About us – (EN) Fenice care system

If you care about your leather, contact our experts!

The only company in the world that cares for leather from initial production and tanning through to post-sale service of the finished product.

Excellence before all else

Frequent travelers know all too well that, even with the help of the latest wireless technology, it’s not always easy to be contacted. The world today is moving at speeds that don’t allow companies to stop just because the manager in charge is unavailable. This is why it’s important to empower everyone, giving them the autonomy to be decision makers, even in unusual or otherwise difficult situations.

Every enterprise walks its own path in search of the best way to deal with this challenge. At Fenice, we’ve created an ‘Inspiration Wall’, a wall within the company displaying the core principles that inspire each and every decision make.

Everybody within Fenice knows full well that the Inspiration Wall shows the first step to solving any issue or answering any question.

Excellence before all else

Frequent travelers know all too well that, even with the help of the latest wireless technology, it’s not always easy to be contacted. The world today is moving at speeds that don’t allow companies to stop just because the manager in charge is unavailable. This is why it’s important to empower everyone, giving them the autonomy to be decision makers, even in unusual or otherwise difficult situations.

Every enterprise walks its own path in search of the best way to deal with this challenge. At Fenice, we’ve created an ‘Inspiration Wall’, a wall within the company displaying the core principles that inspire each and every decision make.

Everybody within Fenice knows full well that the Inspiration Wall shows the first step to solving any issue or answering any question.

Here are our principles

EXCELLENCE ALWAYS

The most important thing is that mediocrity cannot exist. Every action must be completed to perfection, without compromise. No effort is spared to achieve excellence. We only accept perfection in every aspect of our business; nothing else will do.

WORK FOR OUR CUSTOMERS’ SUCCESS

The success of our customers is the main reason our company exists. If we aren’t working towards towards that success, we are completely useless. Our actions focus solely on the success of our customers. Our success is having brought success to our clients.

AIM FOR A BETTER WORLD

We have just one planet, Earth! It was entrusted to us, and we must pass it on to future generations. Let’s play our small part in making it better, forgetting what other people should be doing and just getting on with it. Let’s respect the environment, avoid pollution, and work hard to provide better working conditions within the company and for our customers.

NEVER GIVE UP

Life today is more complex, stressful and challenging. Building a business can be hard at various levels, and only strong determination to achieve goals can lead to success for our customers and to excellence. We won’t give up!

VALUE TALENT AND INNOVATION

Innova o scompari: questa è la dura legge dell’industria di oggi. E l’innovazione esiste solo se è presente un team affiatato di persone valide che non hanno paura di osare, che considerano l’errore un necessario passaggio verso il successo e che non si stancano mai di pensare a come migliorare la vita dei clienti.

“We’ve done our best with this web site to pass on as much information as possible, and I hope it will be an invaluable tool in your work as well as enjoyable, useful reading. ”

Giovanni Pisi

This is our philosophy. This is our mission.

Quality taken up a gear.

Investment in R&D, exceeding the traditional standards of effectiveness and durability, as well as sensitivity and attention to market trends have allowed Fenice Care System to be known for our excellent results and the impeccability of our service.

Fenice Care System achieved three prestigious ISO Quality Certifications: ISO 9001:2008, EN 9100:2009 and EN 9110:2015. This exemplary performance was confirmed in 2020 with an update of the Quality Control System according to the new ISO 9001:2015, EN 9100:2018 and EN 9110:2018 standards.

ISO-9001-213139-2017-AQ-ITA-ACCREDIA-3-en-US - 20200130 - 1590665965094-1

This is our philosophy. This is our mission.

Quality taken up a gear.

Investment in R&D, exceeding the traditional standards of effectiveness and durability, as well as sensitivity and attention to market trends have allowed Fenice Care System to be known for our excellent results and the impeccability of our service.

Fenice Care System achieved three prestigious ISO Quality Certifications: ISO 9001:2008, EN 9100:2009 and EN 9110:2015. This exemplary performance was confirmed in 2020 with an update of the Quality Control System according to the new ISO 9001:2015, EN 9100:2018 and EN 9110:2018 standards.

