Performance, innovation and upgrading

Stahl's display at this year's APLF in June will use a myriad of new ideas to focus on performance, innovation and upgrading within a new dimension of creativity in fashion finishing. The opportunity will be taken to use this as a forum for showing the advantages of the products that have now become available in the Stahl International range following the recent acquisition of Salem Oil & Grease. Colours will be based on the forecasts for spring and summer 2004 and range from soft pinks and mauves in the Eau de Rose collection through nature's brighter but still soft pinks, blues, yellows and greens for traditional and modern 'Tang' looks to the Gesture of clean whites and pale greys and blues and the deeper, brighter sunshine colours of summer shown off in blues, cerise, violets, purples, plums and ochre. Effects and colours will be created using recent additions to the Stahl range of finishing products. These include a new versatile dull water lacquer, LW-18-703, which is easy to mix with liquid dyes. For jet black finishes there is a new black water patent top coat, WT-18-482, while another new water top coat, a two component system using WT-18-487 and WT-18-493 has been specially designed for use on upholstery leather and provides excellent physical properties and a soft touch. Two other new products are FI-13-155, a wax filler for high gloss polishing, and RU-22-036, a glossy adhesion promoter for sealer coats and refinishing. Upgrading is highlighted through the use of cationic finishing systems, stucco and a new heat foam system, all of which are ideal for using on low selection leathers. The aim is always to give improved upgrading on low selection crusts to give better appearance and saleability. In recent years, one of the important features of the display has been the use of leather that has been retanned, fatliquored and dyed using Stahl's own extensive range of wet-end products. This year the display will be significantly enhanced through the additional availability of products previously manufactured by Salem Oil & Grease. These will be used in a wide range of Crazy Horse and pull-up effects. The display has been designed by Stahl Asia with the aim of attracting the interest of tanneries in South East Asia and bordering the Pacific Ocean, an area which is of considerable importance in the world leather business.