Naugahyde
Description
[Naugahyde, Stoughton WI ] A registered trademark for a rubber coated artificial leather developed in 1914 at the US Rubber plant in Naugatuck, CT. In the 1940s and 50s, the development of vinyl, an artificial rubber, resulted in a production change-over to an embossed vinyl layer on a cloth backing. Naugahyde is made from Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plasticized with Dibutyl phthalate and Tricresyl phosphate. The inexpensive, durable, waterproof material was commonly used in office and home furniture as well as car interiors.
In order to differentiae itself from other vinyl based imitation leathers, an advertising campaign (designed by George Lois) was started in the early 1960s about the cute little Naugas creatures that voluntarily shed their skins once a year to make the 'cruelty-free' fabric. It was quickly picked up by comedians and many stories proliferated in the about the mythical creatures.
Synonyms and Related Terms
imitation leather; artificial leather; man-made leather
Risks
- Naugahyde can stretch and tear.
- As it ages, the plasticizer can leach out, resulting in a brittle cracked surface.
- In summer, it feels hot and sticky.
Physical and Chemical Properties
- Resistant to water, oils and greases.
Resources and Citations
- Robert Kanigel, FauxReal: Genuine Leather and 200 years of Inspired Fakes', University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 2007 (Chapter 4).
- Uniroyal Global: Naugahyde Website
- Urban Legends website at http://www.snopes.com/business/market/nauga.asp
- Submission by R. Deurenberg, August 2004
- Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000