WG 7 - Physical and fastness test methods

This document specifies a method for determining the colour fastness to water of leather of all kinds at all stages of processing.

This document specifies two methods for determining the heat resistance of patent leather.
Method A makes use of a modified lastometer, while Method B uses the “Zwik” apparatus. Both methods are applicable to patent leathers for all end uses.

ISO 5403-1:2011 specifies a method for determining the dynamic water resistance of leather by means of repeated linear compression. It is applicable to all flexible leathers but is particularly suitable for leathers intended for footwear applications.

This document specifies a method for determining the colour fastness to perspiration of leather of all kinds at all stages of processing. It applies particularly to gloving, clothing and lining leathers, as well as leather for the uppers of unlined shoes.

This document specifies a method for determining the tear strength of leather using a double edged tear. The method is sometimes described as the Baumann tear. It is applicable to all types of leather.

This document specifies a method for determining the water absorption of leather under static conditions. The method is applicable to all leather, particularly heavy leather.

This document specifies a method for determining the colour fastness to sea water of leather of all kinds at all stages of processing.

This document specifies methods for determining the fastness of the surface of leather to hydroalcoholic mixtures.
It is applicable to all kinds of leather.

This document specifies a method for determining the extension set of leather. It is intended for use on upholstery leather but is applicable to all flexible leathers.

This document specifies a test method for the determination of distension and strength of the leather grain or finished surface. This method is applicable to all flexible leathers and it is particularly suitable to determine the lastability of leathers for footwear uppers.

This document specifies the conditioning of leather for physical and mechanical testing in standard atmospheres. It is applicable to all types of dry leather.

This document specifies a method for determining the colour fastness to saliva of all kinds of leathers, independent of the colouring procedure applied.
The method uses an artificial saliva solution to simulate whether colouring materials can migrate from leather to the mouth or to the mucous membranes.

This document specifies a method to determine the amount of colour transferred from the surface of coloured leather to other surfaces by rubbing.
Two tests are carried out, one with a dry rubbing cloth and one with a wet rubbing cloth.
The method is applicable to all types of coloured leather. Since after‑treatments of the leather as well as surface finishes can affect the degree of colour transfer, the test can be made before and/or after such treatments.

This document specifies the position of laboratory test specimens within a piece of leather and the method of labelling and marking the laboratory test specimens for future identification. In addition, this document specifies the design of press knives for cutting test pieces and the preparation of test pieces.
It is applicable to all types of leather derived from mammals, irrespective of the tanning used.
It is not applicable to leathers derived from birds, fish, reptiles or furs.

This document describes a method for determining the water vapour permeability of leather and provides alternative methods of sample preparation and for the measurement procedure.

This document specifies general principles on colour fastness evaluation tests for leather, as listed in Annex A.
Procedures included in this document are common to most of the fastness test methods.
This document provides a common basis for testing and reporting colour fastness. The uses and limitations of the methods are pointed out, several terms are defined, an outline of the drafting of the methods is given and the contents of the clauses describing the methods are discussed.
Procedures common to a number of the methods are discussed briefly.
Colour fastness means the resistance of the colour to the different agents to which these materials can be exposed during manufacture and their subsequent use.
The change in colour of leather and staining of undyed adjacent fabrics or other materials are assessed as fastness ratings.
Other visible changes in the leather under test, for example surface appearance, change in gloss or shrinkage, are considered as separate properties and reported as such.
The leather fastness test methods can be used not only for assessing leather and related materials, such as coated leather and leather board, but also for the eventual assessment of the colour fastness of leather dyes. When such a method is so used, the dye is applied to a specified retanned leather or crust leather in defined depths of colour by stated procedures and the material is then tested in the usual way.

This document specifies a method for determining the dry or wet flex resistance of leather and finishes applied to leather. It is applicable to all types of flexible leather below 3,0 mm in thickness.

This document specifies a method for assessing the propensity of dyes and pigments to migrate from leather to a synthetic substrate by determining the transfer of colour from the leather to white polymeric material in contact with it.
This method is applicable to leather of all kinds at any stage of processing.

This document specifies a method of determining the dimensional change (shrinkage) of leathers caused by ageing. It is applicable to all leathers.

This document specifies a method for determining the tensile strength, elongation at a specified load and elongation at maximum force of leather. It is applicable to all types of leather.

This document specifies a method using microscopy to identify leather and distinguish it from other materials. The method is not applicable for identifying specific leathers (e.g. sheep leather).

This document specifies a method of determining the abrasion resistance of leather using a Taber® apparatus.

This document specifies a method for determining the stitch tear resistance of leather. It can be used on all leathers but is particularly suitable for leathers over 1,2 mm in thickness.

This document specifies a method for the correct measurement of the colour of finished leather by instrumental means. The document describes general concepts of colour measurement adapted to leather and the calculation of differences in colour.
This document defines the following:
a)    the use of D65 as the standard light source for the leather industry;
b)    the use of D65 light source 10° as standard conditions for colour matching, for the definition of daylight simulators and as the reference light source for metamerism analysis;
c)    the use of CIEDE2000 as the colour difference formula.

This document specifies a method for determining the resistance of all forms of leather to visible soiling through repeated contact with soiled objects. It provides a physical pretreatment routine for leathers that may be vulnerable to loss of soiling resistance while in service, prior to conducting further tests such as cleaning.

