The Sincerest Form of Flattery: The New Imitation Leather

Q. You've written about how impressed you are with the new generation of imitation leathers. What is this stuff made of and what makes it so good?

A. Here's the deal with the new imitation leathers -- the stuff the publishers call TruTone, TuTone, NuTone and what have you. They overturn the traditional thinking. Used to be, imitation leathers were at the bottom of the value pyramid, followed in ascending order by bonded leather, genuine leather, various varieties of calfskin, and goatskin. These days, an imitation leather cover is more flexible out of the box than pretty much all the bonded and genuine leather options available. That means the most affordable cover is also the the most practical, especially at a time when the quality of affordable leather seems to be on a downward spiral. As a result of all this, I'm fond of saying that the best values in the Bible market are at the extremes: at the low end and the high end, you get your money's worth -- in the middle there are no guarantees.

The first time I noticed one of these new bindings was when I picked up a black-cover, silver-edged Compact Edition of the New Living Translation. I was impressed that it opened flat out of the box, and that the imitation leather cover was so incredibly supple and flexible.

It wasn't an immediate epiphany. I passed by the display of NLTs again and again to handle them, but didn't put down the $20 to take one home. After all, it was imitation leather, and I was the guy complaining that the genuine leather didn't feel genuine anymore. Wouldn't imitation leather -- pleather! -- be a huge step down? I spent more time agonizing over that purchase than I have over spending five times the money or more, because it just seemed ... wrong ... that imitation leather could feel so good.

Well, it does. Since then, I've become a convert. You won't get my goatskin away unless you pry it from my cold, dead fingers (or something like that), but there is now a place in my heart for the humble, affordable imitators. The question is, what is this stuff? People have asked, and I've always claimed ignorance. I assumed it was some sort of PVC or plastic, a high-tech synthetic, but really, that was just a guess. Finally, I decided to find out. I asked the folks at Tyndale for help, and they got in touch with the supplier in Italy for a definitive description. Here it is:

Our synthetic leathers are coagulated PU's (polyurethane) on a non-woven support (made out of viscose). The advantages of this kind of products are the thermo effect, the smooth hand and feel, and the possibility of providing a large range of colours and finishings.

Compared to regular leathers, PU's are studied to perform with all kind of glues as well as stamping foils, and to be converted on both automatic and semi-automatic case makers. Additionally, PU's are coagulated and produced under a set of very strict regulations in the European Union, so you can be sure that they do not contain or generate during production harmful emissions, plasticizers, PVC's, lead (or any metals), cadmium, or azo dyes.

My contact at Tyndale explained that the "thermo effect" refers to the material's ability to be heat-burnished (i.e., to darken when hit with a hot die).

How's that for a science lesson? To sum it all up, the polyurethane covers provide a leather-like feel that's actually superior to a lot of bonded and genuine leather, and at a surprisingly affordable price. The Bible Design and Binding Blog tends to focus on the expensive stuff, but who says good design has to be expensive? In most cases, the difference between good and bad design comes down to care, not cost. I'm excited to see what designers will do with polyurethane covers in the future. In the meantime, I'm just happy to finally know what they're made of!

THE PHOTOS
In the first photo, the stack of Bibles featured, from top to bottom, are: (1) Tyndale's Compact Edition of the NLT in Black Imitation Leather; (2) Tyndale's handsome second edition NLT in LeatherLike Brown/Tan, complete with concordance and maps; (3) the Harper Colllins NRSV Go-Anywhere Bible, reviewed here; (4) Crossway's Portfolio Thinline ESV, reviewed here; (5) Crossway's Portfolio Classic Reference ESV. The second and third photos show the Compact Edition NLT open flat and curled in the hand. (I've bunched it up I don't know how many times over the years, and it still looks great.) Finally, a better shot of Tyndale's Brown/Tan NLT. Hopefully you can see the richness of the dark brown in the expanded photo. It's quite nice.

Comments

[Kyle Newcomer]

I picked up a burgundy version of the Compact NLT a long time ago because I was interested in the translation. It has turned out to be one of the most useful Bible purchases I've ever made. It is really the perfect size Bible to throw in a backpack full of books or even a coat pocket. I wish I could get exactly the same thing in an ESV.

[Nathan]

Having seen the ESV trutone first hand at my local shop, I've decided to go with it as it offers a good value for the price. I'm putting off my purchase until next year when the new printing comes out. This is the specific one I'm looking at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581346808/

I also own a TNIV duotone that I carry to work and church, though with this being my first read through of this translation it's quickly falling out of favor the more I read it. The materials are quite enjoyable to the touch though:

http://www.zondervan.com/media/images/product/large/0310922690_01.jpg

[JM]

I sent a question a few weeks back asking about the Thompson Chain Bible.

