Effect of base fabric and raising cycles on mechanical properties, subjective hands and preference of ultra-fine fiber suede

As the ethical movement against animal products continues to gain momentum, ultra-fine fiber suede has become a popular alternative to leather. The key to successfully replacing the emotional appeal of natural leather lies in creating a unique appearance and hand with the ultra-fine fibers used in suede. In this paper, the preferred hand of suede among consumers was analyzed by examining the combination of suede’s base fabric and raising cycles. The results showed that both the raising cycles and base fabric had an effect on its mechanical properties, subjective hands, and overall preference of suede. However, the influence of the base fabric was greater than that of the raising cycles, and there was no significant difference after four cycles. The knitting type and fineness of the base fabric directly affected the mechanical properties of suede. Ultimately, our subjective evaluation of 50 female experts showed a preference for soft and warm suede fabric. Additionally, the results found that the base fabric has a more significant impact on increasing smoothness, hand preference, and preference for jackets than raising cycles. Therefore, when selecting a base fabric, it is important to consider the intended use of the suede. For example, gray weft-knits should be used for density and elasticity, while gray warp-knits are better for dimensional stability.