The Effects of Different Lacquers Used in Finishing on Leather Color Change

Although there are many factors affecting the final color of the leather, it is wondered whether it has a significant contribution since final coat is the last step for the production of leather in finishing. It is necessary to determine which lacquer emulsion or emulsions are causing this situation, which may result in cost, time, and quality losses. For this reason, in this study, firstly, three different lacquer emulsions, namely Nitrocellulose, Cellulose Aceto Butyrate and Polyurethane, were applied to the leathers dyed with the same finishing composite (base coat) at the final stage. These lacquer emulsions are widely used in leather finishing. Water-soluble forms of these materials, including solvent-soluble types, were chosen for use in this study because they are more environmentally friendly and easier to apply. After that, leather colors were analyzed for color parameters determination by using Konica Minolta brand CM 3600d Spectrophotometer and compared with the color changes before and after the lacquers were applied. Finally, The NCSS (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2022 Statistical Software (NCSS LLC, Kaysville, Utah, USA) program was used to statistically evaluate the results. As a result, it was attempted to identify the lacquer emulsions that causes the color change in the leather.