I ordered the following:

· Genuine Leather with Levant Grain: 1923 pages
· Publisher: Kirkbride (January 1988)
· ISBN-10: 0887071082
· ISBN-13: 978-0887071089
· Product Dimensions: 25.9 x 19.8 x 4.6 cm

I was pretty happy with what I read and seen of it online, so when I opened the box when it arrived I was let down in a BIG way. It’s supposed to be leather but the cover was thinner then the cardboard giveaway Bibles we have at our church. When I opened it I thought the cover would eventually crack or break off. I took a quick look through it and seen that it was Smyth sewn instead of glued which is a plus. Working in a library for 15 years you come to respect the Smyth sewn binding over the cheaper glued bindings. I didn’t give up hope, the content of the Bible was seemed good at a glance, the references seemed to be what I was looking for so I got back online and contacted Kirkbride directly.

After a few days they did respond giving me a list of ISBN numbers to choose from and I became interested in what they call “Deluxe Kirvella.” My wife uses the Life Application Bible made of the similar stuff, it’s extremely soft and supple in the hand, it feels better in the hand then most of the leather Bibles I own so I ordered:

· Kirvella bound: 1923 pages
· Publisher: Kirkbride Bible Company (September 2006)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 0887075525
· ISBN-13: 978-0887075520
· Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.1 x 2 inches

The pages are nice and white similar to the pages used by Oxford, the ribbon place marker is nice and thick, a little long, but if it frays you can trim it. Thank you for making the posts in reference to 'fake' leather covers I'm using one now and it's the nicest feeling Bible I own, I would suggest to anyone that is looking for a Thompson Chain Bible to go for the Kirvella and avoid the "Genuine Leather" editions.

Thanks.

jm

[J. Mark Bertrand]

JM -- I appreciate the tip. It bears out what I've been saying for a while, that the imitation leathers are a better value at this point than most bonded and genuine options, and feel better out of the box, too. I've been told that some of the super-stiff genuine covers grow more supple with age and use, but that really hasn't been the case with many of mine.

[Raj]

I beg to differ with Nathan. I purchased A Kirkbride Thompson Chain-Reference Bible ISBN 9780887071034 (Genuine Morocco Leather), I love it. Just awesome to the touch, very supple and well made. I kinda like this leather over the Allan's goat skin for which I paid much more.

[Nathan]

Since my previous post I've purchased the In Touch NASB in burgundy calfskin and I love it. I also bought a compact TruTone ESV portfolio which I also enjoy. Just so many beautifully bound bibles to choose from. Glad to hear you are enjoying your bible Raj :)

[Fr. Bill Klock]

Mark,

Thanks for finding out what these covers actually are. I've been wondering that for quite a while. For Christmas 2006 I bought me then eight-year-old daughter an ESV slimsline TruTone with a funky pink cover that she loves, being eight and all. The text block wasn't anything to shout about, but the cover has held up perfectly through more than a year of shoving it into her backpack everyday. Since she had trouble with the ESV text when reading on her own, I bought her a Good News Bible direct from the American Bible Society for Christmas this year. Same kind of cover, but way nicer than the Crossway. It feels great, it looks great, and it's nice and floppy. I'm tempted to buy one of these for my own daily use just to see how it would hold up under heavy-duty ministerial use. Too bad no one's printing a 1928BCP/KJV combo with this kind of cover. I'd be really impressed if this new pleather were to hold up better than the real thing. The future is now!

[KJVcollector]

I've had an ESV Brown/Cordovan TruTone Thinline Portfolio for a couple of years now and have really enjoyed it, but after setting it aside for a while in its box I discovered a problem: I had set a few other books on top of it for a few weeks, and the clear plastic window in the box stuck to the TruTone, forming a very large, very glossy patch on the otherwise nicely-textured front cover. Not a big deal considering its cost, I guess, but it was so handsome for a $23 Bible. I ended up purchasing a Black/Ostrich Thinline to replace it for my collection, and I'm trying to get past the aesthetic difficulties of the marred Cordovan to carry it around more. :-)

In any event, beware the plastic windows of the Crossway ESV boxes, or, apparently, too much pressure of a smooth surface on the Trutone.

[Jonathan B]

What will happen to Polyurethane after ten or twenty years? Any waterproof nylon pack or raingear I've bought that was coated with Polyurethane on the inside has always peeled off in little "crumby" bits and pieces as it aged.