Testing in the Leather Industry

Unit 1

Testing in the Leather Industry

(Anlisis y Ensayos del Cuero)
Unit 1. Standardization of leather testing

English summary of the book Anlisis y Ensayos en la Industria del Curtido

Author: Joaquim Font

1.

Standardization of leather testing

1.1

Introduction

Quality control in leather production requires the availability of appropriate methods of analysis and
testing in order to examine raw materials, verify the processes of production, control the emissions
to the environment and testing the finished leather to determine if the product has the quality
demanded by the end user.
The following sections deal with the physical and chemical parameters necessary to examine the
quality of raw materials and finished leather.
For the results of leather testing to be reproducible in different laboratories, it is necessary to
strictly unify and standardise the tests in such a way that each of the laboratories follow the same
parameters in terms of procedures and instruments. The need for standardisation is especially
relevant for physical testing and fastnesses. This is owing to the fact that, on the one hand,
physical properties have an irregular distribution across the leather, and on the other the results
depend upon the characteristics of the method employed. It is practically impossible to compare
results of physical tests and fastnesses unless the same procedure has been followed.

1.2. Standard types

There are two types of Standards:
- Testing procedures
- Quality specifications
Testing procedures systematically describe how, by what means and in what conditions a
parameter has to be measured on a given sample.
These standards do not inform us on what the ideal result should be for the tested material to be
considered suitable for use.

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Quality specifications are the standards that indicate the parameters that have to be measured,
the testing procedures that have to be applied, and the results that should be obtained in order to
ensure that the tested material meets the requirements for which it has been manufactured.
Testing procedure standards are explained in Chapter 1, whereas Quality Specifications are
described in Chapter 6.

1.3. International standards

1.3.1. IULTCS standards
The International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) has three
Testing Commissions for the development of Standard methods.

IUP Physical test methods

IUC Chemical test methods
IUF Fastness test methods

Both the approval of new methods and revision of existing methods are take place at the IULTCS
Congresses. These methods are first subject to the proposal of the corresponding Tests
Commission.

1.3.2. ISO standards

The responsibility for the adoption of official international standards which apply to all test materials
falls upon the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). However, there is an agreement
between ISO and IULTCS by which the ISO acknowledges IULTCS as the legitimated association
for the development of test standards for tanned leather. The methods originally proposed by
IULTCS -IUP, IUF and IUC have been approved and transformed into an ISO format.

1.3.3. EN standards
EN standards (European Norm Commission) are test standards which are binding for EU
countries. Many of the EN standards have their source in IUP and IUC standards.

1.4. Nationwide standards

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Many industrialised countries have their own test and quality standards. In many countries, the test
standards for the tanning industry are direct or indirect adaptations of IULTCS standards through
the ISO standards. However, in countries such as the USA, the standards are sensibly different to
those of the IULTCS, especially with regard to physical tests. Table 1 is a summary of some of the
more commonly employed standards on a national scale.
EN countries have unified standards which expressed by the initial letter of the word of the
country/EN/European number. As with EN standards which are the same as ISO standards, the
acronym ISO is added to it. Hence, for instance, the test method to determine the pH is referred as
UNE EN ISO 4045 in Spain, BS EN ISO 4045 in Britain and DIN EN ISO 4045 in Germany. The
three methods are perfectly matched, the only difference being the language they are written in.

Country
Spain
Germany
Great Britain
United States
Italy
Netherlands
Portugal
China
France

Acronyms of methods
UNE
DIN
BS
ASTM
UNI
NEN
NP
GB
NF

Table 1. Some of the most important national standards in tanning

The implantation and revision of official standards is a dynamic process, and it is quite often open
to changes and innovations. Looking up sites on the Net such as IULTCS (www.iultcs.org) and ISO
(www.iso.org), as well as the sites of the associations corresponding to each of the countries, e.g.
AENOR in Spain and British Standards Institute in Great Britain, allows for the tracking and
updating of the state-of-the-art standardisation, as well as the online availability of the desired
methods.

1.5. IUP physical test methods

The main IUP methods are acknowledged by the ISO as official international methods. Many of
them are also EN European methods.
The following table 2 show the IUP physical tests. Each standard has a reference included of the
last version published in English in the JSLTC journal and in Spanish in the AQEIC bulletin.
However, in some cases the version published in journals is a very complete draft but not a
definitive version. To make sure that the official version is made available, it is necessary to look

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up on the ISO web site or contact the organisation in charge of standardisation in each country.

IUP number

Method name

Published in
JSLTC journal

Spanish version
published by AQEIC

IUP 1 and 3
EN ISO 2419

Preparation of the sample and conditioning.

86, 337 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 2 IUP 2

Sampling.

84, 303 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of thickness.

84, 311 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of apparent density.

84, 313 (2000)

October 2001

84, 317 (2000)

October 2001

EN ISO 3376

Measurement of tensile strength and percentage

elongation.

