Innovation in the DNA

Game-changing innovations over recent years have touched just about each and every stage of leather-making.

The X-ZYME system shortens beamhouse processing by commencing safe (no proteolytic activity) 'opening up' in the soaking. This, together with rapid enzyme-assisted unhairing, gives reduced swelling in liming, resulting in cleaner and better let-out pelts with reduced looseness and neck wrinkles, and less belly draw for an optimal cutting yield. For the environment, the advantages are reduced chemical usage and cleaner effluent.

In tanning, patented X-TAN solves - for the first time - the organic tanning challenge. Its genuine FILK-endorsed tanning ability is irreversible and allows the intermediate to be stored for prolonged periods and shipped worldwide without any reduction in quality. It is a true wet-white, giving real white colour that can be exploited to give brilliant uniform dyeing results. For handling and the environment, it is non-sensitising, biodegradable and any excess uniquely reacts with water to form environmentally non-critical substances.

In preservation, the broad spectrum, highly concentrated and eutectic PREVENTOL U-Tec G provides high efficacy and a long-lasting regenerative effect. Actives without unnecessary additives means less waste. Unlike common fungicides, PREVENTOL U-Tec G can fully penetrate the cross section protecting the leather throughout. Preventol U-Tec G has a very high efficacy at pH4, but it is readily biodegradable at pH7 under conditions that prevail in wastewater treatment plants and the wider environment.

The X-BIOMER-patented retanning technology system based on renewables is a response to the tanners' need for reducing salt, avoiding formaldehyde and VOC completely, and improved biodegradability while maintaining, or even improving, leather performance.

Get to the finish

In finishing, Lanxess continuously develops innovative products and technologies contributing to today's - and the future's - needs in terms of performance and ecological aspects.

AQUADERM XL M is a new poly-isocyanate cross-linking agent for dull high-performance finishes. When used in combination with appropriate polyurethane and polyacrylate dispersions in either base or top coats, the product improves the overall fastness properties of leather finishes. Furthermore, the product improves the flow out of the finish noticeably and reduces the 'fresh tack' of top coats significantly.

Another important feature of the product is that it helps to achieve very dull finishes as required; for example, by the automotive industry. AQUADERM XL M is especially suitable for the use in 2K Inline Activation devices.

Adhesion is another important topic in the finishing field, for which BAYDERM Prebottom ARP has been developed. Based on an aromatic PU, this product strongly promotes excellent adhesion, even on problematic crust leather. The product can be used alone in special prebase coats or incorporated in base-coat formulations in order to improve adhesion. Likewise, BAYDERM Prebottom ARP can be cross-linked, which further improves its performance.

In order to cope with today's environmental needs, ISODERM LA-85-N-I offers an ecologically friendly APEO and phthalate-free solution in the field of nitrocellulose emulsions.

Commonly used as an intermediate coat for embossing and milling, this product can also be used in final top coats for shoe upper and bag leather, delivering a pleasant feel and gloss with good physical properties.

Nubucked grain is a common challenge for finishers when it comes to producing high-quality full-grain articles. EUDERM X-tra Wax P 2 helps to overcome this problem. Based on paraffin and natural oils, EUDERM X-tra Wax P 2 can be incorporated into base coats in order to improve the levelness of finishes and to cover nubucked grain considerably. In combination with oils and/or waxes, this product can also be used to achieve elegant pull-up effects.
For vegetable and so called 'semi cromo' articles, EUDERM X-tra Oil L 2 was designed to contribute to a slight burnish effect and to lubricate the grain layer, which is beneficial during the assembling of shoes. EUDERM X-tra Oil L 2 is based on natural oils and is preferably used in combination with waxes and caseins in anionic or cationic polishing finishes.