A manufacturing method for decorating natural leather including the steps of: jetting a decorative image with one or more radiation curable inkjet inks on a leather surface; and curing the radiation curable inkjet inks jetted on the leather surface; wherein the one or more radiation curable inkjet inks include a colorant and a polymerizable composition containing 0.5 to 15.0 wt % of one or more polyfunctional polymerizable compounds and at least 85.0 wt % of one or more monofunctional polymerizable compounds with the weight percentages based on the total weight of the polymerizable composition; wherein the one or more radiation curable inkjet inks include 0 to 35.0 wt % of organic solvent; and at least 85.0 wt % of one or more monofunctional polymerizable compounds; and wherein the glass transition temperature of the one or more radiation curable inkjet inks (I) is less than 25? C.

The present invention concerns combinations of a water repellent alkyl ketene dimer as a component (I) and a water repellent metal alcoholate as a component (II) that are strongly synergistic in repelling water from water absorbing surfaces, resulting in a surprisingly long water droplet absorption time. The combinations of the invention can be applied to the surface of any material that has water absorbing properties such as, but not limited to, wood, woven and non-woven sheeting materials, paper, building materials, gypsum board, and leather.

The present invention concerns combinations of a water repellent alkyl ketene dimer as a component (I) and a water repellent metal alcoholate as a component (II) that are strongly synergistic in repelling water from water absorbing surfaces, resulting in a surprisingly long water droplet absorption time. The combinations of the invention can be applied to the surface of any material that has water absorbing properties such as, but not limited to, wood, woven and non-woven sheeting materials, paper, building materials, gypsum board, and leather.

The present invention provides aqueous composition comprising a multi-stage acrylic emulsion polymer having a first stage polymer of from 0.5 to 4 wt. %, based on the total weight of monomers used to make the first stage polymer, of a copolymerized carboxylic acid or salt group containing monomer, and having 10 to 30 wt. %, on total solids of the multi-stage acrylic emulsion polymer, of a second stage polymer of from 3 to 15 wt. % of a copolymerized hydroxyl group containing monomer, the first stage polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of less than 10 C. and the second stage polymer having a Tg (DMA) of greater than 80 C.; and (ii) from 25 to 75 wt. %, based on the total solids weight of the multi-stage acrylic polymer, of a polyurethane.

The present invention is directed to a process for retanning leather comprising the steps of: a) providing tanned or pre-tanned leather b) treating the tanned leather of step a) with a composition comprising hollow microspheres, preferably as an aqueous composition, the hollow microspheres have a true density of from 0.01 to 0.10 g/cm.sup.3 (25? C.) and/or a bulk density of the dry powder of 0.005 to 0.06 g/cm.sup.3 (25? C.), c) drying, whereby the temperature of the leather during drying does not exceed 75? C. as well as to leather obtained by said process.

A manufacturing method of decorated natural leather including the steps of applying a crusted leather, having a corium side, a grain side and an edge, on a conveyor system, having a position means, and aligning said crusted leather by moving said edge against said position means; and laminating said aligned crusted leather on a temporary carrier, having an adhesive layer, wherein said corium side is attached by said adhesive layer on said temporary carrier while conveying said crusted leather on said conveyor system towards said temporary carrier and moving said temporary carrier relative to said conveyor system; and inkjet printing on said grain side with one or more pigmented inkjet inks an image by an inkjet printing system.

Conductive leather materials and methods for making the same are provided. The conductive leather materials may have a conductivity suitable to operate touch-sensitive electronic devices without a conductive path to the human body.

A hydrophobisation composition, which includes a hydrophobisation extract obtained by extracting outer bark of birch in an organic and/or polar solvent and which includes at least 30 weight-% betulinol. Also disclosed is a method for hydrophobisation of a surface, which includes steps of applying a layer of hydrophobisation composition containing betulinol on a surface of a substrate, and drying and heat-treating the layer of hydrophobisation composition. A substrate having a surface which is hydrophobised by using the method is also disclosed.

A hydrophobisation composition, which includes a hydrophobisation extract obtained by extracting outer bark of birch in an organic and/or polar solvent and which includes at least 30 weight-% betulinol. Also disclosed is a method for hydrophobisation of a surface, which includes steps of applying a layer of hydrophobisation composition containing betulinol on a surface of a substrate, and drying and heat-treating the layer of hydrophobisation composition. A substrate having a surface which is hydrophobised by using the method is also disclosed.

A leather coating composition comprising (I) an aqueous urethane resin, (II) a matting agent, and (III) a silicone-acrylic graft copolymer resin emulsion obtained by reacting a polyorganosiloxane with a (meth)acrylate monomer has improved abrasion resistance and anti-staining properties. Leather coated with the composition is given an aesthetic appearance and abrasion resistance.