This document specifies a method for determining the behaviour of the surface of a leather on rubbing with a wool felt.
It is applicable to leathers of all kinds.

ISO 17231 | IULTCS/IUP 37:2017 specifies a method for determining the repellency of leather to surface wetting. It is applicable to all leathers intended for use in clothing. The method does not determine the resistance of leather to water penetration.

ISO 17233:2017 specifies a method for determining the cold crack temperature of surface coatings applied to leather. It is applicable to all leathers which have a surface coating and which can be easily flexed.

ISO 2420:2017 specifies a method for determining the apparent density and the mass per unit area of leather. It is applicable to all leathers.

ISO 2589:2016 specifies a method for determining the thickness of leather. The method is applicable to all types of leather of any tannage. The measurement is valid for both the whole leather and a test sample.

ISO 17229:2016 specifies a method for determining the water vapour absorption of leather. The method is applicable for all leathers but is particularly relevant for leathers intended for footwear uppers and linings.

ISO 5402-2:2015 specifies a method for determining the wet or dry flex resistance of leather and finishes applied to leather. It is applicable to all types of leather below 3,0 mm in thickness.

ISO 3380:2015 specifies a method for determination of the shrinkage temperature of leather up to 100 °C. It is applicable to all leathers.

ISO 19074:2015 specifies a method for determining the rate of absorption of water by capillary action or wicking in leathers. It is applicable to all types of leather.

ISO 17235:2015 specifies a non-destructive method for determining the softness of leather. It is applicable to all non-rigid leathers, e.g. shoe upper leather, upholstery leather, leathergoods leather, and apparel leather.

ISO 17228:2015 specifies various ageing procedures to obtain an indication of the changes that could occur when leather is exposed to a certain environment for a prolonged time. Over time, the surface colour of leather and the leather itself change due to ageing and to the action of the surroundings on the leather. The test conditions to be used depend on the type of leather and its intended use.
This procedure can also be used to age specimens for the test of dimensional change according to ISO 17130.

ISO 2588:2014 specifies a method for the drawing, from a lot, of whole pieces of leather to form a gross sample.The method is applicable to all kinds of leather of any type of tannage.
ISO 2588:2014 does not cover marking and storage of the gross sample.

ISO 11646:2014 specifies a method of measuring the area of pieces of leather. It is intended only for the measurement of dressed and other dry flexible leathers.

ISO 17502:2013 specifies a method for determining the reflectance properties of a leather surface for visible and near infra-red radiation. The reflection value in the near infra-red determines if a leather may be classified as solar reflective.
The method is applicable to all types of leather, in particular for coloured leather.

ISO 26082-2:2011 specifies a tumbling method which is intended to determine the resistance of all forms of leather to visible soiling through repeated contact with soiled objects. It provides a physical pretreatment routine for leathers that may be vulnerable to loss of soiling resistance in service.

ISO 3377-1:2011 specifies a method for determining the tear strength of leather using a single-edge tear. The method is sometimes described as a trouser tear. It is applicable to all types of leather.

ISO 17186:2011 specifies a method for determining the thickness of the surface coating applied to leather when measured under zero compression. It is applicable to all types of leather.

ISO 5404:2011 specifies a method for determining the water resistance of heavy leathers. The method allows determination of the penetration time, water absorption, area of penetration and water penetration rate as required. It is applicable to all types of heavy leathers.

ISO 5403-2:2011 specifies a method for determining the dynamic water resistance of leather by means of repeated angular compression. It is applicable to all flexible leathers but is particularly suitable for leathers intended for footwear applications. It uses a Maeser-type machine and includes an option for electronic detection.

ISO 17230:2006 describes a method for determining the water penetration pressure of leather.

ISO 17071:2006 specifies two alternative methods for determining the fogging characteristics of leathers used in the passenger compartments of motor vehicles, namely Method A and Method B. These are two different test procedures to measure the volatile components and there is no mathematical correlation between the results obtained with Method A and those with Method B.
Method A determines by reflection the light scattering properties (or opaqueness) and the nature of the film or droplet formation from volatile components condensed on a cold glass surface. Method B measures gravimetrically the quantity of volatile components condensed on a cold aluminium foil surface. Annex A gives the results of inter-laboratory trial which show that Method B performs well, whereas Method A showed a large variation in the percentage reflection.
The test conditions allow the two tests to be carried out in succession.

ISO 17074:2006 specifies a method for determining the horizontal burning rate of leather. It is applicable to all light leathers but is particularly intended for leathers used in the passenger compartment of motor vehicles.

ISO 17076-2:2011 specifies a method of determining the abrasion resistance of upholstery leather for different applications using Martindale apparatus with a ball plate. The method is applicable to semi-aniline, pigmented and coated leather.

This European Standard specifies a method of determining the bagginess of leather together with its creep and stress relaxation properties. It is applicable to all non-rigid leathers. e.g. Shoe upper leather, upholstery leather, leathergoods leather and apparel leather. Leather is a viscoelastic material and, upon removal of any applied force, only a proportion of the extension observed is recovered. Even some time after removal of the force there is some degree of permanent deformation which is known as the retained set or bagginess of the leather. Due to the nature of the test method described below it is also possible to obtain a measure of the creep and stress relaxation properties of leather. Although the creep index quoted is not obtained via the true definition of creep, it will however provide a valuable comparative indication of this property in leather.

ISO 17227:2002 specifies a method of determining the dry heat resistance of conditioned leathers. It is applicable to all leathers.