The present invention provide a sheet-like material having a highly soft texture, and further having high crease resistance while being soft. The sheet-like material of the present invention is a sheet-like material which includes a nonwoven fabric containing ultrafine fibers having an average single fiber diameter of 0.3 to 7 m, and an elastomer, and having nap on a surface, in which the elastomer has a porous structure, and the porous structure has a proportion of micropores with a pore size of 0.1 to 20 m of 60% or more in all pores.

An artificial leather including a base layer and a surface layer which is formed on one of surfaces of the base layer. The base layer includes bundles of microfine filaments and an elastic polymer. The surface layer includes the microfine filaments or includes the microfine filaments and the elastic polymer. The surface layer satisfies the relationship of X/Y1.5 wherein X is the number of cut ends of the microfine filaments which exist in a region from a surface to a 20 m depth in a cross section of the artificial leather, Y is the number of cut ends of the microfine filaments which exist in a region from a surface to a 20 m depth in a cross section perpendicular to the cross section for determining X, and X>Y. The artificial leather having such surface layer exhibits a sufficient gloss without coating a pigment such as metallic powder.

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.

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.

An artificial leather composed of a dope-dyed polyester fiber is provided. The artificial leather includes a carbon black in island component of a sea-island composite fiber and a polyurethane polymer elastomer. It is possible to improve the fastness to light and the fastness to rubbing at medium and deeper color, and at the same time, to have a luxuriously high quality and to reduce the amount of dye used in the production of artificial leather.

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.

Disclosed is a napped artificial leather including: a non-woven fabric containing polyester fibers having an average fineness of 0.07 to 0.9 dtex; and an elastic polymer applied in the non-woven fabric, wherein the polyester fibers contain 0.5 to 10 mass % of a dark color pigment, the napped artificial leather has a napped surface on which the polyester fibers on at least one side thereof are napped, and the napped surface has a lightness L* value based on the L*a*b* color system, of ?20, and the napped artificial leather has a peel strength of 3 kg/cm or more, and a grade of color difference, determined using a Grey scale for assessing staining in an evaluation of color migration to a multifiber adjacent fabric (co-woven fabric No. 1; the same applied to the following) during pressurization under heating in a wet state under a load of 4 kPa at 200? C. for 60 seconds, of 4 or more.

A leather-like fabric has a feel of natural nubuck leather and a napped feel and air permeability of suede leather, as well as high wear resistance. The leather-like fabric includes a fibrous structure including ultrafine fibers having an average monofilament fineness of 0.0001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less, at least one surface of the fibrous structure being napped, the napped surface having resin layers located discontinuously, and each of the resin layers containing two or more layers.

The invention refers to a process for the preparation of a microfibrous non-woven fabric based on polyester or polyamide microfibers immersed in a polyurethane matrix, and having a thickness equal to or less than 0.65 mm, a flat or slightly mottled appearance and a nap length of less than 350 m. The non-woven fabric is used for the preparation of coverings for consumer goods, particularly for the preparation of covers and cases for electronic products.

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.