IUP 7

Measurement of static absorption of water.

84, 323 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of tear load Double edge tear.

84, 327 (2000)

October 2001

44, 371 (1960)

12, 59,(1961)

ISO 3379

Measurement of distension and strength of grain

by the ball burst test (lastometer).

IUP 10

Water resistance of flexible leather.

84, 331 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of water resistance of heavy

leather.

84, 339 (2000)

October 2001

84, 347 (2000)

October 2001

EN ISO 3378

Measurement of resistance to grain cracking

(heavy leathers).

IUP 15

Measurement of water vapour permeability.

84, 353 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of shrinkage temperature up to

100C.

84, 359 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of flex resistance by Bally

flexometer method.

84, 363 (2000)

October 2001

84, 369 (2000)

October 2001

EN ISO 17233

Measurement of cold crack temperature of

surface coatings.

IUP 32

Measurement of area of finished leather.

74, 23 (1990)

41, 211, 1990

Measurement of dry heat resistance of leather.

84, 373 (2000)

October 2001

EN ISO 2418
IUP 4
EN ISO 2589
IUP 5
EN ISO 2420
IUP 6

EN ISO 2417
IUP 8
EN ISO 3377-2
IUP 9

EN ISO 5403
IUP 11
EN ISO 5404
IUP 12

EN 14268
IUP 16
EN ISO 3380
IUP 20
EN ISO 5402
IUP 29

EN ISO 11646
IUP 35
EN ISO 17227

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IUP 36

Unit 1

Measurement of degree of leather softness.

84, 377 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of water repellency of garment

leather.

86, 339 (2002)

October 2003

Measurement of heat resistance of patent

leather.

84, 403 (2000)

October 2001

84, 381 (2000)

October 2001

EN 13335

Measurement of flex resistance by the vamp

flex method.

IUP 40

Measurement of tear load single edge tear.

84, 385 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of surface coating thickness.

84, 389 (2000)

October 2001

IUP 42

Measurement of water vapour absorption

84, 395 (2000)

October 2001

EN ISO 17229

(replaces/alternative to IUP 30).

IUP 43

Measurement of extension set.

84, 399 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of stitch tear resistance.

84, 409 (2000)

October 2001

Measurement of water penetration pressure.

86, 345 (2002)

October 2003

Measurement of fogging characteristics.

86, 349 (2002)

October 2003

Measurement of resistance to horizontal spread

of flame.

86, 359 (2002)

October 2003

86, 363 (2002)

October 2003

EN 14327

Measurement of abrasion resistance of

upholstery leather (automotive).

IUP 51

Measurement of surface friction.

86, 367 (2002)

October 2003

IUP 52

Measurement of compressibility.

86, 371 (2002)

October 2003

EN ISO 17235
IUP 37
EN 14340
IUP 38
EN 13540
IUP 39

EN ISO 3377-1
IUP 41
EN ISO 17186

EN ISO 17236
IUP 44
EN ISO DIS 23910

IUP 45
EN 14289
IUP 46
EN 14288
IUP 47
EN 14326
IUP 48

Table 2. More commonly applied IUP physical test methods

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1.6.

Unit 1

IUF fastness test methods

Table 4 shows a list of the tests developed by the IUF committee that are currently employed. The
list does not include the old test methods which are no longer employed because of their lack of
relevance and which have been removed from the IUF test methods list.

IUF number

Method name

Document
published in
JSLTC

IUF 105

Numbering code for fastness tests

IUF 115
ISO_DIS_2588

Leather Sampling Number of items for

a gross sample

IUF 120
EN ISO 105-A01

General principles of colour fastness testing

of leather

50,287 (1966)

26,226 (1975)

IUF 131
EN ISO 105-A02

Gray scale for assessing change in colour

50,293 (1966)

26,233 (1975)

IUF 132
EN ISO 105-A03

Grey scale for assessing staining

50,296 (1966)

26,238 (1975)

IUF 201

Determination of the solubility of leather dyes

50,298 (1966)
59, 92 (1975)

16,152 (1965)

IUF 202

Fastness to acid of dye solutions

50, 300 (1966)

26,241 (1975)

IUF 203

Stability to acid of dye solutions

50, 302 (1966)

26,243 (1975)

IUF 205

Stability to hardness of dye solutions

56, 381 (1972)

26,246 (1975)

IUF 401
EN ISO 105-B01

Colour fastness of leather to light: daylight

56,383 (1972)

26,255 (1975)

IUF 402
EN ISO 105-B02

Colour fastness of leather to light: Xenon

lamp

59, 95 (1975)

29,218 (1978)

IUF 412
ISO 17728

Change of colour with accelerated ageing of

leather

86,325 (2002)

IUF 420
EN ISO 15700

Colour fastness of leather to water spotting

59, 99 (1975)

29,209 (1978)

