Teijin Cordley Limited, the Teijin Frontier Group’s high-grade artificial leather business, announced that it has developed a new antibacterial and antiviral artificial leather incorporating long-lasting antibacterial agent.

Teijin Cordley will commence sales of the new artificial leather this month; initial versions will be designed for the manufacture of children’s satchels; subsequent versions will additionally be suitable for sporting goods such as shoes and leather balls. The sales target is 30,000 meters in fiscal 2021 and 580,000 meters in fiscal 2024.

Leveraging Teijin Cordley’s unique surface treatment technology, the new antibacterial and antiviral artificial leather can be treated with the same process as conventional artificial leathers such as natural-like, enamel and nubuck artificial leathers, and can be used in a wide range of applications. In addition, products using the new leather material can be classified as “environmentally friendly,” as it is created using recycled polyester raw materials. The long-lasting antibacterial agent on new artificial leather’s surface has led it acquiring SIAA antibacterial processing and SIAA antiviral processing certification.

Artificial leathers are manufactured by impregnating a nonwoven fabric substrate and coating with a resin such as polyurethane. Cordley artificial leathers have a fiber layer with a random three-dimensional conformation which is very similar to that of natural leather. 

The technology in the long-lasting antibacterial agent was originally developed to control the growth of microorganisms such as mold in the confined spaces of submarines, and is effective against various kinds of bacteria, mold and viruses. In addition, it has the potential to treat a variety of materials such as fibers and hard materials, and has been used in applications including apparel, rush products, and humidifying filters for air purifiers.

The spread of Covid-19 has enhanced general interest in infection control in daily life, and the need for antibacterial and antiviral processing is increasing. There is also increased focus on the need for hygiene measures during sporting events. Antibacterial and antiviral processing technology for general textile products has been developed for practical use; however, it is difficult to maintain the antibacterial and antiviral properties when these are processed into artificial leather.