Any material has disadvantages and advantages. Before repairing and ordering furniture, it is necessary to decide what will be the basis of this or that furniture. Natural and artificial stone are materials of different structure, which are difficult to visually distinguish from each other. Next will be described practical advice how to distinguish natural stone from artificial, and how to make the right choice.

What is artificial stone

Before considering in more detail the differences between natural stone and artificial stone, you need to know exactly what is at stake. If everything is clear with natural material, but not everyone has heard about the artificial base. It is a matched mixture (resin, aluminum hydroxide, pigments) that is mixed and poured into prepared molds. Firing gives the material maximum strength. Due to the selected components, externally the products of natural and artificial stone do not differ. The main advantage is the ability to give any shape (including smooth bends and roundness) of artificial material without seams. Most often, acrylic stone of non-natural origin is used in furniture (they make countertops for the kitchen, window sills, bathroom trim).

Overview of performance characteristics of artificial stone

Of the operational characteristics of artificial stone, it is important to highlight hygiene. Natural material never has a perfect shape, no matter how difficult the processing. A natural stone covered with small pores that can become clogged over time. This gives rise to the development of bacteria. Often, the owners of countertops made of such material have to thoroughly wash the dirt from the surface every six months.

Many people ask the question: what is the difference between artificial stones and natural ones. The non-natural base has no pores, since the shape is given by a press, and firing eliminates the presence of air in the prepared components. Even if you choose a fancy shape, the entire base will not have seams or bumps. The final stage of work is grinding, surface treatment to give it a better look.

General list of performance characteristics of artificial stone:

• Resistance to high temperature(on the surface you can put hot dishes with a temperature of 200-230
  degrees Celsius, which will not leave a mark on the base);
• Possibility of repair, polishing and restoration in case of damage;
• A wide choice of colors for bath tops and bases (from the catalog you can choose a single color or combinations
  that fit into the style of the room);
• Light weight, which reduces the load on the furniture;
• Resistance to aggressive environment ( chemicals detergents, water).

How to describe the reviews of furniture owners from not natural material, on this basis there are no traces of spilled wine, coffee or other drinks.

Overview of natural stone (natural)

Despite their unlimited durability, natural-based furniture requires frequent maintenance. Spilled drinks, scattered crumbs, and other food debris can clog pores and need to be cleaned up by hand. High weight can put a lot of strain on wooden furniture. And only a limited list of damages can be repaired. For example, a crack that has arisen can only be masked.

Often, real granite is used for countertops or for finishing a bathtub. It is more stable than ordinary stone and is durable and easy to care for. However, for the price, it does not always fit into the allocated budget. At the same time, artificial stones will cost the customer a little cheaper. The larger the footprint, the more expensive square meter will cost natural stone.

Therefore, for the arrangement of modern housing or commercial premises, it is more relevant today to use innovative solutions. The availability of new, technologically advanced equipment allows us to manufacture artificial stone furniture for any size and shape. Cooperation with companies such as Staron , Corian , Hanex , Grandex and others is aimed at expanding the range of offers.

Leather, leatherette or fabric WHICH IS BETTER? What is the difference between artificial leather and eco-leather

Leather, leatherette or fabric how to choose the best

TEXTILE

Easy care at home

Many types of fabric can be cleaned with soapy water and a soft brush, vacuumed or dry-cleaned without damaging the color or texture of the upholstery. However, even machine washable and industrial cleaning does not cause much difficulty if the cover is removed.

A wide variety of textures, colors and patterns

Modern fabrics are so diverse that they are able to imitate many materials, including suede, with their texture. There are smooth and textured fabrics with different densities, weave types, and patterns. There are no restrictions on the color of the fabric and the complexity of the pattern.

Low cost of most types of fabrics

The cost of fabric depends on many factors, but compared to leather and leatherette, most varieties are much cheaper. However, there are also such high quality fabrics, the cost of which is higher than that of genuine leather.

Ideal for sleep

Due to the fact that fabrics consist of interlacing threads and contain up to 50% natural fibers, the breathability of such materials is much higher than that of analogues. And since the comfort of sleep also depends on the flow of oxygen, this indicator is important when choosing a sofa bed.

Most short term exploitation

Despite the many advantages, fabric upholstery begins to lose its appearance after about 5 years of operation, even with the most gentle care. You should be aware that most types of fabric are prone to abrasion, stretching and pilling.

Some fabrics may fade in color

Fabrics such as chenille and velvet tend to lose color saturation with prolonged exposure to sunlight.

…if you have small children, you should look for a sofa with a completely removable upholstery so that it can be machine washed frequently. In this case, impregnated fabrics will not work: after washing protective properties may disappear without a trace.

... guests often come to you and you arrange large feasts, then pay attention to fabrics with water and dirt-repellent (Teflon) impregnation: even if wine is spilled on the sofa or salad is dropped, it will be enough to wipe the affected area with a damp cloth.

… you have pets, it is better to choose very durable, mostly natural in composition, but not the most expensive fabrics: they will suffer less from claws and will not attract wool.

… the fabric is more than half synthetic fibers, it needs regular antistatic treatment. Otherwise, the furniture will quickly gather dust and “collect” small debris, as well as electrify clothes.