IUF 421
EN ISO 11642

Colour fastness of leather to water

71, 21 (1987)

26,264 (1975)

IUF 423
EN ISO 15703

Colour fastness of leather to mild washing

76,179 (1992)

26,267 (1975)

IUF 426
EN ISO 11641

Colour fastness of leather to perspiration

71, 22 (1987)

29,211 (1978)

IUF 434
EN ISO 11643

Colour fastness of small samples to drycleaning solutions

75, 30 (1991)
76, 2 (1992)

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50,286 (1966)

Spanish version
in AQEIC

26,225 (1975)
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IUF 435
EN ISO 15702

Colour fastness of leather to machine

washing

76,180 (1992)

IUF 442
EN ISO 15701

Colour fastness in respect of staining

plasticised poly(vinyl chloride)

56,400 (1972)

26,278 (1975)

IUF 450
EN ISO 11640

Colour fastness of leather to rubbing

71, 24 (1987)

26,282 (1975)

IUF 452
ISO 20433

Colour fastness of leather to crocking

86,333 (2002)

IUF 454

Fastness to buffing of dyed leather

59,102 (1975)

IUF 458

Colour fastness of leather to ironing

68, 75 (1984)

IUF 470
EN ISO 11644

Test for adhesion of finish

74,155 (1990)

October 2003
29,215 (1978)

Table 4. IUF standards for fastness test methods

1.7. IUC chemical test methods

There are 10 IUC chemical methods; 18 methods are applied to the analysis of leather and 1 is
applied to the analysis of enzymatic products. Table 5 shows a list of the methods, together with
the bibliographic references.
IUC number

Method name

Document
published in
JSLTC

Spanish
version in
AQEIC

IUC 1

General comments

49, 4 (1965)

13, 18 (1962)

IUC 2 IUP 2
EN ISO 2418

Sampling

84, 303 (2000)

October 2001

IUC 3
EN ISO 4044

Preparation of test material by grinding

49, 8 (1965)

13, 25 (1962)

IUC 4
EN ISO 4048

Determination of substances (fats and other)

soluble in dichloromethane

49, 10 (1965)

13, 26 (1962)

IUC 5
EN ISO 4684

Determination of volatile matter (humidity,

etc.).

86, 277 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 6
EN ISO 4098

Determination of water soluble matter, water

soluble inorganic matter and water soluble
organic matter

86, 279 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 7
EN ISO 4047

Determination of sulphated total ash and

sulphated water insoluble ash

49, 448 (1965)

13, 32 (1962)

IUC 8 - 1 a 4 EN ISO 5398-1

Determination of chromic oxide

Part 1: by titration

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EN ISO 5398-2
EN ISO 5398-3
EN ISO 5398-4

Part 2: by photometry
Part 3: by atomic absorption
Part 4: by ICP atomic emission

IUC 9
ISO 5399

Determination of water soluble magnesium

salts

49, 448 (1965)

13, 37 (1962)

IUC 10
ISO 5397

Determination of total nitrogen and hide

substance

49, 23 (1965)

13, 39 (1962)

IUC 11
EN ISO 4045

Determination of pH and difference figure of an

aqueous extract from the leather

49, 25 (1965)
49, 451 (1965)

13, 42 (1962)

IUC 13

Determination of zirconium

59, 1 (1975)

35, 99 (1984)

IUC 15

Determination of phosphorus

57, 47 (1973)

35,168 (1984)

IUC 16

Determination of aluminium

53, 396 (1969)

IUC 17

Determination of hydroxyproline and leather

substance

64, 57 (1980)

31, 35 (1980)

IUC 18
EN ISO 17075

Determination of chromium (VI)

86, 283 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 19 -1 a 2EN ISO 17226

-1 and 2-

Determination of formaldehyde
IUC 19-1: HPLC chromatographic method
IUC 19-2: colorimetric method

86, 289 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 20
EN ISO 17234

Determination of certain AZO dyes in dyed

leather

86, 299 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 21

Method for the detection of certain AZO dyes

in dyestuff mixtures

86, 307 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 25
EN ISO 17070

Determination of pentachlorophenol content

(and other chlorophenols)

86, 319 (2002)

October 2003

IUC 27-1 (2011)

EN ISO 17072-1

Chemical determination of metal content.

Part 1: Extractable metals

IUC 27-2 (2011)

EN ISO 17072-2

Chemical determination of metal content.

Part 2: Total metal content

Table 5. IUC standards for chemical test methods

1.8. ASTM standards relating to leather testing

In cooperation with the American Leather Chemists Association (ALCA), the American Society of
Test Materials (ASTM) has written out a very complete set of test methods for leather testing and
related materials. The procedures used with some of these methods differ from those employed by
IULTCS and ISO methods. Consult in the Table 6 of the Book the list of ASTM standards for the
testing of leather and raw materials or visit the web site http://www.astm.org/Standards/leatherstandards.html.

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