what is pu fabric

PU fabric, or polyurethane fabric, is a composite material made of one or more layers of polymer resins joined by urethane links and a woven or non-woven textile backing such as polyester, cotton, nylon, or ground leather. The PU coating is applied to a single side of the base fabric and then treated to look more like animal hide, making the fabric water-resistant, lightweight, and flexible. PU fabrics are commonly used as an alternative to genuine leather because they provide a similar soft and supple hand, and when stitched, gathered, or tufted, they actually "break" or wrinkle like real leather. PU fabrics are also more environmentally friendly than PVC, which contains toxic plasticizers that can leach from the material and have adverse health effects. PU fabrics are used in a variety of applications, including outdoor clothing, activewear, swimwear, shoes, furniture, and military industries. PU coating can be divided into water-based and solvent-based polyurethanes, with solvent-based coatings having better film-forming properties, strong adhesion to fabrics, and high water pressure resistance, making them more suitable for waterproof and moisture-permeable coatings.