LANXESS have developed a new generation of finishing products for the leather industry: X-Grade is an innovative system which enables users to rectify small and medium-sized hide defects. Defects such as pinholes and cuts are eliminated with astounding success. The result is a higher cutting yield. In addition, the new technology gives a much more uniform embossing pattern, which leads to a very natural-looking surface structure.
The X-Grade system’s filling properties are achieved through the expansion of special patented microcapsules, which means it is essential to adjust the plating or embossing temperature.
Leather is a natural and exclusive product and as such must differ visibly from imitation products. This represents a major challenge to manufacturers of leather products and goods – especially in light of the increasing demand for natural-looking leather – while the quality of raw hides steadily declines. With the X-Grade system, the quality of furniture upholstery leather, shoe upper leather and splits can be improved significantly. With this product, even corrected grain leather has a much more natural appearance. At the same time, embossing is improved even when using less finishing layers.
The proportion of usable full grain leather is much higher, with the result that tanners can sell more square feet of leather per hide and reduce the amount of wastage.
The system can be applied by all established application methods such as roll coating (direct or reverse), air, HVLP and airless spraying. It is applied in the prebottom or in the base coat in combination with conventional base coat products.
The system currently consists of two products:
PrimalTM X-Grade FCF is a preparation based on acrylic dispersions with special auxiliaries for prebottoms for full grain furniture upholstery and shoe upper leathers.
PrimalTM X-Grade MP is a universally applicable formulation based on PUD/ acrylic dispersions with special auxiliaries. In combination with additional binders, it is highly suitable for use in base coats for corrected grain furniture upholstery, shoe upper, bag and split leathers.