LEATHER

durable

Genuine leather is the most durable material used for upholstery of upholstered furniture. A sofa upholstered in leather can last for decades without major visible changes, and a slight wear and uneven color will even give it chic. It should be borne in mind that the thicker the material, the longer it will last.

Aesthetically attractive

Leather is an ideal material that emphasizes the status of the owner of an apartment or office. It always looks luxurious, and modern methods of processing and drawing make leather sofas a masterpiece of furniture art.

Breathes well

Since the skin is completely natural material, it has a high air permeability. Thanks to this property, the sofa will not rot and create discomfort.

Has thermoregulatory properties

With significant temperature fluctuations in the room, the skin retains optimal temperature providing comfort of use in hot and cold weather.

Requires regular upkeep

To maintain an attractive appearance leather upholstery needs special care. To prevent the material from deforming, it is necessary to maintain the optimal level of humidity in the room, and also treat the surface of the sofa several times a year with compounds to maintain elasticity.

Expensive

Leather is a very valuable material, so the cost of a sofa upholstered with it increases significantly.

… if you have small children, then you should remember that traces of food and the results of artistic creativity cannot be removed with chemical stain removers and solvents - after contact with aggressive chemicals, the upholstery will become unusable. Grease spots you can just get wet with a napkin - after some time there will be no trace of them.

... you choose light leather for upholstery, give up bright or dark pillows and blankets - when elevated level humidity in the room, they can shed and ruin the surface of the sofa.

…you have animals, choose the thickest and most durable leather that won't get too scratched.

ARTIFICIAL LEATHER

Outwardly practically does not differ from the skin

Thanks to modern technology, artificial materials, imitating leather and suede, outwardly as close as possible to their natural counterparts. In addition, artificial leather can be dyed in any color and have any texture.

Cheaper than natural analogue

If you want to give the room solidity, but do not want to overpay - artificial leather will be an excellent option, since it costs less than natural.

High strength

Due to the fact that the artificial leather has a woven base, it provides polymer material double margin of safety.

Easy Care

Artificial leather is more unpretentious in care than natural: it is enough just to wipe the sofa from time to time with a damp sponge and lightly polish it with special compounds to add shine.

Poor breathability

Such material is less breathable, which suggests the risk of disputes inside the sofa, and also makes it an unsuitable place to sleep.

Less resistance to external influences than skin

Genuine leather substitute is more susceptible to heat, cold and humidity changes: the likelihood that the material will crack or deform in extreme conditions, much higher than in the case of genuine leather.

... the room in which you plan to put upholstered furniture is located on the sunny side of the house, you should position it so that the light falls on the upholstery as little as possible - it may lose its appearance.

… if the upholstery is dirty or exposed to water, clean it immediately with a soft sponge and detergent otherwise the structure of the material may be damaged.

… if you have pets, it is better to choose a different upholstery material - it is almost impossible to remove cracks and scratches from artificial leather.

…if you want to use such a sofa as a sleeping place, it is better to purchase a breathable mattress pad made of natural fabric to make your rest comfortable.

COMBINED UPHOLSTERY

Furniture with combined upholstery looks original and beautiful, and there can be a lot of options for combining materials, colors and textures. For example, a widespread option is when the seat and back are upholstered in fabric, and the armrests and the lower part of the sofa are natural or artificial leather. In this case, when choosing upholstered furniture, you should clearly define the functionality that the sofa will perform, and choose a product taking into account all the properties of the materials.

Ivandivan.ru

Eco-leather Articles - TkanoFF Company

I wonder if you were asked to describe a material called

"artificial skin", then what definitions would come to your mind in

first line? Just be honest? Probably something like "cheap"

"short-lived", "uncomfortable", "not aesthetically pleasing" and so on

association line.

According to the textbook, in general, any artificial skin is

polymer film coating applied to knitwear,

woven or non-woven fabric. Most common on

today's film-forming polymer is polyvinyl chloride

Such artificial leather as soon as they are not called: “leatherette, leatherette,

leatherette, vinyl, vinyl leather, vinyl leather, PVC leather, artificial leather. This material

familiar to us since childhood: vinyl upholstery on trains, buses,

tram, cafe, clinic, kitchen, etc.

I’ll add on my own that the table oilcloth with linoleum is straight

"relatives" of leatherette. All of the above honored

"veterans" of the consumer market with all the variety of their designs

have one thing in common: the front, top layer is

airtight film of polyvinyl chloride (PVC or PVC).

Viniliskin as it is.

IN pure form, without additives, polyvinyl chloride is practically harmless, while it is hard as a stone and is widely used for the manufacture of PVC windows, doors and many other structures and products.

It is clear that the upholstery of a sofa or chair should be elastic and soft. Accordingly, to impart these properties, in the production of vinyl artificial leather, liquid additives are introduced into PVC - plasticizers (various phthalic acid esters), up to 40% of the mass fraction of the entire film. These additives are not incorporated chemically into the structure of polyvinyl chloride molecules and, during operation, evaporate from the polymer film at one speed or another, therefore, as the mass fraction of the plasticizer in the film decreases, PVC leather becomes rigid and begins to crack at the folds. Of course, the evaporating plasticizer itself does not belong to the category of harmless substances. On the Internet, you can easily find, by typing the abbreviation "PVC", detailed impartial comments on this topic. For this reason, by the way, vinyl artificial leather is not used for interior decoration shoes.

