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Faux leather and suede<br />
The purpose of these fabrics is to imitate animal leather or<br />
suede, and they are designed to closely resemble the<br />
natural material.<br />
The reasons for designing faux fabrics are: the lower cost of the<br />
material; the ease of cutting and sewing; the fact that they are<br />
more available than leather or suede; and animal treatment<br />
and environmental concerns. They are also designed to go beyond<br />
the limitations of leather and suede by creating “unnatural” colors<br />
and textures.<br />
Faux leather and suede can be used on all the same products<br />
as real leather and suede, such as shoes, handbags, accessories,<br />
jackets, pants, and skirts. The hand and weight of these fabrics are<br />
quite similar to the natural material. In fact, it is sometimes difficult<br />
to distinguish faux from real leather. The two main differences<br />
between the natural material and faux material are:<br />
This imitation alligator leather is actually three<br />
layers of fabric bonded together to give the same<br />
thick, leathery texture of the real alligator skin.<br />
• Faux leather is nonporous, so the fabric doesn’t<br />
allow air to pass through. Therefore, it can be<br />
uncomfortably hot compared to leather that is<br />
porous. It sometimes has a “plastic” odor.<br />
• Fabric backing is required to support the embossed<br />
plastic face. This backing is usually a top-weight<br />
interlock knit (see page 152) that keeps the bonded<br />
fabric as flexible as possible to imitate real leather.<br />
Patchwork faux leather<br />
This faux leather can be distinguished by<br />
a fabric backing on the back side. This fabric<br />
backing is an interlock knit that provides<br />
flexibility and strength, similar to real leather.<br />
Embossed faux suede (sueded<br />
finish woven cotton)<br />
This brushed-surface woven fabric has been<br />
embossed with a printed black film that<br />
resembles a reptile-skin pattern. The brushed<br />
surface, combined with the printed film, has<br />
a skin-like texture.<br />
Printed faux leather<br />
This faux leather has a distinctive lambskin<br />
appearance except for the houndstooth<br />
printed pattern on the surface. However,<br />
looking at the back side will always<br />
distinguish the real from the faux.<br />
•••<br />
124 Structure
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