Our Laboratories Are Your Guarantee of Quality

The company’s laboratories are equipped with the most modern, sophisticated testing equipment in order to conduct accurate tests of the physical properties of the finished product so as to guarantee the long life of your leather.

Positive results from sophisticated chemical-physical testing ensures that new and even refinished leather will stand the tests of time.

Our application laboratory is actually a miniature tannery with all the latest machinery for developing innovative, ecological finishing techniques.

Reasearch and testing

Finished leather has to undergo rigorous testing before being used. At Fenice, we carry out these tests in-house with the latest machinery and instrumentation and according to internationally recognized standards.

Color Fastness “Rub Test"

Color Fastness “Rub Test

This instrument measures the resistance of the finish against continuous rubbing

The test is carried out by rubbing the sample’s surface with a dry felt (dry test) or wet felt (wet test with water). The test is also carried out using a solution similar to human sweat, which is very aggressive to the leather’s finish (perspiration test). The rubbing action is done using felt dice made of white wool (or black if the leather sample is white). The felt dice are subjected to a standard pressure of 1 kg (2.2 pounds) and execute an alternating linear movement on the leather surface. Felts are checked for color transfer during rubbing. Once the leather starts transferring color to the felt, the test is stopped, and the resulting number of cycles is noted.

Leather>	ANILINE, SUEDE, NUBUCK	SEMI ANILINE	PIGMENTED
Dry:	50 cycles – min. 3 gray scale	500 cycles – min. 4 gray scale	500 cycles – min. 4 gray scale
Wet:	20 cycles – min. 3 gray scale	80 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale	250 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale
Perspiration:	20 cycles – min. 3 gray scale	50 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale	80 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale

Type Color Fastness / Rubbing Tester Gakushin

Type Color Fastness / Rubbing Tester Gakushin

This instrument determines the color fastness to rubbing.

A six-station bench-top machine is used to evaluate the leather’s resistance to rubbing. Each station includes a pair of clamps for the test sample to the moving platen and a weighted rubbing arm with two clamps for the rubbing material. The desired number of test cycles is entered into the cycle counter and the test is started. Once this cycle count is reached, the machine will stop automatically. The test samples are evaluated visually.

This machine is capable of operating with 1300g of weight at each station.

Specifications:

Meets requirements for JIS L 0823 (Section 3.2).
Meets requirements for Mazda MES MN 405.
Meets requirements for Nissan NES M0155 (Section 16).

Color Fastness to Light

Color Fastness to Light

Solar radiation, temperature, precipitation and oxygen speed the aging process of materials while also influencing many of their physical properties. The instrument accelerates sun damage by controlling the temperature on the black panel, the temperature of the chamber, humidity and light (UV, visible and infrared).

The Ci 3000+ is an apparatus featuring a xenon lamp with controlled radiation that replicates constant exposure to light. Light filters that can easily be interchanged define the spectrum of emission of the xenon lamp so as to imitate the various conditions of natural sunlight in the environment where the various materials will be used.

A xenon lamp that has been correctly filtered is the best imitation available of typical sunlight.

The leather test-piece is placed in the instrument together with a blue scale, made of 8 strips of wool fabric of different standard dyeing. In this kind of test, the test piece is subjected to a light simulating natural light, but much stronger. To quantify the amount of light that hits the sample during the test, half of the blue scale is covered vertically and then put inside the instrument together with the test piece. The scale and the test piece will both undergo certain variations due to exposure to these rays. Comparing the part of the scale that had been covered with the exposed one, we observe the quantity of light that hits the test piece. The amount of light needed to discolor a blue stripe increases from the lighter stripe to the darker. A small amount of light will only discolor the lighter color (the one at the bottom of the picture). An average amount of light will discolor 4 stripes, whereas a lot of light will discolor all of them. The last modified stripe expresses the quantity of light the leather test piece was exposed to. So the test result will be something like this: after exposing the test-piece to a quantity of light equal to 3 on the blue scale, we experienced a discoloring equal to 4 on the gray scale (see below for a description of the gray scale).

