Digitally printing on leather
Upholstery Journal | February 2010
Leather is starting to make headway in the digital printing market, and start-up company Digital Leather in Sarasota, Fla., is getting in on the act. “We are bringing the world of digital printing into the analog world of leather,” says Digital Leather’s Chris Cudzilo. “Anything you can design or capture digitally you can put on leather now.”
The printing process differs from that of other fabrics. Digital Leather prints an image on a clear Smart Imaging Film, then laminates it to leather, which is in the middle of the finishing process. The product is then finished just like traditional leather. “Once the image is laminated to the leather, it becomes the leather,” Cudzilo notes. “You can’t scuff it or scratch it. To ruin the image is to ruin the leather itself.”
The company, which has been in business for less than a year, has developed a few key products using its digitally printable leather. A customer in the United Kingdom requested chairs that showcase playing cards for his poker room. In another instance, an interior designer captured elements of an original orchid painting and turned them into a pattern for a chair. “You can use any image you like, and the leather will still retain its look and feel,” Cudzilo says.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
Comments
Comments are the opinion of individual posters and do not reflect the views of Upholstery Journal or Industrial Fabrics Association International.
11:52 am CDT
Janice, here is Digital Leather's website: http://www.digitalleather.com/
They'll be able to answer any questions you have.
Kelly
3:34 pm CDT
What do you charge to do a digital image on deer skin?
Thanks,
J
Submit a Comment