Abstract: A method is described for forming reconstituted leather sheet material from a mixture of base fibres, such as leather fibres, and bi-component synthetic fibres which have outer layers which melt at a lower temperature than their inner cores. The fibres are mixed, formed into a web and then heated so that the synthetic fibres fuse together to form a network within the web. The base fibres are then tangled, whilst constrained by the network, preferably using hydroentanglement. A high quality reconstituted leather sheet material is thus produced.

Abstract: Artificial leather sheet material is made by hydroentanglement of waste leather fibers. A web of the fibers is advanced on a porous belt high pressure water jet heads in a number of successive hydroentanglement steps. Screens have apertures which allow deep penetration of the water jets into the web while thin screen portions between the apertures act to interrupt the jets allow deep penetration of the water jets into the web while thin screen portions between the apertures act to interrupt the jets and limit formation of furrows. Deflector plates are provided alongside water jet heads to remove re-bounding water.

Abstract: Leather sheet material is made by hydroentangling a web (4) of mixed reclaimed leather fibers and synthetic fibers. The synthetic fibers are meltable bicomponent fibers which are heated prior to entanglement to fuse and form a supporting network for the leather fibers. A sheet of tissue paper (1a) is laid over the surface of the leather fiber web (4) and hydroentanglement jets (16) are directed through the tissue paper into the web.