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Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Masaaki Ito) hereby announces that the Company has developed a new variation of CLARINO, a man-made leather it has been marketing for 50 years. Having met the difficult challenge of creating a man-made leather with a texture akin to that of the natural product, Kuraray plans to introduce this latest product targeting the high fashion field in spring 2016.

1.Background of Development

  • In recent years, the price of high-quality natural leather has doubled due to burgeoning demand in emerging nations and rising livestock feed prices.
  • Against this backdrop, good quality man-made leather materials have been attracting growing interest.
  • Building on the success of CLARINO, a man-made leather that is a world leader in terms of quality, Kuraray developed TIRRENINA,* a fine-textured, high-density variation that has garnered favorable customer reviews for its superior quality. In turn, this accomplishment led to co-development aimed at creating a variation even more akin to the natural product in tandem with Italian tanners, who have a long tradition in fine natural leather work.
  • In September 2015, Kuraray exhibited the new CLARINO variation at LINEAPELLE, the world’s largest leather trade show held in Milano, Italy, garnering praise from attendees.
  • TIRRENINA
    A next-generation man-made leather made using an environment-friendly manufacturing process, TIRRENINA looks and feels more like natural leather than competing products while boasting the greater functionality that only man-made leather can provide. Kuraray initiated the full-scale production of TIRRENINA in 2009.

2.Product Features

  • High-end man-made leather created employing a combination of unique Kuraray technologies backed by the Company’s longstanding track record in this product category as well as with the superior leather finishing techniques and brilliant artistry of Italian tanners.
  • Boasting a fine texture that more closely resembles that of high-end natural leather than conventional man-made products thanks to its dense structure.
  • Existing CLARINO variations enjoy a solid reputation for their superior eco-friendliness and product safety compared with conventional man-made leather thanks to a manufacturing process that has cut the organic solvent content level by 99% while reducing CO2 emissions by 35% and effluent discharge by 70%. Within the CLARINO lineup, the upcoming CLARINO variation was created based on TIRRENINA, which meets even stricter in-house criteria for environment friendliness.

3.The 50th Anniversary of CLARINO

Over the nearly half century since its release in November 1965, CLARINO has garnered favorable customer reviews. The enduring strength of this product’s popularity is, we believe, attributable to its world-leading performance, which encompasses superior physical properties, including durability and a comparatively lighter weight. As we embark on the milestone year marking CLARINO’s 50th anniversary, we are renewing our commitment to taking on the challenge of realizing further innovation. Under the newly formulated product theme “Re Create,” we will strive to develop next-generation product lines capable of accommodating requirements for environment-friendly manufacturing processes while offering superior moldability, a texture that is even more akin to natural leather and suitability for use in the high-fashion field.

4.About CLARINO

CLARINO is Kuraray’s trademarked man-made leather. Employing a unique chemical process, Kuraray became the first in the world to develop a man-made leather with a structure that closely resembles the complex structure of natural leather (animal skin). Since it is strong, lightweight and easy to care for, CLARINO is widely used for men’s and women’s footwear, Randoseru (school bags), business bags and camera cases as well as sports equipment, including shoes, balls and gloves that require superior strength and functionality. Moreover, the product lineup includes abrasive cloths and decorative materials. Kuraray has also developed TIRRENINA, a man-made leather produced using an environment-friendly manufacturing process. With its appearance and texture being more like natural leather than its competitors, TIRRENINA boasts the greater functionalities that only man-made leather can provide. Looking ahead, Kuraray will help the man-made leather market grow as a leading manufacturer in this product category.

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