"Mercedes and Zhiguli are cars ... But how different they are! .." (Author)

And now let's try to get rid of the stereotype of "leatherette", similar to cold oilcloth.

Modern technologies make it possible to produce such high-quality artificial materials that it is more correct to compare them not with leatherette, but with genuine leather.

And why all this, you ask: well, it’s better, but the skin is still not natural ?!

Answer: I'm sure you'd prefer comfort. Eco-leather is a modern material created specifically to provide maximum comfort, to combine the properties of natural leather and furniture upholstery fabric.

So, what is eco-leather?

Eco-leather is a high-tech material, furniture fabric, breathable artificial leather without PVC. In the production of eco-leather, all the advanced developments of the world industry of chemistry, technology and high-precision equipment are involved.

Polyurethane is a material with amazing properties.

The polymer that forms the eco-leather film is polyurethane. For the first time, its simplest compounds were synthesized by the German chemist Bayer Otto Georg Wilhelm in 1937, an employee of the BAYER AG concern. The mechanism of its chemical synthesis is much more complicated than the synthesis of PVC, it is multistage, and most importantly, all the required properties are laid during the chemical synthesis of the polymer. Accordingly, no additives - plasticizers are needed; during operation, the polymer film does not emit anything from itself, hence the name - "eco-leather".

Polyurethane (PU) itself is a class of polymers with exceptionally high wear resistance (remember heels), frost resistance (up to -35 ° C). These remarkable properties are due to the high mobility of the spatial network of polyurethanes, their ability to rebuild under the influence of mechanical influences or temperature changes. Polyurethanes are even capable of "self-healing" damage to the polymer network caused by deformation.

These properties of polyurethanes are largely due to the fact that their modern grades incorporate many so-called. "functional groups" of atoms inherent only in natural leather. I would even say that eco-leather is the alter ego (second "I") of natural leather.

Comfort technology.

An important feature of the eco-leather production technology is the formation of through micropores penetrating the film; the material, unlike PVC, also “breathes”, i.e. allows air and water vapor to pass through without passing water. In some of its articles, eco-leather "breathes" no worse than ordinary furniture fabrics, and in any case, its breathability is tens and hundreds of times higher than that of any, the most expensive natural leather.

Another feature of the technology is a careful attitude to the film substrate, during the production process, cotton fabric does not experience any mechanical stress and stretching, so eco-leather has a very mobile structure, remarkable softness and elasticity.

What furniture upholstery is "more artificial"? By the way, furniture fabrics beloved by the people, such as flock, chenille, microfiber, are entirely synthetics from 25 to 100%. In the sense of “artificiality”, cotton-based eco-leather among them is quite worthy of mention as a material with the lowest synthetic content (see table).

Table of properties of popular furniture upholstery materials

Name	Compound	Martindal test Bs-5690, cycles	Air permeability according to GOST-938-18-70 ml/sq.cm*hour	Hygroscopicity	Moisture return
chenille	acrylic 35-50%, viscose 0-35%, polyester 30-40%, polypropylene 0-12%	>20 000	36 000	Material not tested	Material not tested
flock	pile - nylon 100%; base - polyester 65%, cotton 35%	15 000-20 000	36 000	Material not tested	Material not tested
microfiber	pile - polyester 100%, base - polyester 70%, cotton 30%.	35 000	18 000	Material not tested	Material not tested
eco-leather (renna)	basis - cotton 75%, coating - polyurethane 25%	>50 000	720-18 000 (*)	Hygroscopicity 5.0 - 9.1% (**)	Moisture return 4.9 - 8.8% (**)
genuine leather with aniline finish on the front surface	top layer of skin	---	11-18	Hygroscopicity 19.6%	Moisture return 19.2%
genuine leather with polished face	top layer of skin	---	1,7-2,5	Hygroscopicity 19.1%	Moisture return 18.7%

Notes: Tests for Bs - 5690 were carried out at the Test Center for Textile and Light Industry Products of OAO NPK TsNIISHERST. Tests according to GOST 938.18-70 were carried out at the Test Center "Leather and Footwear" of OAO Central Research Institute of the Leather and Footwear Industry. Tests according to the BEM method "Determination of hygroscopicity and moisture loss of the skin"

(*) - depending on the version, eco-leather can be comparable in breathability to popular upholstery fabrics. (**) - depending on the finish.

Eco-leather is a hybrid of the properties of natural leather and fabric.

To the touch, eco-leather is warm, like genuine leather, and vinyl leather is cold. If you sit naked on a sofa upholstered in vinyl leather or natural leather, you will definitely sweat. This is known to everyone. If the sofa is upholstered in eco-leather, then sitting “naked” on it is almost as comfortable as if it were upholstered in furniture fabric. Thus, considering the most important consumer properties, we can say that, in a sense, eco-leather is a hybrid of fabric and leather, and furniture makers sometimes call it “fabric with polyurethane impregnation”.

By the way, this is how it is classified at customs: "fabric with polyurethane impregnation." But leatherette is called: "pvc sheets reinforced with fabric." Feel the difference.

So, eco-leather is a material with a unique set of consumer properties:

• permeable to air and water vapor
• does not pass water
• warm to the touch
• wear-resistant
• has hygroscopicity
• frost resistance (up to -35°C)
• does not highlight harmful substances
• good organoleptic.

