Eco-friendly is increasingly becoming a key mark of quality in the fashion sector. The Clarino brand of man-made leather from Kuraray helps the fashion industry create products that are kind to animals and the environment yet meet top standards of comfort and design. High-quality microfibre suede from Clarino feels like real leather and is produced using a particularly eco-friendly process.

• Speciality chemicals company Kuraray, which has its European headquarters in Hattersheim, Germany, is introducing Eco RX8060 – the world’s first man-made leather containing nylon made entirely from recycled materials. This high-quality nonwoven is the first material in the Clarino Sustainable Collection, which Kuraray will be bringing onto the market in the coming months.

Simon Judson, Head of Clarino at Kuraray:

“Sustainability is very important for many of our customers in the fashion industry. 2019, 32 fashion companies – including brands such as Adidas, Burberry and Hermès and the Kering Group – signed The Fashion Pact with the common goal of reducing greenhouse gases and using more eco-friendly production processes and materials. Our Clarino brand of synthetic leather offers the fashion industry high-quality, environment-friendly alternatives to animal-based leather. And our new Eco RX8060 is a further step in the direction of sustainability.”

• Eco RX8060 from Clarino is a microfibre nonwoven made from 60 percent nylon and 40 percent polyurethane. The special feature of this product is that the nylon is made entirely from recycled materials – which reduces waste and makes more efficient use of resources.

Optimal sustainability profile, maximum design freedom

In addition to its unique sustainability profile, Eco RX8060 from Clarino offers the fashion industry a number of other benefits. The materials have an upmarket suede look and are available in individual shades. In addition, this high-quality man-made leather is both highly robust and very versatile, so it is suitable for use in demanding products exposed to heavy wear such as shoes, accessories, bags and appliqué on garments. The distinctive softness, lightness and breathability of Eco RX8060 ensure that shoes and apparel have very high wear comfort. Moreover, the materials are easy-care and machine-washable.

Reduced water consumption and lower emissions – for fully sustainable leather

With Eco RX8060 from Clarino, Kuraray is setting another important milestone in the sustainable production of man-made leather. In 2008, the company started up an innovative production line known as CATS (Clarino Advanced Technology System) to manufacture water-borne microfibre nonwovens. This facility uses 70 percent less water than conventional production processes and reduces CO2 emissions by 35 percent. In 2009, Kuraray launched Tirrenina, the first man-made leather produced entirely without organic solvents. The same process is now used to manufacture Clarino Suede and Clarino Crust synthetic leather.

Eco RX8060 is the first in a range of materials combining eco-friendly production processes with the use of recycled materials that reduce pressure on resources. “We are planning to expand our Sustainable Collection in 2021 by adding further man-made leathers with a high proportion of recycled materials. Different looks, shades and finishes will make them suitable for a wide variety of applications,” says Simon Judson. “That means we can offer high-quality products with an all-round sustainability concept – from production to recycling. In the next step, we will be turning our attention to developing bio-based raw materials.”

• Established in 1991, Kuraray Europe GmbH is based in Hattersheim, near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It has more than 700 employees in Germany at its sites in Hattersheim, Frankfurt and Troisdorf. Kuraray is a global speciality chemicals company and one of the largest suppliers of industrial polymers and synthetic microfibres for many sectors of industry. Kuraray Europe is a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly listed Kuraray Co., Ltd., which is based in Tokyo, Japan, and has more than 11,100 employees worldwide and sales of EUR 4,7 billion.