felted fibers
A material used in the manufacture of book-cloth
substitutes, as a basis for imitation leathers,
and in lieu of spine lining fabric in edition
binding. It consists of synthetic fibers felted
together into sheets and laminated to impart
strength. One of these fiber-bonded fabrics is
made from regenerated cellulose, the finished
product being reasonably strong and durable. It is
impregnated with appropriate fillers for use as a
substitute for book cloth and leather. Untreated,
the material is much cheaper than spine lining
fabric and stronger than paper. Some edition
binders use the parallel laid bonded fiber fabric
to form the joint between the case and text block.
As a book-covering material, this substitute is
said to be easy to work and block, but most are
aesthetically unappealing, lacking the texture and
appearance of substance of cloth and buckram. They
are decidedly inferior to leather in virtually
every respect. They are marketed under a number of
trade names. (81 )
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