Mexican Media Brands
Leather vs. Virus: Italian Tanner Creates New Material Treatment
Italian tanning company develops antiviral treatment for leather
#interior
.jpg;width=70;height=70;mode=crop)
Share
Gruppo Mastrotto, a large supplier of cowhide products for a variety of industries including automotive, has announced the development of a propriety technology that it said eliminates 99.9% of the viruses and bacteria that might be found on leather.
(Large? More than 2,400 employees; 18 factories; >435 million € turnover.)
Gruppo Mastrotto said it has developed a treatment for leather that provides antibacterial and antiviral properties. (Image: Gruppo Mastrotto)
In addition to which, it acts as a surface barrier that “prevents the replication of pathogens that may come into contact with the leather.”
Meaning that it maintains its capability after several uses, though the company didn’t say how long the surface barrier lasts.
Chiara Mastrotto, president of Gruppo Mastrotto, said, “This fundamental innovation, designed and developed entirely within the company, represents for us the culmination of significant efforts and investments made in the Research and Development field.”
Presumably the people who work in the company’s labs have been previously been working on colors and surface treatments more than on health-related concerns.
Post-COVID
Although antiviral leather has an immediate application due to COVID-19, it is worth noting that one of the considerations that interior designers have had over the past few years is designing interiors for shared vehicles that are not only easy to clean of dirt and debris, but that would have the antiviral and antibacterial properties that Gruppo Mastrotto said it has developed to treat leather.
This treatment will undoubtedly have applicability from this point going forward for both shared vehicles as well as those individually owned.
RELATED CONTENT
-
2019 Chevrolet Blazer Premier AWD
The 2019 Chevy Blazer is the most-complete Chevy I’ve ever driven, as in seemingly every detail of the crossover having been carefully considered and appropriately executed, from the front end that has a design the likes of which is absolutely rare in a category of vehicles that is getting more undifferentiated by the moment to even consideration given to the piping on the IP.
-
Mustang Changes for 2018
On Tuesday Ford unveiled—using the social media channels of actor Dwayne Johnson (this has got to unnerve some of the auto buff book editors)—the 2018 Mustang, which has undergone some modifications: under the hood (the 3.7-liter V6 is giving way to a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four, and a 10-speed automatic is available), on the dash (a 12-inch, all-digital LCD screen is available for the dashboard), at the tires (12 wheel choices), on the chassis (MagneRide damper technology is being offered with the Mustang Performance Package), and on the exterior (three new paint colors). And while on the subject of the exterior, there are some notable changes—a lower, remodeled hood, repositioned hood vents, new upper and lower front grilles, LED front lights, revised LED taillamps, new rear bumper and fascia.
-
Injection molding for interiors—including fabrics
Plenty of interior components are injection molded. But some companies—such as VW—are using a process for trim pieces that both mold a component and cover it in fabric in a single molding process. And it is coming to the U.S. in the not-too-distant future.