Recommended light fastness, according to the current European Standards for Upholstery Leather are:

Aniline, Suede & Nubuck	Semi-aniline	Pigmented
At least 4 gray scale after exposure to minimum 3 blue scale	At least 4 gray scale after exposure to minimum 4 blue scale	At least 4 gray scale after exposure to minimum 5 blue scale

Gray Scale

Grey Scale

Evaluation of color transfer and of color variation.

There are two kinds of gray scales. The first is used to express an objective valuation with regard to the transfer of color from the test piece to another material. The second scale is used to give a numeric value to the variation of color, i.e. to the degradation and color change of the test piece due to factors such as light, humidity, heat, etc.

SCALE TYPE 1: This gray scale for assessing color transfer is used when measuring the color fastness of a certain material and of its resistance to the transfer onto another material, by comparison with standard parameters valid in every place and under every condition. The scale comprises 10 pairs of plaques: a pair of identical white plaques, and 9 pairs made with a white plaque and a gray one, with the gray changing in intensity, with different gray tones indicating different fastness. The two white plaques have a fastness of 5, so the difference of color between them is zero. Fastness values from 4/5 to 1 correspond to pairs of plaques of which one is white and the other gray. The increasing contrast between the two plaques corresponds to a decreasing value of fastness; therefore, the pair of plaques formed by white and the darker gray represents a fastness of 1. After submitting a sample to test, the gray scale will serve to quantify color transfer. So we compare the felt used for rubbing against a new one, then compare them to the 10 pairs forming the scale, we look for the pair with the contrast closest to the two felts. In this way, we can provide an objective assessment of the quantity of color that was transferred to the felt during rubbing.

SCALE TYPE 2: This color-variation gray scale is used to compare the fastness of the color of a material and its resistance to agents that can change its intensity, such as sunlight. The scale is composed of 5 pairs of gray plaques. In each pair, the difference of intensity and contrast between the plaques is variable, with different contrast corresponding to different values of fastness on a scale that goes from 5 to 1. A fastness value of 5 corresponds to an identical pair of plaques, with a color difference of zero. On the other hand, a fastness value of 1 corresponds to the highest degree of contrast between the two gray plaques. Use of this gray scale is analogous to the preceding one: after testing a piece of leather, this piece is compared with the original material, and the contrast between the two is compared with the contrast within each pair of the scale. In this way, we can provide an objective assessment of the color variation.

Flexing Resistance

Flexing Resistance

The oscillations of the FLEXOMETER produce an artificial aging on the test piece, thereby simulating the mechanical stresses that occur during everyday use. The flexometer determines the resistance of leather to flexion.

The recommended number of resistance cycles, according to the current European Standards for Upholstery Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

– Upholstery – pigmented leather: 50,000 cycles with no cracks on the finish.

– Car upholstery: 100,000 cycles with no cracks on the finish.

Tear Strength

Tear Strength

The traction and tear tests are very important tests to determine leather resistance. The leather needs to have good resistance due to stresses from the various phases of manufacturing and daily use. The instrument used to determine these resistances is the TENSOMETER. The tear test allows us to compare the capacity of leather to resist before tearing. The test piece is affixed to the tensometer clamp and placed under traction until it breaks, and we measure the break load, i.e. the maximum load needed to tear it.

The recommended value for tear strength, according to the current European Standards for Upholstery Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

-Upholstery – Min. 20 Newton.

– Car upholstery – Min. 25 Newton.

The traction and stretching test allows us to compare the capacity of leather to withstand being stretched as well as its deformation capacity before breakage. The test piece is clasped by special hooks and placed in traction until it breaks. We measure the breakage load and how much the piece has been lengthened until it finally breaks (i.e. maximum length).

The recommended value for strength, according to the current the European Standard for Car Upholstery Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

– Car upholstery – Min. 12N / mm² for traction lengthening between 35 and 60%.

Cold crack

Cold crack

To measure cold crack resistance.

This type of test is used to identify the cold temperature at which the finish of leather cracks. The leather sample is affixed to the COLD CRACK instrument and kept in a chilled chamber at an determined temperature.

The apparatus is then closed quickly so that the leather undergoes one rapid fold. The sample is then examined to see if there is any cracking in the leather.

