What is Alcantara fabric? Why is it so popular?

This fabric is used in many other high-end products, but what is it special?

On the car, on the surface of the expensive Louis Vuitton bags, SpaceX's Crew Dragon space capsule, on the surface of Microsoft Surface laptops and on the special case for Samsung S8 and S8 + There is one thing in common: Alcantara fabric . What is it that is so popular?

There is a folk legend that tells of Alcantara fabric made out of Alcantar, a hybrid between llamas and ostriches, living on the border between Peru and Greece. But research shows that Alcantar is not a real animal, but Greece and Peru are not close together, so the legend is not true.

In fact, Alcantara is a synthetic suede and basically, it's an ultrasuede fabric - a fabric that also has ultra-small synthetic fibers.

First, turn over the page to see where this Alcantara fabric comes from.

Alcantara is a synthetic suede.

In 1970, a Japanese scientist named Miyoshi Okamoto developed a synthetic material called Ultrasuede for Toray Industries, where he was devoted. Two years later, Mr. Okamoto signed an agreement with aniC Group (which later became Italian company Eni), after Eni and Toray began to cooperate, they registered the brand for the material. By 1981, Alcantara SpA was founded with 51% of the company under Eni and 49% of Toray.

They placed the same material as the company name - Alcantara. It is a synthetic material that is anti-fouling and scratch-resistant, tougher when compared with suede fabric - Alcantara is made to replace this fabric itself.

Car interior with Alcantara fabric.

Although the Italians have also tried to preserve the secret of this fabric, when digging into their annual report, we will see the production process comes with raw material that is thermoplastic polymer, from then on. people will make tiny fibers (microfiber) . The way Alcantara has been changed many times over the past few decades and because the manufacturing process includes dissolving and freezing processes, the company quickly upheld its pollution control plans, saying that They have effective measures to ensure environmental safety.

The microfiber product of the manufacturing process is used to create a fabric layer consisting of many micro fibers. They are so small that about half a kilogram of microfiber is also enough fiber to pull from the Earth to the Moon (387,400km). Fabric fibers (including tiny microfiber fibers) are treated with various methods, gradually turning into Alcantara suede fabric that we still know.

Laptop Surface.

Both Alcantara and Ultrasuede fabrics have the same manufacturing technology, were made in 1970 and are also made by Mr. Miyoshi Okamoto.The difference is that Alcantara is made in Italy and has a better name , while Ultrasuede is made in Japan and widely used in the US market. Besides, they have some minor differences in color and appearance.

Nobody knows about Ultrasuede, so this phrase is widely used to refer to synthetic fabrics made from microfiber microfiber in general.

The Alcantara fabric, a better name, more famous, was made in Italy, which helped the Miyoshi Okamoto scientist win the Leonardo Prize for his dedication to 'made in Italy' products. It turned out that the difference was obvious just by a good name.

Alcantara fabrics are often used in luxurious European cars.

Alcantara fabrics are often used in luxurious European cars. Because the fabric color is durable, hard to fade and the fabric is resistant to abrasive abrasion, this fabric passes the "Arizona test" for ultraviolet and heat resistance.

Some luxury cars, enough to wrap Alcantara fabric on the steering wheel (like some types of Porsche, BMW M series, some Lamborghinis like the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera) will have an Alcantara fabric with another recipe, because the shape of the steering wheel needs a more special material. Alcantara fabric is often used to cover seats and cover the ceiling. Alcantara fabric also has the ability to minimize heat from a fire to a certain extent, so the seats of Formula 1 cars are also covered with this fabric.

You know more about the Alcantara fabric used to wrap leather seats and cover the Surface laptop. Once again, we know the brand's power and a good name.