High-strength and tear-resistant leather materials and methods of manufacture

A leather substrate comprising:

• a plurality of collagen bundles;
• said collagen bundles comprising a plurality of collagen fibrils;
• said collagen bundles and collagen fibrils comprising a collagen fibril matrix;
• said fibril matrix comprising a plurality of gaps between adjacent collagen fibrils, an ionic salt and a dewetting aid;
• said ionic salt comprising at least one of magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate, strontium chloride, barium chloride, iron(II) chloride, magnesium bromide, and magnesium bromide, or a combination thereof;
• said dewetting aid comprising an oil;
• said substrate further comprising a sheet having a sheet length, a sheet width and a generally uniform sheet thickness.

A leather substrate sheet having a sheet length, a sheet width and a generally uniform sheet thickness, said leather substrate sheet comprising a plurality of collagen bundles, said collagen bundles comprising a plurality of collagen fibrils, said collagen bundles and collagen fibrils comprising a collagen fibril matrix, said fibril matrix comprising a plurality of gaps between adjacent collagen fibrils, said sheet having one of:

• a tear resistance of greater than or equal to 20 Newtons when tested in accordance with ASTM D 4704;
• a Baumann Tear resistance of greater than or equal to 2.5 Kg when tested in accordance with SATRA TM 162;
• a stitch tear resistance of greater than or equal to 8 Kg/cm when tested in accordance with SATRA TM 180;
• a Taber abrasion resistance of no damage to said sheet when tested at 150 cycles with H-22 abrader and 1000 gr load when tested in accordance with ASTM D1044 or ASTM D4060;
• or
• having a bursting strength of greater than or equal to 16 Kg/cm2 when tested in accordance with ASTM D 3786.