The recommended value of cold crack resistance, according to the current the European Standards for Leather Upholstery Characteristics, is as follows:

– Upholstery: -15° C: no cracking on the finish

– Car upholstery: -30° C: no cracking on the finish

Resistance to Abrasion (Taber)

Resistance to Abrasion (Taber)

Taber test
This instrument measures the resistance to abrasion of various materials.

The abrasive action is obtained by rotating the test sample, cutting it in the shape of a disc around a vertical axis, while two abrasive wheels rotate above it.

The wheels travel one complete rotation on the surface of the test sample, thereby verifying the resistance of the sample to abrasion from all possible angles. Various types of wheels exist which vary in abrasion and are chosen according to the material to be examined or the needs of the customer. The load of the wheel on the sample can be varied according to request.

The test on the sample to be examined finishes when the top layer is removed. Otherwise the level of abrasion is measured after a predefined number of cycles.

The recommended value for abrasion resistance, according to the current European Standards for Automotive Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

H 18 0.5 kg: 500 cycles.

CS 10 0.5 kg: 2000 cycles.

Resistance to Ageing

Resistance to Ageing

Resistance to various climatic conditions.

The climatest simulates various climatic conditions that exist in various parts of the world. This test measures the stability of the leather and how it behaves when subjected to extremes of temperature and humidity.

After they have been kept under conditions of specific temperature and humidity for a predetermined time, the leather samples are compared with untested samples. We can then see the changes in color, aspect, grain, size, etc., which can be observed in detail.

The minimum resistance, according to the current European Standards for Automotive Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

After 168 hours at 90°C: no damage.

Our Laboratories Are Your Guarantee of Quality

The company’s laboratories are equipped with the most modern, sophisticated testing equipment in order to conduct accurate tests of the physical properties of the finished product so as to guarantee the long life of your leather.

Positive results from sophisticated chemical-physical testing ensures that new and even refinished leather will stand the tests of time.

Our application laboratory is actually a miniature tannery with all the latest machinery for developing innovative, ecological finishing techniques.

Reasearch and testing

Finished leather has to undergo rigorous testing before being used. At Fenice, we carry out these tests in-house with the latest machinery and instrumentation and according to internationally recognized standards.

Color Fastness “Rub Test"

Color Fastness “Rub Test

This instrument measures the resistance of the finish against continuous rubbing

The test is carried out by rubbing the sample’s surface with a dry felt (dry test) or wet felt (wet test with water). The test is also carried out using a solution similar to human sweat, which is very aggressive to the leather’s finish (perspiration test). The rubbing action is done using felt dice made of white wool (or black if the leather sample is white). The felt dice are subjected to a standard pressure of 1 kg (2.2 pounds) and execute an alternating linear movement on the leather surface. Felts are checked for color transfer during rubbing. Once the leather starts transferring color to the felt, the test is stopped, and the resulting number of cycles is noted.

Leather>	ANILINE, SUEDE, NUBUCK	SEMI ANILINE	PIGMENTED
Dry:	50 cycles – min. 3 gray scale	500 cycles – min. 4 gray scale	500 cycles – min. 4 gray scale
Wet:	20 cycles – min. 3 gray scale	80 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale	250 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale
Perspiration:	20 cycles – min. 3 gray scale	50 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale	80 cycles – min. 3/4 gray scale

Type Color Fastness / Rubbing Tester Gakushin

Type Color Fastness / Rubbing Tester Gakushin

This instrument determines the color fastness to rubbing.

A six-station bench-top machine is used to evaluate the leather’s resistance to rubbing. Each station includes a pair of clamps for the test sample to the moving platen and a weighted rubbing arm with two clamps for the rubbing material. The desired number of test cycles is entered into the cycle counter and the test is started. Once this cycle count is reached, the machine will stop automatically. The test samples are evaluated visually.

This machine is capable of operating with 1300g of weight at each station.

Specifications:

Meets requirements for JIS L 0823 (Section 3.2).
Meets requirements for Mazda MES MN 405.
Meets requirements for Nissan NES M0155 (Section 16).