Eco-leather is a comfort in your home and office.

Eco-leather in the sense of “pure” comfort outperforms leatherette, and competes on equal terms with natural furniture leather.

The fact is that the front furniture natural leather used in Russia, and in the world, in the vast majority of cases has artificial embossing and is processed with acrylic emulsions, after which there is no need to talk about any breathability of natural leather (see table). Professionals usually refer to it as "skin with a corrected face." Practically reducing the properties of breathability to zero, of course, makes corrected natural leather less comfortable for a person.

Leathers with a natural, “native” face (the so-called “mereya”), without artificial embossing and artificial acrylic impregnations are very expensive, they are called “aniline-finished leathers” (i.e. they are only dyed with aniline dyes) and which is paradoxical, but true, the consumer, not knowing these nuances, chooses exactly the skin with a corrected, but very beautiful face, without scars, pockmarks and other defects. Aniline skins occupy less than 1% of the Russian market.

Eco-leathers are inferior to natural leathers in terms of hygroscopicity (see table), but they are sharply superior in breathability. The third property, "responsible" for comfort - their thermal conductivity is almost the same. As for organoleptic properties (i.e. how pleasant the material feels), then, of course, genuine leather with an aniline finish is superior to most types of eco-leather. (But not all of them!) Corrected leathers feel quite comparable to eco-leathers.

Once again about leatherette.

I am sure that you could well get the impression that I “humiliate” leatherette (vinyl leather) in every possible way.

This is not entirely true. Expensive PVC leathers have many advantages. Modern technologies make it possible to give them a good touch, create amazing designs, by introducing very expensive additives they achieve very high wear resistance and other special properties, there is no smell (because they were treated with polyurethane varnish). It's like that. But whatever one may say, PVC film does not "breathe" because. this polymer, in principle, cannot form through micropores; You will definitely sweat, and also, due to the lower wear resistance of PVC compared to polyurethane, technologists are forced to give the PVC film a much greater thickness than the PU film, as a result, vinyl leather will always be “cold” compared to eco-leather and genuine leather. The cooler the room, the more noticeable the difference will be.

Beware - you can be deceived.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that popular eco-leather designs have their “twins” in the furniture vinyl-leather segment. Moreover, in the finished product, the appearance can be absolutely the same, the differences will come to light in the sensations when touched and in operation.

Moreover, sometimes sellers really do not want to tell the buyer the truth about the composition of artificial leather, they understand that the abbreviation "PVC" (PVC) can alienate a demanding buyer. Therefore, in the descriptions of the composition of artificial leather, there are “pearls” of the type: “polymer polyester”, “foamed polyester resin” and other nonsense.

I have already noted that vinyl artificial leather can have an outer finish with polyurethane to improve the physical and mechanical characteristics of the film, increase its resistance to friction and scratches, and this is very correct and good, its correct name is "vinyl leather with polyurethane finishing." Cunning sellers about PVC are silent, and they simply say: "eco-leather." Don't forget about China. For example. Chinese vinyl leatherette with "Oregon" polyurethane finish. In its description there is not a word about what PVC is in its composition, and how much, some sellers give it to the buyer as eco-leather. Moreover, they will not say a word about the fact that it is Chinese, on the contrary, they can tell a fairy tale about the Canadian origin of the material. Alas. In Canada, as far as I know, there is not a single artificial leather factory.

Sometimes they cheat in other ways. The store chooses the execution in eco-leather, and leaves for the buyer couch upholstered in vinyl leather. And the color, design was the same, from the collection of eco-leather. Of course, furniture manufacturers with a "name and reputation" do not allow themselves this.

One of the popular designs of eco-leather - "Dollaro" is presented on the furniture market in PVC-leather by many manufacturers from Russia, Poland, China, Turkey, India, the Czech Republic, Greece and other countries. In PVC leather, this design has many names: "Dollaro", "Dollero", "Optima", "Bronko", "DPCV" and others. The "Dollaro" design is close to the popular "Madras" genuine leather design.

They can and should be distinguished from each other.

I bring to your attention the simplest methods for determining:

• If you have a small flap or a catalog of ECO LEATHER samples at hand (and you are in doubt what material is used in the product), then placing the palms of your hands one on the upholstery material, the other on a piece of ECO LEATHER, try to analyze your feelings. ECO-LEATHER, like genuine leather, should be warmer to the touch than PVC-leather.
• A more sophisticated method of determination is to apply a small amount of vegetable oil to the test samples. The duration of exposure to the sample is approximately one day. The effect will be very visual (see photo)!

A noticeable glossy dent formed on the surface of the PVC leather in place of the oil stain, and the leather there became stiffer to the touch. Roughly speaking, in this place the skin “instantly” aged. There was an irreversible process of extraction of the plasticizer from the PVC film.

But on a sample of ECO-LEATHER (as well as on a sample of natural leather), the oil does not leave its harmful traces of stay! The material does not change externally, its properties remain the same.

It is important!

And, please, do not forget to ask the seller for instructions on how to care for the product upholstered in eco-leather. Caring for her is not the same as for leatherette.

Eco-leather is a modern synthetic high-tech material, which must be treated with care, like natural leather.

