ON A ROLL

摘要

Leather is a terrific material for railway interiors. A new manufacturing process has created another option - Engineered or 'E' Leather - an alternative that isn't just a fake tan. IF YOU ARE ON the look out for a material that has all the benefits of leather but without some of the drawbacks, a new material called E Leather may be of interest. Fiberised shavings of leather are woven together in a unique manufacturing technique to create a strong, resilient leather alternative. After 10 years of development, and three patents in 26 countries, it is now about to become available to the railway industry. The process begins with the waste shavings from partly processed leather material. Instead of being dumped to landfill, the shreds get crated up and sent for processing to the firm's manufacturing plant in Peterborough, England. The material is dried, then milled into fibres which are laid out like so much tissue paper. After the required number of layers are built up, high pressure water jets are used to 'weave' or 'knot' the ends of the fibres together. The majority of the machinery required to complete the process has been modified or custom designed, such is the newness of the procedure.