Color Fastness to Light

Color Fastness to Light

Solar radiation, temperature, precipitation and oxygen speed the aging process of materials while also influencing many of their physical properties. The instrument accelerates sun damage by controlling the temperature on the black panel, the temperature of the chamber, humidity and light (UV, visible and infrared).

The Ci 3000+ is an apparatus featuring a xenon lamp with controlled radiation that replicates constant exposure to light. Light filters that can easily be interchanged define the spectrum of emission of the xenon lamp so as to imitate the various conditions of natural sunlight in the environment where the various materials will be used.

A xenon lamp that has been correctly filtered is the best imitation available of typical sunlight.

The leather test-piece is placed in the instrument together with a blue scale, made of 8 strips of wool fabric of different standard dyeing. In this kind of test, the test piece is subjected to a light simulating natural light, but much stronger. To quantify the amount of light that hits the sample during the test, half of the blue scale is covered vertically and then put inside the instrument together with the test piece. The scale and the test piece will both undergo certain variations due to exposure to these rays. Comparing the part of the scale that had been covered with the exposed one, we observe the quantity of light that hits the test piece. The amount of light needed to discolor a blue stripe increases from the lighter stripe to the darker. A small amount of light will only discolor the lighter color (the one at the bottom of the picture). An average amount of light will discolor 4 stripes, whereas a lot of light will discolor all of them. The last modified stripe expresses the quantity of light the leather test piece was exposed to. So the test result will be something like this: after exposing the test-piece to a quantity of light equal to 3 on the blue scale, we experienced a discoloring equal to 4 on the gray scale (see below for a description of the gray scale).

Recommended light fastness, according to the current European Standards for Upholstery Leather are:

Aniline, Suede & Nubuck	Semi-aniline	Pigmented
At least 4 gray scale after exposure to minimum 3 blue scale	At least 4 gray scale after exposure to minimum 4 blue scale	At least 4 gray scale after exposure to minimum 5 blue scale

Gray Scale

Grey Scale

Evaluation of color transfer and of color variation.

There are two kinds of gray scales. The first is used to express an objective valuation with regard to the transfer of color from the test piece to another material. The second scale is used to give a numeric value to the variation of color, i.e. to the degradation and color change of the test piece due to factors such as light, humidity, heat, etc.

SCALE TYPE 1: This gray scale for assessing color transfer is used when measuring the color fastness of a certain material and of its resistance to the transfer onto another material, by comparison with standard parameters valid in every place and under every condition. The scale comprises 10 pairs of plaques: a pair of identical white plaques, and 9 pairs made with a white plaque and a gray one, with the gray changing in intensity, with different gray tones indicating different fastness. The two white plaques have a fastness of 5, so the difference of color between them is zero. Fastness values from 4/5 to 1 correspond to pairs of plaques of which one is white and the other gray. The increasing contrast between the two plaques corresponds to a decreasing value of fastness; therefore, the pair of plaques formed by white and the darker gray represents a fastness of 1. After submitting a sample to test, the gray scale will serve to quantify color transfer. So we compare the felt used for rubbing against a new one, then compare them to the 10 pairs forming the scale, we look for the pair with the contrast closest to the two felts. In this way, we can provide an objective assessment of the quantity of color that was transferred to the felt during rubbing.

SCALE TYPE 2: This color-variation gray scale is used to compare the fastness of the color of a material and its resistance to agents that can change its intensity, such as sunlight. The scale is composed of 5 pairs of gray plaques. In each pair, the difference of intensity and contrast between the plaques is variable, with different contrast corresponding to different values of fastness on a scale that goes from 5 to 1. A fastness value of 5 corresponds to an identical pair of plaques, with a color difference of zero. On the other hand, a fastness value of 1 corresponds to the highest degree of contrast between the two gray plaques. Use of this gray scale is analogous to the preceding one: after testing a piece of leather, this piece is compared with the original material, and the contrast between the two is compared with the contrast within each pair of the scale. In this way, we can provide an objective assessment of the color variation.

Flexing Resistance

Flexing Resistance

The oscillations of the FLEXOMETER produce an artificial aging on the test piece, thereby simulating the mechanical stresses that occur during everyday use. The flexometer determines the resistance of leather to flexion.

The recommended number of resistance cycles, according to the current European Standards for Upholstery Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

– Upholstery – pigmented leather: 50,000 cycles with no cracks on the finish.

– Car upholstery: 100,000 cycles with no cracks on the finish.

Tear Strength

Tear Strength

The traction and tear tests are very important tests to determine leather resistance. The leather needs to have good resistance due to stresses from the various phases of manufacturing and daily use. The instrument used to determine these resistances is the TENSOMETER. The tear test allows us to compare the capacity of leather to resist before tearing. The test piece is affixed to the tensometer clamp and placed under traction until it breaks, and we measure the break load, i.e. the maximum load needed to tear it.

The recommended value for tear strength, according to the current European Standards for Upholstery Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

-Upholstery – Min. 20 Newton.

– Car upholstery – Min. 25 Newton.

The traction and stretching test allows us to compare the capacity of leather to withstand being stretched as well as its deformation capacity before breakage. The test piece is clasped by special hooks and placed in traction until it breaks. We measure the breakage load and how much the piece has been lengthened until it finally breaks (i.e. maximum length).

The recommended value for strength, according to the current the European Standard for Car Upholstery Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

– Car upholstery – Min. 12N / mm² for traction lengthening between 35 and 60%.

Cold crack

Cold crack

To measure cold crack resistance.

This type of test is used to identify the cold temperature at which the finish of leather cracks. The leather sample is affixed to the COLD CRACK instrument and kept in a chilled chamber at an determined temperature.

The apparatus is then closed quickly so that the leather undergoes one rapid fold. The sample is then examined to see if there is any cracking in the leather.

The recommended value of cold crack resistance, according to the current the European Standards for Leather Upholstery Characteristics, is as follows:

– Upholstery: -15° C: no cracking on the finish

– Car upholstery: -30° C: no cracking on the finish

Resistance to Abrasion (Taber)

Resistance to Abrasion (Taber)

Taber test
This instrument measures the resistance to abrasion of various materials.

The abrasive action is obtained by rotating the test sample, cutting it in the shape of a disc around a vertical axis, while two abrasive wheels rotate above it.

The wheels travel one complete rotation on the surface of the test sample, thereby verifying the resistance of the sample to abrasion from all possible angles. Various types of wheels exist which vary in abrasion and are chosen according to the material to be examined or the needs of the customer. The load of the wheel on the sample can be varied according to request.

The test on the sample to be examined finishes when the top layer is removed. Otherwise the level of abrasion is measured after a predefined number of cycles.

The recommended value for abrasion resistance, according to the current European Standards for Automotive Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

H 18 0.5 kg: 500 cycles.

CS 10 0.5 kg: 2000 cycles.

Resistance to Ageing

Resistance to Ageing

Resistance to various climatic conditions.

The climatest simulates various climatic conditions that exist in various parts of the world. This test measures the stability of the leather and how it behaves when subjected to extremes of temperature and humidity.

After they have been kept under conditions of specific temperature and humidity for a predetermined time, the leather samples are compared with untested samples. We can then see the changes in color, aspect, grain, size, etc., which can be observed in detail.

The minimum resistance, according to the current European Standards for Automotive Leather Characteristics, is as follows:

After 168 hours at 90°C: no damage.

Contact us

For whatever you may need, simply send an email to info@fenice.care

or use the form below.

Contact us

For whatever you may need, simply send an email to info@fenice.care or use the form below.

If you care about your leather, contact our experts!

Fenice, innovation continues

Fenice, innovation continues

Excellence before all else

Excellence before all else

Here are our principles

EXCELLENCE ALWAYS

WORK FOR OUR CUSTOMERS’ SUCCESS

AIM FOR A BETTER WORLD

NEVER GIVE UP

VALUE TALENT AND INNOVATION

This is our philosophy. This is our mission.

This is our philosophy. This is our mission.

Our Strenght

Our Strenght

Our Laboratories Are Your Guarantee of Quality

Our Laboratories Are Your Guarantee of Quality

Contact us

Contact us

Fenice S.p.A.