To remove household contaminants (tea, coffee, juice, etc.), immediately treat the surface with a moistened soft cloth, with light movements, then be sure to wipe it dry. Dust deposits and dirt are removed in the same way. If it was not possible to get rid of the contamination immediately, it is allowed to use a 40-50% alcohol-water solution or ammonia.

If your cushioned furniture upholstered in snow-white eco-leather or light-colored eco-leather, then to better protect the product from pollution (for example, jeans can “tint” both artificial and natural leather furniture upholstery with a dye that cannot be removed), we recommend using special water- and dirt-repellent impregnations for natural leather , textiles and high-tech (hi-tech) materials. These funds can be purchased in almost any supermarket, in stores selling shoes and clothes made of genuine leather. When choosing an impregnation, be sure to read the instructions for use. If there is an indication not use for PU (do not use for polyurethane coatings), then this remedy Doesn't suit you.

We strongly do not recommend leaving the material wet, damp after care and cleaning procedures. This will lead to partial destruction of the polymer film, and, as a result, to premature loss of the original appearance of eco-leather.

For comparison, caring for vinyl leather:

Clean the surface with a soft cloth moistened with a neutral detergent solution. Then wipe the skin with a cloth dampened with clean water.

Yu. Zavodchikov

tkanoff.ru

what is it, where is it used, what are the benefits

There is a misconception that eco-leather is inferior in quality to natural leather, and is ordinary leatherette, but this is absolutely not the case. The appearance of this analogue was caused by several factors: an expensive price and a complex procedure for making genuine leather. Many people mistakenly believe that eco-leather loses to its natural counterpart, but it is not only not inferior, but also surpasses real leather in some points. What is eco-leather, what is it made of and how better skin and leatherette? About everything in order.

What is eco-leather? Composition and its application

Eco-leather is a man-made material. It is created by applying a polyurethane film to a fabric base, usually cotton, but there are other options. The thickness of the film may be different, but it is she who affects the quality and performance of the item. The thick coating ensures a long wear of the product, however, it will be more rigid to the touch. In the manufacture of eco-leather, plasticizers are not used, due to which it received the prefix "eco" in the name.

In the manufacture of eco-leather, the fabric and polyurethane layers are hard-embossed, which results in a pattern that is identical to that of genuine leather. It can be distinguished from the original only by looking at reverse side products.

Due to the similarity with natural material, eco-leather is widely and successfully used by designers. Bags and shoes are made from it, interior items are decorated, and various clothes are sewn. In the furniture industry, eco-leather is used to cover products such as upholstered sofas and armchairs. A large number of car covers are also made of eco-leather.

History of creation

The history of the development of leather business began even before our era. Primitive people used the skins of slaughtered animals as clothing; later on, a wide variety of things were made from the skins: dishes, bags, shields, shoes and drums. But time does not stand still, and for the preservation of the environment and animal life, experiments were carried out to replace natural leather.

One of the successful results is dermatin, or, in a simple way, leatherette. However, in quality, he was much inferior to his progenitor, because of which he earned a bad reputation among consumers. In 1963, eco-leather was invented in the United States - a material similar in environmental characteristics to natural leather. It was made from synthetic fiber, the use of which reduced pollution and reduced the number of animals killed, which, no doubt, greatly pleased the animal rights activists.

Varieties

This material has two varieties:

• perforated;
• self-adhesive eco-leather.

Perforated polyurethane leather contains many holes, which ensures the material is breathable. It is mainly used for sewing car covers, interior upholstery and haberdashery. Self-adhesive eco-leather is used for the manufacture of products where it is not recommended to use glue. This type skin has a higher rigidity.

Advantages and disadvantages

Eco-leather has won universal trust due to its ecological origin and quite affordable price, however, this is not its only advantage. It is frost-resistant, does not emit toxic and harmful substances. Eco-leather is easy to care for, it is elastic and pleasant to the touch, has long-term performance, does not respond to direct Sun rays, is capable of self-recovering after a slight deformation of the surface. There are different variations of the color of eco-leather - it is easily dyed without losing presentability. This material does not have a specific smell, uneven thickness and color defects, unlike genuine leather. At proper care a thing made of eco-leather can last more than ten years. Among the advantages, it is also worth noting hypoallergenicity, ventilation, and safety.

However, every thing has its downsides. Although there are not as many of them as pluses, it is worth paying attention to them. Eco-leather with improper care and use can crack and scratch. You need to be especially careful when cleaning furniture products - they can easily be damaged by a brush, and ugly scratches can remain from the claws of pets. If this nevertheless happened, then it is unlikely that the product will be “repaired” - the polyurethane layer cannot be restored. Also, eco-leather tends to get very hot when exposed to the sun for a long time.

How to distinguish eco-leather from leatherette, vinyl and other analogues

Not all sellers and manufacturers are crystal honest, therefore, if there is any doubt about the quality of the material, there are ways to check it. To begin with, touch the material with your hand - it should be soft, gentle and warm from your touch. Leatherette will remain cool, and will be much rougher to the touch. If your suspicions have not dissipated, you can check the composition of the product vegetable oil if conditions permit. Put a couple of drops on the thing you want to check and leave for a day. If the next day you find a dent, and the skin becomes rough, then you have leatherette. The smell also plays an important role: eco-leather practically does not smell, while leatherette has a sharp, specific aroma.

