Alcantara (material)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Lancia Y
Grey Alcantara in the interior of a McLaren 720S
Alcantara
Product typeMaterial
Produced byAlcantara S.p.A.
Country Japan
 Italy
Introduced1970s
Related brandsUltrasuede
Websitewww.alcantara.com
Alcantara
Material68% polyester and 32% polyurethane
Production processspinning process, chemical
Introduced1970s
ManufacturerAlcantara S.p.A.

Alcantara is the brand name of a synthetic textile with a soft, suede-like microfibre pile, noted for its durability. Alcantara was developed in the 1970s by Miyoshi Okamoto and initially manufactured by the Italian company Alcantara. The term has an Arabic root (

Arabic: القنطرة, romanized
: al-qantara) and means "the bridge".

Alcantara is produced by combining an advanced

islands-in-the-sea" fiber) and chemical and textile production processes (needle punching, buffing, impregnation, extraction, finishing, dyeing
, etc.) which interact with each other.

Alcantara is commonly seen in automotive applications,[1] as a substitute for leather and vinyl in vehicle interior trim. It is also used in the design, fashion, consumer electronics and marine industries.[2]

History

The material was developed in the early 1970s by Miyoshi Okamoto, a scientist working for the Japanese chemical company

Toray and Mitsui
.

Composition

Alcantara is composed of about 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane,[6] giving increased durability and stain resistance. The appearance and tactile feel of the material is similar to that of suede, and it may be erroneously identified as such.

Some versions are designated as

automobile applications.[4]

Uses

Alcantara applications include furniture,[7] clothing, jewelry, safety helmets and automobiles. In the latter it is used in seating, dashboard trim and headliners by many high-end OEM automotive suppliers. It is commonly used as steering wheel covering in many performance oriented vehicles. Louis Vuitton uses Alcantara linings in many of its bags. It appears in the collaboration with Takashi Murakami under the creative direction of fashion designer Marc Jacobs, wherein the white Multicolor Monogram bags have a bright fuchsia Alcantara lining.

Alcantara is used as a flame-retardant driver seat covering material for Formula One race cars, including the

Surface Go,[12] Microsoft's Surface Laptop keyboard[13] and Samsung's Galaxy S8, S8+, S9, S9+ and Note 8[14] smartphone covers.[15] Alcantara is also used in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.[16][17] Overall, these factors and Alcantara's unique texture and luxurious feel make it a sought-after material in the fashion industry.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Automotive applications", Alcantara S.p.A. https://www.alcantara.com/applications/automotive/
  2. ^ "Applications and collaborations", Alcantara S.p.A.
  3. ISBN 0-309-10236-7
    p. 192
  4. ^ a b JAB Anstoetz takes over Alcantara distribution Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine, SleeperMagazine.com, 12 June 2010
  5. ISBN 88-85246-62-1
  6. ISBN 1-85573-576-8
    , p. 239
  7. ISBN 1-85669-413-5
    p.98
  8. ^ F1 Technical Williams Formula One FW33 Technical specifications
  9. ^ Sennheiser HD800 Product Page
  10. ^ Bose QuietComfort 35 Product Page
  11. ^ Microsoft Surface Pro Signature Cover Product Page
  12. ^ "Surface Go Signature Type Cover - Microsoft". Microsoft Store. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  13. ^ "Surface Laptop detail page on the usage of the Alcantara fabric". www.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  14. ^ Samsung Note 8 Smartphone Alcantara Cover Product Page
  15. ^ Samsung Galaxy S8 Smartphone Alcantara Cover Product Page
  16. ^ "SpaceX on Instagram: "Crew Dragon can have up to seven seats, which are made from the highest-grade carbon fiber and Alcantara cloth."". Instagram. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  17. ^ "SpaceX Website: "Crew Dragon"". SpaceX.com. Archived from the original on 2019-03-02. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
  18. ^ "What Is Alcantara Material And How It's Used In Fashion". GENTCREATE. 2022-03-23.

External links

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