Methods of making an artificial leather substrate from leather waste (e.g., shavings, such as wet blue, and/or pulverized trim scrap) and products formed using the artificial leather substrate are disclosed. In one example, the artificial leather substrate comprises a composite web comprising leather waste mixed with a lightweight web, a lightweight web atop the composite web, and another lightweight web atop the first lightweight web. A method of making the artificial leather substrate includes the steps of mixing one or more fiber components, leather shavings, and/or pulverized leather trim scrap to form the composite web; needle punching the composite web; and bonding the composite web.

A circular air entangling system may comprise a bed plate for receiving fiber layers. An air entangling module may entangle the fiber layers with one another and a fiber packaging apparatus may transport the fiber layers for further processing. In this manner, a fiber preform may be constructed.

A circular air entangling system may comprise a bed plate for receiving fiber layers. An air entangling module may entangle the fiber layers with one another and a fiber packaging apparatus may transport the fiber layers for further processing. In this manner, a fiber preform may be constructed.

A bulkiness recovery apparatus for nonwoven fabric includes a hot-air source; and a case unit including a base member, and first and second members. The first and second members face opposite first and second surfaces of the base member and partition first and second conveyor spaces. The base member has first and second hot-air chambers. The first and second surfaces have first and second jet inlets. The first and second hot-air chambers at least partly overlap in a direction normal to the first surface. First and second conveying directions of the nonwoven fabric in the first and second conveyor spaces are different. Hot air flows along the first conveying direction and is blasted from the first jet inlet into the first conveyor space. Hot air flows along the second conveying direction and is blasted from the second jet inlet into the second conveyor space.

A bulkiness recovery apparatus for nonwoven fabric includes a hot-air source; and a case unit including a base member, and first and second members. The first and second members face opposite first and second surfaces of the base member and partition first and second conveyor spaces. The base member has first and second hot-air chambers. The first and second surfaces have first and second jet inlets. The first and second hot-air chambers at least partly overlap in a direction normal to the first surface. First and second conveying directions of the nonwoven fabric in the first and second conveyor spaces are different. Hot air flows along the first conveying direction and is blasted from the first jet inlet into the first conveyor space. Hot air flows along the second conveying direction and is blasted from the second jet inlet into the second conveyor space.

A water entanglement system having a first rotatable surface comprises a first water jet which may be configured to water-entangle a preform in situ. The water-entanglement system may comprise a second rotatable surface disposed proximate the first rotatable surface. The second rotatable surface may comprise a second water jet configured to water-entangle the preform in situ. The first rotatable surface may be oriented substantially parallel to the second rotatable surface.

A water entanglement system having a first rotatable surface comprises a first water jet which may be configured to water-entangle a preform in situ. The water-entanglement system may comprise a second rotatable surface disposed proximate the first rotatable surface. The second rotatable surface may comprise a second water jet configured to water-entangle the preform in situ. The first rotatable surface may be oriented substantially parallel to the second rotatable surface.

A stapled melt spinning method for producing nonwoven fabrics with hygroscopic metastatic feature. Firstly, fuse bio-polyamide 6,10 into melt, extrude and spin it out spin heads of extruder into filaments, cool, draw and collect filaments into tow, then extend, cut and card the filaments into the staples, and spread the staples on a conveyer to form fibrous web. Next, blend and dissolve pulp by N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) dissolving solvent, dehydrate it to form dope, and extrude and spin it out spin heads of extruder into filaments, then cool, draw and collect filaments into tow, and extend, cut and card filaments into staples, then overlay the staples over existing fibrous web to form a composite fibrous web of bio-polyamide 6,10 and cellulose filaments. Finally, coagulate, regenerate and convert fibrous composite of bio-polyamide 6,10 and natural cellulose into nonwoven fabric with hygroscopic metastatic feature by hydro-entangled needle punching, drying, winding-up processes.

A stapled melt spinning method for producing nonwoven fabrics with hygroscopic metastatic feature. Firstly, fuse bio-polyamide 6,10 into melt, extrude and spin it out spin heads of extruder into filaments, cool, draw and collect filaments into tow, then extend, cut and card the filaments into the staples, and spread the staples on a conveyer to form fibrous web. Next, blend and dissolve pulp by N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) dissolving solvent, dehydrate it to form dope, and extrude and spin it out spin heads of extruder into filaments, then cool, draw and collect filaments into tow, and extend, cut and card filaments into staples, then overlay the staples over existing fibrous web to form a composite fibrous web of bio-polyamide 6,10 and cellulose filaments. Finally, coagulate, regenerate and convert fibrous composite of bio-polyamide 6,10 and natural cellulose into nonwoven fabric with hygroscopic metastatic feature by hydro-entangled needle punching, drying, winding-up processes.

A cellulosic fiber includes a fiber body including a cellulosic material and non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed within the cellulosic material. The non-encapsulated phase change material forms a plurality of distinct domains dispersed within the cellulosic material. The non-encapsulated phase change material has a latent heat of at least 40 Joules per gram and the cellulosic fiber has a latent heat between 9.8 Joules per gram and 132 Joules per gram and a transition temperature in the range of 0° C. to 100° C., and cellulosic fiber provides thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature.