100% polyester single material providing suede-like A surface with 100% recyclability at end of life

Abstract

A cover for a vehicle interior trim component is provided. In one embodiment, the cover comprises a fabric sheet comprising yarns comprising polyester microfibers. The fabric sheet has a first face and a second face, where the first face is an A-side surface with separate and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel. A polyester backing layer is laminated to the fabric sheet.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 356,573, filed on July 21, 2023, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 385,449, filed on November 30, 2022, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to recyclable fabrics for vehicle interior applications. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005] Figure 1 is a cross - sectional view of an exemplary polyester cover according to an embodiment.

[0006] Figure 2 is a flowchart depicting a method of manufacturing Figure 1 an exemplary polyester cover.

[0007] Detailed Description

[0008] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the various described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well - known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0009] It should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary, and that various forms and alternative forms are possible. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Thus, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to implement the embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure in various ways.

[0010] "One or more" includes functions performed by one element, functions performed by more than one element (e.g., in a distributed manner), several functions performed by one element, several functions performed by several elements, or any combination of the above.

[0011] It should also be understood that although in some cases the terms first, second, etc. are used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contact may be referred to as a second contact, and similarly, a second contact may be referred to as a first contact, without departing from the scope of the various embodiments described. Both the first contact and the second contact are contacts, but they are not the same contact.

[0012] The terms used in the description of the various embodiments described herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should also be understood that when used in this specification, the terms "includes", "including", "comprises", and / or "comprising" specify the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, operation, element, or component, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0013] As used herein, the term "if" is optionally interpreted to mean "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting", depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if detected [the stated condition or event]" is optionally interpreted to mean "when determining" or "in response to determining" or "when detecting [the stated condition or event]" or "in response to detecting [the stated condition or event]", depending on the context.

[0014] Except where otherwise indicated in the examples or otherwise explicitly stated, all numerical quantities in this description that indicate amounts of materials or conditions of reaction and / or use should be understood to be modified by the word "about" when describing the broadest scope of the invention. Practice within the stated numerical limits is generally preferred. In addition, unless explicitly stated to the contrary: percentages, "parts of...", and ratio values are by weight; the term "polymer" includes "oligomer", "copolymer", "terpolymer", and the like; the molecular weight provided for any polymer refers to the weight-average molecular weight, unless otherwise specified; the description of a group or class of materials that is suitable or preferred for a given purpose related to the present invention means that a mixture of any two or more of the members of that group or class is equally suitable or preferred; the description of a component in chemical terms refers to the component when added to any combination specified in the description and does not necessarily exclude chemical interactions between the components of the mixture after mixing; the first definition of an acronym or other abbreviation applies to all subsequent uses of the same abbreviation in this document and, with necessary modifications, to common grammatical variants of the initially defined abbreviation; and unless explicitly stated to the contrary, the measurement of a property is determined by the same technique as the technique mentioned previously or subsequently for the same property.

[0015] It should also be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and / or conditions can of course vary. In addition, the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments of the present invention only and are not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0016] The term "comprising" is synonymous with "including", "having", "containing", or "characterized by...". These terms are inclusive and open-ended and do not exclude additional, un-described elements or method steps.

[0017] The phrase "consisting of" excludes any element, step, or component not specified in the claim. When this phrase appears in a clause of the body of a claim rather than immediately following the preamble, it only limits the elements set forth in that clause; other elements are not excluded from the claim as a whole.

[0018] The phrase "consisting essentially of" limits the scope of the claim to the specified materials or steps, plus those materials or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed subject matter.

[0019] Regarding the terms "comprising", "consisting of", and "consisting essentially of", where one of these three terms is used herein, the disclosed and claimed subject matter of the present invention may include the use of either of the other two terms.

[0020] It should also be recognized that integer ranges explicitly include all intermediate integers. For example, the integer range 1 - 10 explicitly includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Similarly, the range 1 to 100 includes 1, 2, 3, 4....97, 98, 99, 100. Similarly, when any range is claimed, the intermediate numbers with an increment of the difference between the upper and lower limits divided by 10 can be considered as alternative upper or lower limits. For example, if the range is 1.1 to 2.1, the following numbers 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, and 2.0 can be chosen as the lower or upper limit. In the specific examples set forth herein, concentrations, temperatures, and reaction conditions (such as pressure, pH, etc.) can be practiced with plus or minus 50% of the indicated value rounded to three significant digits. In an improvement, concentrations, temperatures, and reaction conditions (such as, pressure, pH, etc.) can be practiced with plus or minus 30% of the indicated value rounded to three significant digits provided in the examples. In another improvement, concentrations, temperatures, and reaction conditions (such as, pH, etc.) can be practiced with plus or minus 10% of the indicated value rounded to three significant digits provided in the examples.

[0021] Abbreviations:

[0022] "dpf" means denier per filament.

[0023] "gsm" means grams per square meter.

[0024] Vehicle manufacturers and suppliers aim to improve the visual appeal, appearance, and feel of vehicle interior components. Such considerations have influenced the design of vehicle interiors and seat upholstery, including, for example, the design of headliners, visors, sunshades, pillars, packaging trays, seat cushions, and headrests. Environmental concerns have increased the demand for renewable, recyclable, and / or re - cyclable contents within vehicles.

[0025] Transportation interior components can include, for example, resin foams such as polyurethane. The resin foam can be present in a transportation decorative laminate as a backing for fabric, leather, and / or vinyl decorative coverings. These foams are used to provide the cushioning or soft feel desired by consumers. While these traditional resin foams work reasonably well in this regard, they typically do not contain recycled content, are derived from non-renewable petroleum sources, and are not easily recyclable or biodegradable.

[0026] Accordingly, there is provided a transportation interior component that provides the desired feel, a crafted appearance, and is durable enough to last the life cycle of the transportation, while being sourced from renewable resources, made using recycled content, or ideally 100% recyclable.

[0027] In at least one embodiment, the present disclosure describes a covering for a transportation interior component such as a seat, a canopy, or other decorative components.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 , there is provided a cross-sectional schematic view of a 100% polyester single material covering for a transportation interior component. The covering 10 includes a fabric sheet 12 that includes yarns containing polyester microfibers. In this context, each filament of the microfibers has a decitex of less than 1. The fabric sheet 12 has a first side 14 and a second side 16. Characteristically, the first side 14 is an A-side surface having discrete and raised microfibers 18 that provide a suede-like appearance and feel at the first side 14. A polyester backing layer 20 is laminated to the fabric sheet 12. In an improvement, the fabric sheet 12 is a warp-knitted fabric sheet or a weft-knitted fabric sheet. In another improvement, the fabric sheet 12 is a woven fabric sheet. Thus, the fabric sheet 12 can be formed by warp knitting, weft knitting, weaving, or other textile constructions. Advantageously, the covering 10 can be used as a decorative covering for a transportation interior component including a seat, a canopy, an awning, a pillar, a sun visor, or a packaging tray.

[0029] In another aspect, the polyester backing layer 20 is laminated to the fabric sheet 12 with a polyester adhesive layer 22. In an improvement, the polyester adhesive layer 22 includes a polyester-based glue, a polyester film, a polyester powder adhesive, or a polyester mesh.

[0030] In another aspect, the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet 12, the polyester backing layer 20, and the polyester adhesive layer 22 includes recycled polyester, ocean waste recycled polyester, ocean-bound recycled polyester, or a combination thereof. In an improvement, 70 weight percent to 100 weight percent of the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet 12, the polyester backing layer 20, and the polyester adhesive layer 22 is recyclable.

[0031] In at least one aspect, the fabric sheet 12 is configured such that the A-side surface of the fabric sheet 12 having the first side 14 includes both face yarn and ground yarn. Thus, the face yarn can contribute a suede-like appearance by providing discrete and raised microfibers 18. The remainder of the fabric sheet 12 that is interwoven with the face yarn and remote from the A-side surface can be the ground yarn. In another aspect, the face yarn comprises a polyester yarn having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf. In an improvement, the ground yarn comprises a polyester yarn having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 3 dpf. Generally, the fabric sheet 12 has a weight of 150 gsm to 500 gsm. In at least one embodiment, as Figure 1 shown, the first side 14 includes a face yarn having discrete and raised microfibers 18. The first side 14 may also include a ground yarn interwoven with the face yarn. In at least one embodiment, in addition to the first side 14, the remainder of the fabric sheet 12 can be the ground yarn. Further, in at least one embodiment, the portion of the first side 14 corresponding to the A-side surface can be the face yarn, while another portion on the side opposite the A-side surface can be the ground yarn. Thus, the entire fabric sheet 12 can have a first thickness, and the first side 14 can define a second thickness corresponding to a portion of the first thickness. The face yarn can be included in at least a portion of the second thickness and is positioned toward the A-side surface. In some embodiments, the ground yarn can be in at least a portion of the second thickness. In other embodiments, the ground yarn can be in the remainder of the first thickness rather than the second thickness. Thus, the ground yarn can be interwoven with the face yarn within the first side 14, or can be disposed in the thickness of the fabric sheet 12 rather than in the portion having the face yarn.

[0032] In another aspect, the polyester backing layer 20 is non-woven, knitted, woven, weft knitted, double-needle bar (e.g., spacer), or back-coated. In an improvement, the covering 10 can be configured for vehicle roof applications such that the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 200 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm. In another improvement, the covering 10 can be configured for vehicle seat applications such that the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 300 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

[0033] Reference Figure 2 , a flowchart depicting a method for manufacturing the covering described above is provided. In step a), the first side 14 of the fabric sheet 12 is mechanically finished to separate and raise the microfibers to impart a suede-like appearance and feel. In step b), the polyester backing layer 20 is laminated to the second side 16 of the fabric sheet 12.

[0034] In another aspect, the mechanical finishing of step a) can be achieved by at least one of brushing and sueding.

[0035] In another aspect, the lamination of step b) can be flame lamination, adhesive lamination via hot melt or flatbed, or drum lamination. The polyester backing layer 20 can be laminated to the fabric sheet 12 with a polyester adhesive layer 22.

[0036] In another aspect, the covering 10 is post-processed by embossing, perforating, high-frequency induction welding, quilting, embroidering, printing, and combinations thereof to impart desired aesthetic, structural, or other properties. In an improvement, the processing can result in a high-density design on the covering 10.

[0037] Advantageously, the polyester single-material covering described herein is used for vehicle interior components such that at least a portion of the covering is a recyclable material. Using recyclable polyester yarns and recyclable polyester adhesives in the covering for vehicle interior components can improve the product environmental impact by increasing the recycled material content, green footprint, recyclability, and sustainability.

[0038] Aspect.

[0039] Aspect 1. A covering for a vehicle interior component, the covering comprising: a fabric sheet including yarns comprising polyester microfibers, the fabric sheet having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is an A-side surface having separated and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel; and a polyester backing layer laminated to the second side of the fabric sheet.

[0040] Aspect 2. The covering according to aspect 1, wherein the fabric sheet is a warp knitted fabric sheet or a weft knitted fabric sheet.

[0041] Aspect 3. The covering according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein the fabric sheet is a woven fabric sheet.

[0042] Aspect 4. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the polyester backing layer is laminated to the fabric sheet with a polyester adhesive layer.

[0043] Aspect 5. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein the polyester adhesive layer comprises a polyester-based glue or a polyester film or a polyester mesh.

[0044] Aspect 6. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, wherein the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer and the polyester adhesive layer comprises recycled polyester, polyester recycled from marine waste, polyester recycled from marine boundaries or a combination thereof.

[0045] Aspect 7. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein 70 weight percent to 100 weight percent of the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer and the polyester adhesive layer is recyclable.

[0046] Aspect 8. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein the fabric sheet face yarn comprises polyester yarns having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf.

[0047] Aspect 9. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 8, wherein the fabric sheet base yarn comprises polyester yarns having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 3 dpf.

[0048] Aspect 10. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the fabric sheet has a weight of 150 gsm to 500 gsm.

[0049] Aspect 11. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 10, wherein the fabric sheet is formed by warp knitting, weft knitting, weaving or other textile structures.

[0050] Aspect 12. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 11, wherein the polyester backing layer is a non-woven, knitted, woven, weft knitted, spacer or back coating material.

[0051] Aspect 13. The covering according to any one of aspects 1 to 12, wherein the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 200 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

[0052] Aspect 14. The covering according to any one of Aspects 1 to 13, wherein the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 300 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

[0053] Aspect 15. A method for manufacturing a covering according to any one of Aspects 1 to 14, the method comprising mechanically refinishing a first side of a fabric sheet to separate and raise microfibers to impart a suede-like appearance and feel; and laminating a polyester backing layer to a second side of the fabric sheet.

[0054] Aspect 16. The method according to Aspect 15, wherein the lamination is flame lamination, adhesive lamination via hot melt or flatbed, or drum lamination.

[0055] Aspect 17. The method according to Aspect 15 or 16, wherein the polyester backing layer is laminated to the fabric sheet with a polyester adhesive layer.

[0056] Aspect 18. The method according to any one of Aspects 15 to 17, wherein the mechanical finishing is achieved by brushing and / or sanding.

[0057] Aspect 19. The method according to any one of Aspects 15 to 18, wherein the covering is secondary processed by embossing, perforating, high-frequency induction welding, quilting, embroidery, printing, high-density design (HDD), and combinations thereof.

[0058] Aspect 20. A covering for a vehicle interior component, the covering comprising: a fabric sheet including yarns containing polyester microfibers, the fabric sheet including a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is an A-side surface having separated and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel; and a polyester backing layer laminated to the second side of the fabric sheet.

[0059] Aspect 21. The covering according to Aspect 20, wherein the fabric sheet is a warp-knitted fabric sheet or a weft-knitted fabric sheet.

[0060] Aspect 22. The covering according to Aspect 20 or 21, wherein the fabric sheet is a woven fabric sheet.

[0061] Aspect 23. The covering according to any one of Aspects 20 to 22, wherein the polyester backing layer is laminated to the fabric sheet with a polyester adhesive layer.

[0062] Aspect 24. The covering according to any one of Aspects 20 to 23, wherein the polyester adhesive layer includes a polyester-based glue or a polyester film or a polyester mesh.

[0063] Aspect 25. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 24, wherein the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer, and the polyester adhesive layer comprises recycled polyester, polyester recycled from marine waste, polyester recycled from marine boundaries, or a combination thereof.

[0064] Aspect 26. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 25, wherein 70 weight percent to 100 weight percent of the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer, and the polyester adhesive layer is recyclable.

[0065] Aspect 27. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 26, wherein the fabric sheet further comprises a face yarn and a base yarn, wherein the face yarn provides discrete and raised microfibers, and the base yarn is interwoven with the face yarn and is positioned away from the A-side surface and provides support to the face yarn when compared to the face yarn.

[0066] Aspect 28. The covering according to aspect 27, wherein the face yarn comprises polyester yarn having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf.

[0067] Aspect 29. The covering according to aspect 27 or 28, wherein the base yarn comprises polyester yarn having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 3 dpf.

[0068] Aspect 30. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 29, wherein the fabric sheet has a weight of 150 gsm to 500 gsm.

[0069] Aspect 31. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 30, wherein the fabric sheet is formed by warp knitting, weft knitting, weaving, or other textile constructions.

[0070] Aspect 32. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 31, wherein the polyester backing layer is non-woven, knitted, woven, weft knitted, double-needle bar, or back-coated.

[0071] Aspect 33. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 32, wherein the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 300 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

[0072] Aspect 34. The covering according to any one of aspects 20 to 33, wherein the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 200 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

[0073] Aspect 35. A covering for a vehicle interior component, the covering comprising: a fabric sheet including yarns comprising polyester microfibers, the fabric sheet including a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is an A-side surface having a face veil with separated and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel; and a polyester backing layer laminated to the second side of the fabric sheet via a polyester adhesive layer, the polyester backing layer having a weight of 50 gsm to 300 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, wherein 70 weight percent to 100 weight percent of the polyester constituting at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer, and the polyester adhesive layer is recyclable.

[0074] Aspect 36. The covering according to aspect 35, wherein the face veil comprises polyester yarns having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf.

[0075] Aspect 37. A covering for a vehicle interior component, the covering comprising: a fabric sheet including yarns comprising polyester microfibers, the fabric sheet including a first side, a second side and defining a first thickness, the first side corresponding to the A-side surface and defining a second thickness, the second thickness defining a portion of the first thickness, wherein the first side includes a face veil and a base yarn, the face veil extending through at least a first portion of the second thickness and including separated and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel; and a polyester backing layer laminated to the second side of the fabric sheet, wherein the base yarn extends through at least a second portion of the second thickness.

