The present invention refers to a process for the preparation of a non-woven microfibrous suede-like synthetic fabric that does not require the use of organic solvents and that makes it possible to obtain a finished product offering a good hand, excellent resistance to yellowing and high durability. It comprises needle-punching a felt of sea/island fibers, (a) impregnation with hot aqueous solution of PVOH having a degree of saponification of at least 94% or (b) impregnation with hot water followed by impregnation with cold PUR, removing the sea component, impregnating with PUR, coagulating the PUR, removing the PVOH, grinding the surface, dyeing and splitting in two sheets.

Provided is a nubuck-like fabric 100 having a nubuck-like distinct moist feel and nubuck-like distinctive nap that are close to those of natural leather and also having superior abrasion resistance with a woven or knitted fabric used for a base material. The nubuck-like fabric 100 includes a flexible sheet 100 formed by application of a resin 20 to the woven or knitted fabric. The flexible sheet 100 includes a filled portion 40 that includes filaments 10 and the resin 20, and a non-filled portion 30 including spaces. The flexible sheet 100 also includes a nap part 50 at its surface, and the nap part 50 has a thickness ranging from 0.01 to 0.4 mm, inclusive.

A process of manufacturing an artificial leather in one embodiment includes adhering a substrate onto a release cloth; flocking the substrate to form fur thereon; applying a synthetic resin to the substrate and drying same to form a half-finished artificial leather; foaming the half-finished artificial leather to fill interstices of the fur with the synthetic resin; sanding the half-finished artificial leather to remove excessive synthetic resin from the half-finished artificial leather; coloring the half-finished artificial leather to form a velvet-like surface; and removing the release cloth from the half-finished artificial leather to produce a finished artificial leather.

Stabilizing a textile sheet structure was achieved by forming a plurality of discrete fiber tufts extending from a first face of a fibrous layer of the textile sheet structure, through the fibrous layer and beyond a second face opposite the first face. Each discrete fiber tuft included a plurality discrete fibers. Each discrete fiber tuft was anchored to the first face and the second face of the fibrous layer by joining together the plurality of each discrete fiber tuft at the first face and the second face and bonding the joined plurality of discrete fiber tuft to the first face and the second face.

Embodiments of fiber surface finish enhanced flocked surface impact force absorbing structure include a plurality of flock fibers disposed on a substrate, a surface coating applied to the plurality of flock fibers, and in another embodiment, a divider fabric bonded to the tops of flock fibers.

A sheet material includes a polymeric elastomer and a fiber-entangled body including, as a constituent element, a nonwoven fabric including ultrafine fibers having an average single fiber diameter of 1.0 m or more and 10.0 m or less. The ultrafine fibers include a polyester-based resin including a black pigment (a.sub.1). The black pigment (a.sub.1) has an average particle diameter of 0.05 m or more and 0.20 m or less and has a coefficient of variation (CV) of the average particle diameter of 75% or less. The polymeric elastomer includes a polyurethane including a black pigment (b). The sheet material has a nap coverage of 70% or more and 100% or less on a surface having a nap.

The present invention provides an artificial leather including an entangled fiber mass of ultrafine fibers having a monofilament fineness of 0.01 dtex or more and 0.50 dtex or less and a polymeric elastomer; wherein at least one surface is napped; the cross-sectional profile curve of the napped surface has an arithmetic mean height Pa of 26 m or more and 100 m or less; the arithmetic mean height Pa of the cross-sectional profile curve of the opposite surface is 20% or more and 80% or less of the cross-sectional roughness Pa of the napped side; the existence frequency of asperity peaks found in the cross-sectional profile curve of the napped surface is 1.8 or more and 20 or less per 1.0 mm; and a woven or knitted fabric lamination is present near the opposite surface at a depth position of 10% or more and 50% or less.

Disclosed is a synthetic leather produced by directly coating a water-soluble synthetic resin solution on the surface of a fabric to form a film thereon such that fine gaps formed on the fabric are partially left open to have a certain degree of air permeability. In particular, a brushing process is used for brushing the surface of a fabric using a brushing machine to raise a nap. Next, a hydrolysis-resistant and flame-retardant resin solution is coated on the back of the fabric, which is opposite to the surface on which the nap is raised, to reinforce the back of the fabric. A film forming process then applies a water-soluble polyurethane resin solution to the nap raised on the surface of the fabric to form a film on the surface of the fabric thereby producing a synthetic leather product that has air permeability properties that are superior to genuine leather.

A composite sheet is provided, where the composite sheet has a bottom surface and an upper surface and includes: (a) at least one layer of interconnected polymer droplets, and (b) at least one mesh having a bottom surface and an upper surface, wherein the at least one mesh is embedded into at least a part of the at least one layer of interconnected polymer droplets such that the polymer droplets surround and hold at least a part of said bottom and upper surfaces of the at least one mesh.

In one aspect, cellulosic floor coverings having desirable flammability resistance are provided. Briefly, a floor covering described herein comprises cellulosic fibers or cellulose-based fibers and fluoropolymer adhered to surfaces of the cellulosic fibers or cellulose-based fibers in an amount sufficient for the floor covering to conform with or pass flammability testing with a methenamine-timed burning tablet according to Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Standard FF 2-70.