Eco leather care

In order for a thing to retain its original appearance and serve you for many years, it must be looked after. Small stains from dirt, dust and liquids can be easily removed with a damp cloth. Do not use hard brushes and powders for cleaning - they can leave scratches and scuffs. At the end of wet cleaning, it is necessary to wipe the product with a dry cloth, as artificial leather absorbs moisture very quickly. If the stain is old and cannot be wiped off in the usual way, then alcohol diluted with water can be used. Salt will help from red wine stains, and vinegar solution from coffee and chocolate stains. Fresh orange peel will help restore shine and color saturation. Just rub the product with it, and it will regain its original gloss.

The stores provide a wide range of special products for cleaning eco-leather products. Before purchasing, carefully read the instructions for use, because some gels and stain removers are not suitable for eco-leather care. Attention: it is necessary to wash the product from this material only by hand, at a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees, since machine washing is strictly prohibited.

Eco-leather has firmly won the trust of consumers who value humanity and reverent attitude towards environment. It has a huge number of advantages, which distinguishes it from other artificial analogues, it also practically does not differ from genuine leather, and even surpasses it to some extent in terms of performance. useful properties. An important role is played by the low cost of this product, which cannot be said about its natural counterpart. The low pricing policy ensures the availability of eco-leather products to almost everyone, and will please the owner for a long time with their quality and aesthetic appearance.

domopravitelnitsa.com

Recently, the demand for genuine leather products has not been so active. The reason is the emergence of less expensive, high-quality products made from eco-leather. The popularity of such material is explained by its differences for the better from other types of artificial material.

eco-leather- high-tech material that allows you to create wear-resistant products according to affordable prices. Ecological leather is in demand by such industries as:

1. Furniture: production of upholstery for armchairs and sofas.
2. Haberdashery: creating bags and wallets, briefcases and purses.
3. Light: tailoring.

Many companies use eco-leather for the production of car covers.

Artificially obtained skins consist of the following layers:

• basics;
• impregnating composition;
• polymer coating.

The fabric base of the eco-material is made of natural or polyester materials.

The polymer coating of the eco-material is polyurethane. There are other types of artificial leather based on the following polymers:

• polyacetal;
• thermoplastic elastomer;
• cellulose nitrate;
• rubber.

The structure and structure of ecological skin is porous. Other types of artificial material may have the following structure and structure:

• monolithic and porous-monolithic;
• single layer and multilayer;
• baseless on a fibrous basis;
• reinforced.

Depending on the conditions under which artificial leather is used, such varieties are known as: ordinary and frost-resistant, acid-resistant and alkali-resistant, waterproof, etc.

Eco-leather is so close to natural leather in some properties that sometimes only specialists can distinguish them. This applies to the case where the polyurethane material substitute is of very good quality.

How to distinguish leather from eco-leather

If a person decides to purchase a thing made of natural material, he should be careful not to make a mistake. After all, unscrupulous sellers can offer polyurethane leather instead of natural leather.

It is necessary to take into account a number of features that eco-leather has:

1. It heats up as well as natural, from human heat in contact with it. Does not leave traces of moisture.
2. The pattern on the front side is very close to the natural pattern.
3. It is not subject to significant deformations: when stretched, it quickly restores its shape. The fabric feels soft and stretchy.
4. Absorbs moisture well.

How to distinguish leather from eco-leather on a jacket

First of all, on the jacket you should find the label where the sign is indicated. If the sign in the form of a rhombus is a product made of ecological material. In the absence of a label on the product, it is necessary to find the raw edge and examine it well.

Natural material will not exfoliate. But if the cut shows top coat in the form of a film, and bottom layer the fabric is PU leather. If it was not possible to find the raw edge of the product, pay attention to the seams.

In a leatherette jacket, the seams are usually closed and very thin to the touch. A product made of natural material can also have closed seams, but when they are felt between the fingers, a “roller” is felt.

A jacket made of natural material will have a specific leather smell. So you can just smell the thing. But some manufacturers go for tricks, impregnating leatherette with special aromatic solutions - they do not recommend completely relying on such experience.

The weight of the jacket also matters - leatherette items are usually light.

Eco-leather products have rich shades. This is because the dye adheres better to the polyurethane coating, therefore, the colors look brighter.

Checking a piece of material with fire is an unreliable method, since special additives have been introduced into modern leather substitutes.

A questionable method of verifying the authenticity is also the impact on the material with water. Leather is known to absorb water, but if the surface of the product is treated with a water repellent, the test result will be incorrect.

It would be much easier to distinguish leather from ordinary leatherette. The reason is that the properties of other types of artificial leather differ significantly from the properties of polyurethane and natural leather for the worse.

What is the difference between eco-leather and leatherette

In the production of eco-leather, plasticizer additives are not involved. Another feature in the production of ecological leather is a special attitude to the base of the polyurethane film: the material does not experience different kind loads.

The result - eco-raw materials acquires a mobile structure, elasticity. The polyurethane film occupies no more than 25% of the total mass. Therefore, we can safely say that eco-leather is a fabric impregnated with polyurethane. And for leatherette, you can choose a definition: a polymer sheet reinforced with fabric.