[0076] Aspect 38. The covering according to aspect 37, wherein the face veil comprises polyester yarns having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf.

[0077] Aspect 39. The covering according to aspect 37 or 38, wherein the base yarn comprises polyester yarns having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 3 dpf.

[0078] Any of the above-described devices or methods and the features of each device or method described in these aspects may be combined with other devices or methods or the features of each device or method to integrate multiple aspects of the claims, aspects, and / or disclosures described herein. Additionally, devices, configurations, steps, features, or components describing a recyclable polyester single-material covering may be incorporated in any order, combination, or arrangement.

[0079] Although the exemplary embodiments are described above, this does not mean that these embodiments describe all possible forms in accordance with the present disclosure. In this regard, the words used in this specification are descriptive rather than restrictive words, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As previously described, the features of multiple implemented embodiments can be combined to form additional embodiments that may not be explicitly described or illustrated in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A covering, comprising: A fabric sheet including yarns containing polyester microfibers, the fabric sheet including a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is an A-side surface having discrete and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel; and A polyester backing layer laminated to the second side of the fabric sheet.

2. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the fabric sheet is a warp-knitted fabric sheet or a weft-knitted fabric sheet.

3. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the fabric sheet is a woven fabric sheet.

4. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the polyester backing layer is laminated to the fabric sheet with a polyester adhesive layer.

5. The covering according to claim 4, wherein the polyester adhesive layer includes a polyester-based glue, a polyester film, or a polyester mesh.

6. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer, and the polyester adhesive layer includes recycled polyester, polyester recycled from marine waste, polyester recycled from marine boundaries, or a combination thereof.

7. The covering according to claim 1, wherein 70 weight percent to 100 weight percent of the polyester in at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer, and the polyester adhesive layer is recyclable.

8. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the fabric sheet further includes a face yarn and a base yarn, wherein the face yarn provides the discrete and raised microfibers, and the base yarn is interwoven with the face yarn and is positioned away from the A-side surface and provides support to the face yarn when compared to the face yarn.

9. The covering according to claim 8, wherein the face yarn includes a polyester yarn having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf.

10. The covering according to claim 8, wherein the base yarn includes a polyester yarn having a denier from 0.1 dpf to 3 dpf.

11. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the fabric sheet has a weight of 150 gsm to 500 gsm.

12. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the fabric sheet is formed by warp knitting, weft knitting, weaving, or other textile constructions.

13. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the polyester backing layer is non-woven, knitted, woven, weft-knitted, double-needle bar, or back-coated.

14. The covering according to claim 1, wherein the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 300 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

15. The covering according to claim 14, wherein the polyester backing layer has a weight of 50 gsm to 200 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

16. A covering, comprising: A fabric sheet including yarns containing polyester microfibers, the fabric sheet including a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is an A-side surface having a face yarn with discrete and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel; and A polyester backing layer laminated to the second side of the fabric sheet via a polyester adhesive layer, the polyester backing layer having a weight of 50 gsm to 300 gsm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, wherein 70 weight percent to 100 weight percent of the polyester constituting at least one of the fabric sheet, the polyester backing layer, and the polyester adhesive layer is recyclable.

17. The covering according to claim 16, wherein the face veil comprises polyester yarns having a denier ranging from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf.

18. A covering comprising: A fabric sheet including yarns comprising polyester microfibers, the fabric sheet including a first side, a second side and defining a first thickness, the first side corresponding to the A-side surface and defining a second thickness, the second thickness defining a portion of the first thickness, wherein the first side comprises a face veil and a base yarn, the face veil extending through at least a first portion of the second thickness and comprising discrete and raised microfibers that provide a suede-like appearance and feel; and A polyester backing layer laminated to the second side of the fabric sheet, wherein the base yarn extends through at least a second portion of the second thickness.

19. The covering according to claim 18, wherein the face veil comprises polyester yarns having a denier ranging from 0.1 dpf to 0.9 dpf.

20. The covering according to claim 18, wherein the base yarn comprises polyester yarns having a denier ranging from 0.1 dpf to 3 dpf.

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