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Kuraray Co., Ltd. has developed a new man-made leather, SOFRINA-a, which offers luxurious feel, durability, and softness approaching that of natural leather. As a result, shoes made with SOFRINA-a are highly praised for comfort. Acushnet Japan, Inc. selected this new material for its new FootJoy X-dimension series golf shoes, which will be introduced in March. (The series will initially include models no. 53176, 53187, and 53195.)

SOFRINA-a is made of two fibers of different thicknesses. Kuraray employed its proprietary non-woven fabric technology to intertwine nylon fiber and nylon microfiber (0.07dtex and 0.0001dtex) using a three-dimensional intertwining process. Use of a 0.0001dtex microfiber produces a high-density non-woven fabric with a uniform degree of stretch regardless of the orientation of stress. An addition, these non-woven fabrics are reinforced with special polyurethane resin, which gives SOFRINA-a a satisfying feel on a par with natural leather. This also makes for improved workability during the shoemaking process, and a better fitting shoe.

SOFRINA-a is made of two fibers of different thicknesses. Kuraray employed its proprietary non-woven fabric technology to intertwine nylon fiber and nylon microfiber (0.07dtex and 0.0001dtex) using a three-dimensional intertwining process. Use of a 0.0001dtex microfiber produces a high-density non-woven fabric with a uniform degree of stretch regardless of the orientation of stress. An addition, these non-woven fabrics are reinforced with special polyurethane resin, which gives SOFRINA-a a satisfying feel on a par with natural leather. This also makes for improved workability during the shoemaking process, and a better fitting shoe.

FootJoy puts emphasis on providing golf shoes that give golfers the comfort, support, and sure footing they need. The new X-dimension series shoes have an original, athletic design, and the use of SOFRINA-a for the upper allows an improved feel and fit. The X-dimension series shoes also have the "X-Stability Bridge" sole, which provides support to prevent rolling the foot during the swing. SOFRINA-a is a perfect match for the FootJoy brand, with its emphasis on comfort and fit.

Kuraray plans to market SOFRINA-a not only to the shoe industry, but also for applications in clothing, interior furnishings, car seat upholstery, industrial materials, sundries, and a wide spectrum of other markets. Kuraray continues to make advances in non-woven fabrics and processing technologies, and will continue to develop products that meet the needs of the market.