Process for producing entangled object for artificial leather

Abstract

A method of producing an entangled fabric for artificial leathers including a step of uniting a woven/knitted fabric and an entangled nonwoven fabric by entanglement. The method includes (1) a step of superposing the woven/knitted fabric on one surface of the entangled nonwoven fabric; (2) a step of needle-punching the superposed body from a side of the entangled nonwoven fabric so as to allow fibers constituting the entangled nonwoven fabric to enter into the woven/knitted fabric and then penetrate through the woven/knitted fabric, thereby forming a nonwoven fabric layer composed of the penetrated fibers on an outer surface of the woven/knitted fabric; and (3) a step of needle-punching from a side of the nonwoven fabric layer so as to allow a part of the fibers which have penetrated through the woven/knitted fabric and form the nonwoven fabric layer to turn back into the woven/knitted fabric, thereby uniting the woven/knitted fabric and the entangled nonwoven fabric together by entanglement. The method hardly causes wrinkles, etc. and is good in process passing properties. The artificial leathers produced from the entangled fabric for artificial leathers have a good shape stability, a high-quality appearance and a soft, high quality hand.

1 . A method of producing an entangled fabric for artificial leathers comprising a woven/knitted fabric and an entangled nonwoven fabric which are united together by entanglement, which comprises the following steps:
 (1) a step of superposing the woven/knitted fabric on one surface of the entangled nonwoven fabric;   (2) a step of needle-punching the superposed body from a side of the entangled nonwoven fabric so as to allow fibers constituting the entangled nonwoven fabric to enter into the woven/knitted fabric and then penetrate through the woven/knitted fabric, thereby forming a nonwoven fabric layer comprising the penetrated fibers on an outer surface of the woven/knitted fabric; and   (3) a step of needle-punching from a side of the nonwoven fabric layer so as to allow a part of the fibers which have penetrated through the woven/knitted fabric and form the nonwoven fabric layer to turn back into the woven/knitted fabric, thereby uniting the woven/knitted fabric and the entangled nonwoven fabric together by entanglement.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle punching of the step (2) is performed in a punching density of 300 to 2500 punch/cm 2 , and the needle punching of the step 3 is performed in a punching density of 50 to 1000 punch/cm 2 . 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle punching of the step (2) is performed in a penetration depth such that a barb nearest a tip of needles penetrates through the woven/knitted fabric by 5 mm or more over the outer surface thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle punching of the step (3) is performed in a penetration depth such that a barb nearest a tip of needles does not penetrate through the woven/knitted fabric. 
   
   
       5 . A method of producing a substrate for artificial leathers, which comprises a step of impregnating a solution or emulsion of an elastic polymer into the entangled fabric for artificial leathers produced by the method according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       6 . A suede-finished artificial leather which is produced by raising at least one surface of the substrate for artificial leathers produced by the method according to  claim 5 .