Role of fabric backer in PVC textiles

We manufacture PVC leather or artificial leather for various components of open and closed footwear. We have been trusted suppliers to many footwear OEMs and brands in India, as well as neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

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Open footwear consists of formal, casual, sports as well as school shoes. On the other hand, open footwear consists of sandals, slippers, and other such products. Each type of footwear has different components that make the design, and we supply PVC leather for all those components. For instance, we supply PVC leather or artificial leather for shoe uppers (used on closed footwear), lining (that’s used for the inner side of the shoe as well as the tongue of the shoe), folding upper (the strip that goes on top in slippers and sandals), sandwich (a two side stiff PVC which acts as folding upper), the industry name for this is double sided coated PVC Leather. We cover the entire shoe.

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We have a vast design library of more than one hundred embossing rollers, print rollers and design papers, making it easy for us to offer new products by trying different permutations and combinations. We also have low MOQ requirements which allows the customer to pick multiple colours and build a diverse portfolio of products.

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Our footwear production is not only about delivering the best quality product to our clients, it’s more than that. Our in-house design team specializes in forecasting fashion trends and is continuously launching new designs, colours, and grains. All our products are customized as per the technical requirements of our customers.

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Footwear is part of the fashion industry and so our clients require innovative designs, colors and grains every month. We launch new products every week after collaborating with our global partners and suppliers to keep up with market trends. Other than that, our marketing team travels extensively within India and other locations to catch contemporary trends and present them to our clients.

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However, manufacturing PVC leather or artificial leather for footwear is not just about trends, we often face technical requirements. Some footwear types such as sports shoes, school shoes or safety shoes are very technical products. They require not only strength but also durability in different weather conditions such as extreme cold, high heat and humidity. We understand these concerns faced by our clients and try to be a trusted supplier so these issues are not a headache for the clients.

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In a nutshell, we have the infrastructure and testing facilities to provide materials as per the specifications of our clients on a consistent basis.

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One must wonder why brands pick artificial leather over genuine leather or fabric for their shoes, and the answer is quite simple. PVC leather or artificial leather is less expensive than real leather and more durable than fabric. PVC leather has a good look and feel. Another major reason that has taken light in recent times is that people want to be more sustainable, and that reduced the usage of genuine leather. Apart from being sustainable, people who follow strictly vegan lifestyles and stand for animal rights do not purchase anything made from animal skin, thus shifting to more cruelty-free products.

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Most of our clients are big brands in the footwear industry and have their own specific requirements and specifications involving strength, durability, stretch and the like. Because our facilities help us meet those needs the clients have made us trusted partners and collaborate with us for their footwear requirements. The shoes that are made from our PVC leather or artificial leather are for the mass population and must be durable and withstand the test of time with ease. And, that has been one huge focus of ours during production. If you are a brand looking for a supplier for your products, then explore more about us here and get in touch with us.

Footwear has always been a fundamental part of the dynamic world of fashion. With an array of styles and materials available, consumers expect not only trendy designs but also high-quality products that prioritise comfort, safety, and durability, which is why our clients at Klassik request the same. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) recently stepped in to ensure that footwear manufacturing adheres to certain strict quality standards. We live in an ever-changing world and are always expected to adjust to the ‘new normal’. That being said, as a company, Klassik always ensures that adjusting to novelty is a seamless process for us as well as our clients.

The BIS, or Bureau of Indian Standards, is a national body in India responsible for setting standards for various products, including footwear. These mandatory quality standards are created to ensure that small-scale, medium-scale and large-scale footwear manufacturers produce safe, reliable, and high-quality products. These various norms for footwear manufacturing encompass a wide range of aspects, including material specifications, testing procedures, and labelling requirements.

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“The standards prescribe what kind of raw material like leather, PVC, and rubber to be used in manufacturing footwear besides norms on making soles and heels, among other parts of the footwear.” says an article in The Economic Times.

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This step is essentially being taken so that India can maintain the same quality standards that you see globally. As a country, we are growing and evolving and want to maintain the same standards as our peers.

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As per the norms BIS all PVC products are now meant to be phthalate-free. Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals that are used to manufacture a wide range of products and are now banned from the PVC industry. They have many harmful side effects and we as a company stand against using chemicals that don’t benefit our clients in any way whatsoever.

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Another part of the BIS norm states that the tearing strength of PVC products used as uppers should be more than 3kg to ensure durability, which essentially means that a force of 3kg or greater needs to be applied to tear the PVC textile through and through. For this reason, all products manufactured by us follow this norm very specifically and are termed as high-tear.

