sewing clothes, shoes, suitcases, bags, wallets, gloves and hats and other haberdashery
Upholstery of upholstered furniture, chairs, children's corners, etc.
Finishing walls, surfaces and furnishings when decorating
Upholstery of car interiors, panels and seats
Finishing of internal surfaces of aircraft for the purposes of thermal insulation and increasing the fire resistance of structures
Production of book covers and bindings
Fabric care
The material is undemanding to care. It is resistant to stains and does not allow water to pass through. Daily care consists of wiping things with a damp cloth. Leatherette furniture is regularly treated with sprays or creams for artificial leather.
Leatherette clothing and shoes are stored in fabric or plastic covers between seasons. Newspapers or foam rubber are placed inside the shoes so that they do not lose their shape. Bags and suitcases are stored in bags. Do not store things in places with high humidity.
If holes or cracks appear on the surface of the product, you can make a patch. It is cut from a piece of canvas that matches the color.
The surface of the item is degreased with alcohol and dried. Then apply artificial leather glue, apply a patch, and press firmly for 30 seconds. Leave the item for 6–8 hours until completely glued.
Washing and drying
Washing leatherette items is not recommended. When exposed to water, the fabric quickly cracks and wears out. Dirt is cleaned with a damp cloth or rag. Specific contaminants are more difficult to remove.
You should clean the item immediately after soiling, because traces quickly eat into the leatherette:
- You can wash brilliant green with a solution of laundry soap, and old traces with alcohol;
- You can erase traces of a ballpoint pen with a regular eraser and soap solution;
- traces from a felt-tip pen or marker are removed with alcohol, a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia;
- greasy stains are removed with dishwashing detergent;
- You can clean the item from stuck chewing gum with warm milk.
Dry leatherette products on a horizontal dryer away from heat sources. Drying in the open sun is prohibited.
How to iron
You can smooth out leatherette items with a steamer. The product is hung on hangers, turned inside out. Treat with a jet of steam from a distance of 20 cm, allow the items to dry completely.
If the label has a picture of an iron, you can iron the item. To do this, turn it inside out and iron it through a gauze pad at a temperature of 40 degrees.
Tissue repair
If the surface of leatherette is covered with cracks and creases, it can no longer be returned to its original state. Minor scratches and abrasions are treated with leather cream or spray or shoe paint. Stubborn stains are removed by specialized dry cleaning.
Tears and through cracks in the fabric are not sewn up, but a patch is applied.
See how to repair the product:
Scope of application of leatherette
Leatherette is widely used for making furniture:
- sofas, armchairs, ottomans;
- office furniture;
- desktops.
Entrance doors are upholstered with leatherette to reduce sound transmission. You can sew bags, suitcases, and wallets from fabric. They make shoes and jackets. The material is not suitable for dresses and suits - it is too hard and cannot be washed.
Leatherette scraps are used for needlework, namely for making parts of soft toys and dolls. They lay out panels in scraps and cover vases or boxes.
Leatherette is easy to cut and sew; it does not fray when cut. But the canvas should be bent carefully; cracks will appear in places where there are strong bends.
Types of material
The following types of fabric are distinguished by density:
- monolithic - impregnated with polyvinyl chloride, used in the furniture industry;
- perforated - the surface is covered with small holes to improve breathability, used for sewing clothes and haberdashery.
Based on the thickness of the coating, single-layer and multi-layer leatherette are distinguished. The material can be dyed in different colors. The most common colors are black, brown, and beige.
For the manufacture of bags and shoes, bright colors are made - blue, red, yellow. There are types with gold or silver plating, used for decorating products.
See the review (see eco leather):
