Method for manufacturing artificial leather having excellent fastness and dyeing properties by using a dope-dyed polyester sea-island type composite yarn and artificial leather produced by the method are disclosed. A non-woven fabric is made of a dope-dyed polyester sea-island type composite yarn, to which an organic pigment and/or inorganic pigment is added. The yarn is impregnated with a polyurethane resin containing an organic and/or inorganic pigment, followed by weight reduction processing and dying with a disperse dye. The fabric/artificial leather expresses an uniform and deep color.

A sheet is produced by (i) producing a sheet by entangling woven or knitted material including a thread composed of a composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity are stuck together in a side-by-side type along the fiber length direction and/or of a core-in-sheath type composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity form an eccentric core-in-sheath structure, with a fiber capable of converting into ultra fine fibers composed of two kinds or more of polymeric substances different in solubility in solvent, (ii) developing an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent to thereafter provide elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet, or of providing elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet to thereafter develop an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent, and (iii) rubbing and shrinking the woven or knitted material under the condition of 110 C. or more.

Disclosed is an artificial leather base material having a surface with a lightness L* value of 50 and including a fiber base material that includes cationic dye-dyeable polyester fibers and an elastic polymer, the artificial leather base material being dyed with at least one cationic dye. Also provided is a resin layer-equipped artificial leather, a napped artificial leather, and a shoe that use the artificial leather base material is used. Also provided is a decorating sheet including the artificial leather base material, and a decorative molded body using the same.

Disclosed is a grain-finished artificial leather including an artificial leather base material, and a grain layer stacked on the artificial leather base material. The artificial leather base material includes a fiber-entangled body including ultrafine fibers having an average fineness of 0.4 dtex or less, an elastic polymer, and fine particles having an average particle size of 10 m or less. The content ratio of the fine particles is 10 to 40 mass %, and the ratio of the elastic polymer to the total amount of the elastic polymer and the fine particles is 20 to 80 mass %. Also, a total of an apparent density of the elastic polymer and an apparent density of the fine particles is 0.23 to 0.55 g/cm.sup.3.

Disclosed is a napped artificial leather including: a non-woven fabric obtained by entangling fibers; and an elastic polymer, wherein a 100% modulus (A) of the elastic polymer and a content (B) of the elastic polymer satisfy the relational expression: B1.8A+40, A>0, and the non-woven fabric has an abrasion loss (C) of 45 mg or less, in accordance with JIS L 1096 (6.17.5E method, Martindale method) under a pressing load of 12 kPa (gf/cm.sup.2) after 20000 abrasion cycles.

A sheet is produced by (i) producing a sheet by entangling woven or knitted material including a thread composed of a composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity are stuck together in a side-by-side type along the fiber length direction and/or of a core-in-sheath type composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity form an eccentric core-in-sheath structure, with a fiber capable of converting into ultra fine fibers composed of two kinds or more of polymeric substances different in solubility in solvent, (ii) developing an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent to thereafter provide elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet, or of providing elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet to thereafter develop an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent, and (iii) rubbing and shrinking the woven or knitted material under the condition of 110 C. or more.

A high-quality artificial leather is described, having a suede appearance and colors within the grey-black range, the light fastness of the colors according to the method SAE J 1885 225.6 KJ/m.sup.2 being higher than or equal to 4; the lightfastness of the colors according to the method SAE J 1885 488.8 KJ/m.sup.2 being not lower than 3; said artificial leather having a tassel on the surface of the leather itself. The average length of the tassel is between 200 and 500 microns. The soft segments consist of at least one polycarbonate diol selected from polyalkylene carbonate diols and at least one polyester diol; the hard segments consist of urethane groups deriving from the reaction between free isocyanate groups and water; and the total content of carbon black is between 0.025 and 6% by weight.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a microfibrous non-woven synthetic suede-like fabric, which does not require the use of organic solvents and which enables a soft finished product to be obtained that is provided with a good hand, that is elastic and with excellent resistance to yellowing and high durability.

Disclosed is a nubuck-finished leather-like sheet including a non-woven fabric that is an entangled body of ultrafine filaments, wherein the non-woven fabric includes a napped surface having napped fibers formed thereon, and the napped fibers are fixed to an acrylic resin on the napped surface while being laid down. Preferably, the acrylic resin is present so as to retain voids in the napped surface, while being made malleable.

Disclosed is a napped artificial leather including: a fabric that has been impregnated with a first elastic polymer and that has a napped surface including napped ultrafine fibers with an average fineness of 0.01 to 0.5 dtex, wherein the napped surface has, as measured by a surface roughness measurement in accordance with ISO 25178, an arithmetic mean height (Sa) of 30 m or less in both a grain direction and a reverse grain direction, and a density of peaks (Spd) having a height of 100 m or more from a mean height, of 30/432 mm.sup.2 or less in both of the grain direction and the reverse grain direction, and a difference (absolute value) in the density of peaks (Spd) between the grain direction and the reverse grain direction is 20/432 mm.sup.2 or less.