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The change in norms made by the BIS did create a buzz in the manufacturing industry however, for us at Klassik, we were more than accommodating to this development. Klassik possesses all the required equipment and machinery to adhere to these standard norms. The PVR leather we manufacture for footwear already meets the requirements of these norms due to the state-of-the-art infrastructure we have invested in.

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As a company, we believe in investing in the future, and that mindset has stood advantageous to us today as we can seamlessly adjust to the changing and upgrading norms of the industry and supply only the best material to our clientele in India and abroad. This is also the reason why the new BIS norms do not pose a threat to our production process, or change in prices. Thus maintaining the same high-quality standards without anything affecting our relationship with our clients and factory workers.

In recent years, the demand for fire-resistant or fire-retardant PVC leather has gone up a significant amount, especially when it comes to public spaces and hotels where safety is of utmost importance although people use fire-retardant artificial leather in their homes too. Today, we will explore the significance of fire resistance in artificial leather and shed light on the various fire standards we have available - CRIB 0, CRIB 1, NFPA 260, CAL TB 117, DIN 4102-B2, EN 1021, 1&2, and CRIB 5. We will also delve into the challenges faced while manufacturing this product and in achieving the stringent CRIB 5 standard and how reputable external labs help in providing credibility through rigorous testing and certification for our products.

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Different countries require different fire standards - CRIB 0, CRIB 1 AND CRIBE 5 come under the UK norms, NFPA 260 and CAL TB 117 come under the USA norms, DIN 4102-B2 comes under the Germany norms and lastly EN 1021, 1&2 comes under the EU norms. Our company follows all these norms and supplies fire-resistant artificial leather to all these countries.

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The fire standards, namely CRIB 0, CRIB 1, and CRIB 5 serve as benchmarks to determine the fire resistance of the artificial leather. The CRIB 0 test involves exposing the material to a matchbox flame, while the CRIB 1 test simulates a cigarette burn. These standards indicate that while the material may catch fire, it will self-extinguish and prevent the spread of flames during small accidents. The NFPA 260 uses standard methods of tests and a classification system for cigarette ignition resistance on the fabric. The CAL TB 117 test requires the fabric to withstand 12 seconds of an open flame without letting it spread. The DIN 4102-B2 test involves the fabric being suspended vertically with a 20mm high flame being applied for 15 seconds. The EN 1021, 1&2 examines the fabric’s reaction with a burning cigarette and butane flame.

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On the other hand, CRIB 5, which is the highest fire standard, poses a significant challenge due to its technical complexity. It is a mandatory requirement for public spaces and hotels, emphasising the need for PVC leather that offers exceptional fire resistance. Achieving CRIB 5 certification is not an easy feat, and only select companies possess the expertise to produce such products, Klassik being one of them.

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To ensure the reliability and credibility of fire-resistant artificial leather, manufacturers often rely on the services of external laboratories such as SGS. SGS is a renowned global testing and certification agency that operates labs worldwide, providing comprehensive assessments of various materials. In the case of our CRIB 5 artificial leather, we have gone the extra mile to obtain certification from both Indian and UK SGS labs. This dual certification enhances the credibility and authenticity of our fire-retardant artificial leather, assuring customers and clients that the product has undergone rigorous testing and meets the stringent CRIB 5 standards.

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We produce a whole range of fire-resistant artificial leather products - one conforming to CRIB 0 and CRIB 1, and the other meeting the challenging CRIB 5 standard - and all of these have distinct advantages. While both CRIB 0 and CRIB 1 provide a certain level of fire resistance, CRIB 5 artificial leather provides superior protection, making it ideal for high-risk environments. By utilising CRIB 5 artificial leather, public spaces, hotels, boats etc. can significantly enhance their fire safety measures, mitigating the risk of fire-related incidents and protecting the lives of occupants. Additionally, the utilisation of such materials promotes compliance with fire safety regulations, demonstrating a commitment to ensuring the well-being of visitors and employees.

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Fire resistance is a crucial aspect to consider when selecting materials for public spaces and hotels. The three fire standards - CRIB 0, CRIB 1, and CRIB 5 - serve as essential benchmarks in evaluating the fire resistance of artificial leather. While achieving CRIB 5 certification presents a significant challenge, it offers unparalleled safety benefits and peace of mind, and we are here to make it easy for our customers.

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Safety is always a priority and by investing in our machinery and gaining credible certification, we aim to offer the best and safest fire-resistant artificial leather to our trusted clientele.