Popular science: It’s not real leather, but it’s more expensive than real leather. The true identity of Alcantara!
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In the cabins of many sports cars and high-performance cars, you can usually see a material commonly known as “suede” on the seats, steering wheels, door panels and roof linings, and even on the dashboard. Many consumers mistakenly think it is genuine leather. After all, good cars use good materials!
This is the cabin of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, known as the “Frog King”. Alcantara is used extensively on the steering wheel, seats, door panels, hand pillows and roof.
It is true that good materials should be used for good cars, but in fact this “suede” is not real leather, but an artificial material whose scientific name is Alcantara. Since so many expensive supercars use Alcantara, its price is naturally not cheap, and is even more expensive than many genuine leathers.
Many friends say that Alcantara is from Japan. This statement is not entirely accurate. It is true that it was invented by the Japanese, but now all production and manufacturing is in Italy. Here is a brief introduction to the background of this company. In the early 1970s, Alcantara was invented and patented by Dr. Miyoshi Okamoto of Toray Industries, Inc. in Japan. In 1972, the Italian ENI Group (then ANIC Group) Established a joint venture with Toray Corporation to jointly develop commercial applications of this patent. Through this cooperation, the Italian company ANTOR S.p.A. was born, which is now known as Alcantara S.p.A., and Alcantara now also has a Chinese name – Alcantara.
Why do high-performance cars love to use Alcantara?
In addition to feeling soft and comfortable, not freezing in winter and not hot in summer, Alcantara is superior in appearance and functionality compared to genuine leather.
1. It is lighter. We know that lightweighting is very important for high-performance cars, so like carbon fiber, Alcantara has also become a favorite material for such models;
2. It is durable, scratch-resistant, and flame-retardant. characteristics, it is safer to use in cars;
3. The friction coefficient is higher than that of genuine leather, which can provide better surface adhesion for seats and is more suitable for intense driving;
4. Strong plasticity, not only color and saturation The range of choices is extremely wide, and gorgeous interior details can be created through various processes such as embossing, printing, punching, and weaving.
Of course, everything has pros and cons. The disadvantage of Alcantara is that it absorbs sweat easily and will produce color difference over time.
Alcantara is naturally a frequent visitor to Ferrari’s various sports cars.
Alcantara is not unattainable, and independent brands have also begun to use it
Seeing this, you may think that Alcantara is unattainable, but in fact it is not necessarily the case. There are many models on the market priced at 20,000 to 300,000 yuan. You can see Alcantara. For example, the middle fabric of the two seats of the Subaru BRZ below is made of Alcantara.
As a civilian sports car priced under RMB 300,000, the BRZ/86’s comfort configuration level is very average, but the two Alcantara seats are definitely a generous move.
It is worth mentioning that Alcantara is very popular in the field of automotive interiors, especially our own brands in China. You know, as China is a large automobile market, Alcantara will definitely not ignore such a large market demand.
Mr. Andrea Boragno, Chairman and CEO of Alcantara
Mr. Andrea Boragno, Chairman and CEO of Alcantara, said frankly: We have developed rapidly in the Chinese market in recent years. Previously, our partners in the automotive field were mainly They are European brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche and BMW, but now Chinese local car brands have cooperated with us. For example, Geely has begun to cooperate with us. And I think this trend has just begun, and there will definitely be greater prospects for cooperation in the future. I believe that in the future, more and more Chinese local brand cars will use high-quality Italian Alcantara imported materials.
The application scope of Alcantara goes far beyond the automotive industry
The Alcantara concept store located in the center of Milan, Italy
Alcantara’s status in car interiors is actually no stranger to many performance car fans. However, most people may not know that Alcantara’s business is not limited to car interiors. They also produce a series of private-label finished products including clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories, and have a production base in Milan, Italy. Two Alcantara concept stores were opened in Shanghai, China.
What exactly is Alcantara? Mr. Boragno’s explanation of the Alcantara brand is: Alcantara is a fashion lifestyle brand. The material itself has very high technological attributes. From cars to fashion, from home decoration to consumer electronics, Alcantara’s application has penetrated into every aspect of people’s lives. .
At the same time, it is also artistic and fashionable, carrying human emotions and lifestyles. In addition, we have been cooperating with people in the fashion industry to integrate Alcantara’s fashion, art and our technology.
Alcantara and Microsoft team collaborate on design��Keyboard Cover Signature Type Cover
Regarding consumer electronics, Mr. Boragno specifically mentioned a special version of the professional keyboard cover Signature Type Cover designed by Alcantara and the Microsoft team. Its surface material is Alcantara and it feels very comfortable. And it’s durable, creating a high-end luxury feel that’s made in Italy. In Mr. Boragno’s eyes, this is a perfect example of the combination of fashion and technology, and he is also proud of it. Because when Microsoft promotes its own products, it also uses Alcantara material as a major selling point to promote it to consumers.
I asked Mr. Boragno: Many consumers believe that only genuine leather is a high-end material, and Alcantara is not genuine leather. How can we dispel their inherent notions?
Mr. Boragno’s answer is very interesting: In addition to its advantages in appearance and functionality, because Alcantara is not genuine leather, both animal protectionists and environmental protectionists can buy it with confidence. You have to know that using genuine leather means that many animals will be killed, and the processing of genuine leather will produce a lot of harmful substances. Alcantara is a very environmentally friendly company. As early as 2009, Alcantara took the lead in completing the “carbon neutrality” of the entire production line in Italy, that is, zero carbon emissions, which has been certified by the United Nations. As a company that attaches great importance to social sustainability, our production processes, including the factory environment, etc., meet strict standards for ourselves.
Writing this, I am going to wrap the steering wheel of my car with Alcantara. If your car has been decorated similarly, please leave a message below to share your experience.
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