The breathability of eco-leather is much higher than that of other leatherettes. This was achieved due to the fact that in the process of applying the film, pores are formed through which air and water vapor pass, but not the water itself. The network of polyurethanes is very mobile, so polymers can be rearranged under the influence of mechanical loads and temperature changes. These abilities explain their resistance to wear and very low temperatures. Polymer films of other types of artificial leather wear out faster and crack in severe frosts.

Reference! Polyurethanes are even able to eliminate violations of the polymer network during deformation due to the presence of special groups of atoms that natural leather has.

What is the difference between eco-leather and leatherette

The basis of leatherette is represented by a cotton fabric. The coating of this type of artificial leather is cellulose nitrate, which can be applied not only on one side of the fabric, like eco-leather, but also on both sides.

Unlike ecological leather, dermatin has the following features:

1. Easily wears off. The wear process can only be stopped if the new product is treated with a silicone-based varnish.
2. Can't stand low temperatures: cracks in the cold.
3. Easily ignites and burns quickly. In fire hazardous premises, it is not permissible to finish furniture and doors with leatherette.
4. When burning, an unpleasant smell of rubber is released. The substances released during combustion are very toxic.
5. Shows resistance to moisture: prevents water from penetrating into the lining material.
6. Leatherette is easy to damage without much effort.
7. Changes color when bent.
8. It has low thermal conductivity. Leatherette items are cold to the touch. Even if you hold them in your hands for a long time, they almost do not heat up.
9. Top layer pattern is uniform, only remotely resembling a pattern of natural porosity.
10. It is mainly used as a finishing material.
11. It gets tougher over time.
12. It is sensitive to ultraviolet rays. Upholstery of the door with leatherette is best done from the inside.
13. Doesn't let air through. In clothes and shoes made of leatherette, a person is clearly uncomfortable. It is highly undesirable to purchase such products, only in case of a shortage of funds.

What is the difference between alcantara and eco-leather

Among modern materials Recently, Alcantara material has become very popular. Many car enthusiasts are interested in the interior of the car being sheathed with this unique fabric that imitates natural suede.

Such artificial suede is produced by the advanced spinning method. The result is a very thin fiber, which is then pierced and impregnated adhesive composition. The inner surface of the woven material is treated with an abrasive. As a result, the pile rises, and the fabric becomes soft, silky.

Differences between Alcantara and eco-leather:

1. More prone to contamination due to the presence of small villi on the surface.
2. Heats up less in the sun.
3. More pleasant to the touch.
4. Requires more careful care. At hit on a surface of the soiling liquids it is necessary to wash fabric.
5. More elastic. Alcatara car covers are easy to pull over the seats. But if the eco-leather covers are not stretched correctly, then cracks appear on the material over time.
6. Alcatara products are more expensive than eco-leather products.

It is impossible to say for sure who is more susceptible to wear of alcantara or eco-leather - it all depends on how well they were made.

The beauty of pearls has attracted people at all times. Many legends, signs and beliefs are associated with pearls. It cannot be otherwise, because the very birth of a pearl in a mollusk shell is already a mystery. Pearls are mined on all continents except Antarctica. The extraction of pearls and the manufacture of jewelry from it were familiar to people even before our era. And so far, pearls have not lost their positions. IN modern world pearl jewelry is a sign of refined taste.

Types of pearls

Pearls are formed by marine and freshwater mollusks as a protective reaction to the ingress of a foreign body into its cavity - grains of sand, eggs, larvae. Pearl is the only stone that does not require additional processing.

- pearls grown on special farms with human participation. When cultivating pearls on farms, a ball is placed in a special cavity of a mollusk - a pearl oyster. Shells with the smallest mother-of-pearl beads planted on special garters are placed in the sea or river. In response to an irritant, mother-of-pearl (calcium carbonate) is produced in the sink. To get a pearl you need from 3 to 10 years. Young mollusks produce mother-of-pearl most actively, which is why they produce the largest pearls. In the first year, the pearl grows more actively than in subsequent years.

After extracting the pearl from the mollusk, a bead is replanted in the shell. In total, during the period of its life, the mollusk can be used for cultivation three times. Sea clams give one pearl. But in one freshwater mollusk, several can form at once. Sea pearls are larger in diameter - on average from 5 to 20 mm, and river pearls - from 3 to 10 mm.

Cultivated pearls began at the beginning of the 20th century, and in the middle of the last century, the extraction of natural pearls was banned. Cultured pearls are most often white in color with shades of soft pink, beige and blue. But it is found among cultured pearls gray, brown and black pearls. The color of pearls depends on the type of shellfish in which they are grown.

They began to make it back in the 15th century, applying a special composition of fish scales to glass balls. Today, cultured pearls are made from glass, plastic, alabaster, pink coral, and hematite. Imitation pearl can have as classic White color with shades, and all kinds of bright colors that are not characteristic of natural pearls. Modern technologies make it possible to produce pearls almost indistinguishable from the real ones.

In the manufacture of high-quality artificial pearls, natural mother-of-pearl is used, obtained from shellfish. Imitation pearls are suitable for young people modern girls. Also, artificial pearls are now chosen by adherents of vegetarianism.

pearl storage

Cultured pearls are not the most durable material, but if stored properly, they can last 50 or 100 years. Such pearls should not be stored in very hot and dry, as well as excessively humid rooms. In addition, pearls do not like direct sunlight, polluted air, tobacco smoke, creams and perfumes applied to the skin. But pearls love their mistress: they need regular contact with the skin, from which they are nourished by moisture. Therefore, you should not lend your pearl jewelry to others. It is also believed that inherited pearls do not bring good luck.

Imitation pearls may change color over time, but they are no less durable than cultured pearls, and they do not require special storage conditions.

How to distinguish artificial pearls from cultured ones?

• The first way is by eye. The brilliance of cultured pearls is intense and uniform, whatever one may say. In artificial pearls, the luster may be brighter, but not uniform. To check the brilliance of pearls, you need to examine it on a light fabric. But the defects and irregularities of pearls, on the contrary, are better visible against a dark background.
• The second method is “on the tooth”. If you run a pearl across your teeth, then the artificial one will be homogeneous, and the cultured one will have slight roughness.
• Method three - "by weight". Cultured pearls, as a natural material, will be heavier than artificial ones.
• Method four - "to the touch". Imitation pearls are smooth and even. Cultured pearls have a looser structure with slightly pronounced irregularities.
• Method five - friction. If cultured pearls are rubbed against each other, pearl dust is formed, but they themselves are not affected. There will be scratches on fake pearls.
• Method six - sounding. When pearls are rubbed against each other, cultured pearls emit a characteristic creak, while artificial pearls do not creak.
• Method seven - temperature. Cultured pearls give off a chill that is especially easy to feel on a hot day.
• Eighth way - throw. A cultured pearl will bounce off a hard surface, an imitation pearl, if tossed over a table or floor, will roll but not bounce.
• Method nine - price. Cultured pearls are more expensive than artificial ones.
• Tenth way - x-ray. With the help of X-rays, you can see the nucleus placed in the mollusk, as well as determine the thickness of the grown layer.

All methods are suitable only for the pearls that you already have. When buying pearls, it is unlikely that someone will allow you to rub pearls across your teeth, throw pearls on the floor and rub them against each other. It is understood that artificial pearls are sold in jewelry stores, and cultured pearls are sold in jewelry stores. You can buy natural sea pearls today only at auctions.

If you have doubts about the purchased pearls, you can take it to a gemologist for examination. Many manufacturers of artificial pearls have learned to give the irregularities characteristic of natural pearls, and also added weight to artificial pearls, eliminating the lightness characteristic of jewelry. Therefore, only a specialist can distinguish cultured pearls from high-quality artificial ones these days.

Or is AI part of robotics? What is the difference between these two terms? We will answer this question!

Robotics and artificial intelligence serve very different purposes. However, people often confuse them. Many people wonder if robotics is a subset of artificial intelligence or if they are the same thing.

The first thing to be said is that robotics and artificial intelligence are not the same at all. In fact, these two areas are almost completely separated.

A Venn diagram of them would look like this:

We assume that people confuse the two because of the overlap between them: artificially intelligent robots.

To understand how these three terms relate to each other, let's look at each of them individually.

What is robotics?

Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with robots. Robots are programmable machines that can typically perform a series of actions autonomously or semi-autonomously.

In our opinion, there are three important factors, which define the robot:

• Robots interact with the physical world through sensors and actuators.
• Robots are programmed.
• Robots are usually autonomous or semi-autonomous.

There are many opinions about what constitutes a "robot". Some experts say that the robot must be able to "think" and make decisions. However, there is no standard definition of "robotic thinking". The robot's requirement to "think" suggests that it has a certain level of artificial intelligence.

Robotics involves the design, construction, and programming of physical robots. Only a small part of it is associated with artificial intelligence.

What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science. It involves the development of computer programs to perform tasks that require human intelligence. AI algorithms can address learning, perception, problem solving, language comprehension, and/or logical reasoning.

AI is used in many ways in today's world. For example, AI algorithms are used in Google search, Amazon's recommender program, and SatNav search engines. Most AI programs are not used to control robots.

Even when AI is used to control robots, AI algorithms are only part of a larger robotic system that also includes sensors, actuators, and non-AI programming.

Often AI involves some level of machine learning where the algorithm is "trained" to respond in a certain way to a certain input using known inputs and outputs.

The key aspect that distinguishes AI from more conventional programming is the word "intelligence". Non-AI programs simply execute a specific sequence of instructions. AI programs mimic some level of human intelligence.

What are artificially intelligent robots?

Artificially intelligent robots are the bridge between robotics and artificial intelligence. These are robots that are controlled by AI programs. Many robots do not use AI. Until recently, all industrial robots were programmed only to carry out a repetitive series of movements. As we said, repetitive movements do not require artificial intelligence.

Non-intelligent robots are rather limited in their functionality. AI algorithms are often needed to enable a robot to perform more complex tasks.

Let's see some examples.

Example 1: Robot without AI

For example, you can easily program a robot to pick up an object and place it somewhere else. The robot will continue to select and place objects in the same way until you turn it off. This is a standalone feature as the robot does not require human intervention once you have programmed it. However, the task does not require any intelligence.

Example 2: Artificial Intelligence Robot

Imagine that you wanted to add a camera to your robot. The look of a robot falls under the category of "perception" and usually requires AI algorithms.

For example, let's say you want the robot to detect the object it was picking up and place it in a different location depending on the type of object. This involves preparing a specialized vision program for recognition various types objects.