Ultrasuede is the trade name for a synthetic microfiber fabric which mimics suede leather.[Robert Kanigel Faux real: genuine leather and 200 years of inspired fakes, National Academies Press, 2007 p. 169] In Japan, it is sold under the brand name Ecsaine.
Composition
Fabric content ranges from 80%
polyester non-woven (100% recycled ultra-
microfiber) and 20% non-fibrous
polyurethane to 65% polyester and 35% polyurethane, depending on the product line. Ultrasuede feels like natural
suede, but it is resistant to stains and discoloration; it can be washed in a washing machine.
It has a
weaving fabric surface, but resists pilling or fraying because it is combined with a polyurethane foam in a non-woven structure. As with its Italian sister fabric, Alcantara, automotive grade Ultrasuede meets OEM specifications and FMVSS302 flammability requirements for automotive use,
as well as it being virtually identical on both sides, making it somewhat reversible.
Uses
Ultrasuede has applications in fashion, including shoes; interior furnishing; industrial uses; and (in a flame retardant version) watercraft, automobile and aircraft seating, dash trimming, headliners and other interior panels.
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