Lishui, Zhejiang, China -- The Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision of Luishi (the municipal BQTS) has issued new standards for water-based PU leather following an inquiry into its draft proposals.
As China’s first authoritative standards for water-based PU leather, the new standards are equivalent to international standards, said the BQTS. Seven Water-based PU Leather Association member companies within the economic development zone will be affected.
The standards were drawn up by association members along with a research firm backed by the provincial institute of standardisation. They aim to better regulate the sector and control the environment pollution caused by traditional oil-based resin production methods.
The standards involve 35 indices and set requirements that are much stricter than those governing traditional methods on key indices including DMF (dimethyl formamide), DMFu (dimethyl fumarate), OPEO (octaphenyl polyoxyethyiene) and total volatile organic compounds.
In 2012, synthetic leather brought in half of the economic zone’s total production value of RMB 30bn ($4.9bn).
XE Currency conversion: January 7
By Jane Ho
