ISO 4683-2:1999

Overview

ISO 4683-2:1999 is an international standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that specifies a systematic approach for the designation and presentation of raw sheep skins with wool. It focuses on both fine- and coarse-wooled sheep skins intended primarily for the leather and fur industries. The standard applies to various types of raw sheep skins including fresh, raw-dried, wet-salted, dry-salted, or pickled forms. This ensures consistent classification and preparation methods to facilitate trade, processing, and quality control within global markets.

Key Topics

Classification and Designation:
The standard defines a clear classification system for raw sheep skins that still bear their wool:

• Lamb skins:

  • Astrakhan skins: Newborn lamb skins with tight fleece curls from karakul breed lambs under 5 days old.
  • Breitschwanz skins: From foetal lambs slaughtered weeks before birth, with patterned curl and straight wool areas.
  • Lessac skins: Four-month foetal skins with smooth, straight wool.
  • Still-born lamb skins: From lambs born dead or that died shortly after birth.
  • Milk lamb skins: From lambs fed only on milk, slaughtered at 4-5 weeks.
  • White lamb skins (laitons): From lambs up to 4 months old, raised on milk then other feed, with shorter wool.
  • Weaned lamb skins: From lambs under one year old, with denser and longer wool; sometimes known as hoggets.

• Sheep skins:

  • Shorn wool skins: Skins from shorn sheep, graded by wool length, varying by country.
  • Wooled sheep skins: From shorn sheep with wool longer than 60 mm, or one-year-old unshorn sheep (antenais).

Presentation Requirements:
The standard specifies that skins must be trimmed and presented flat with certain parts removed for uniformity:

• Removal of head (with exceptions for ears)
• Removal of teats, legs, tail, pissel, and udders
• Excess fat trimmed from the rear gusset
• Skins laid flat with the backbone in the middle and shanks trimmed

This presentation helps in the subsequent processing steps for leather or fur applications and ensures uniform lot grouping by skin type.

Applications

ISO 4683-2:1999 serves critical roles across various industries, including:

• Leather Manufacturing: Facilitates standardized identification and preparation of raw sheep skins, enabling consistent quality control and processing efficiency.
• Fur Industry: Ensures accurate classification and presentation of skins still bearing wool, important for precise grading and product differentiation.
• Trading and Export: Enables clear communication and conformity for suppliers, traders, and buyers worldwide, reducing disputes and improving supply chain transparency.
• Quality Assurance: Provides guidelines for sorting and presenting raw sheep skins, reducing contamination and variability that can affect end-product quality.

Standards like ISO 4683-2 underpin responsible sourcing and processing of animal materials, supporting sustainable, traceable, and ethically managed raw material supply chains.

Related Standards

ISO 4683 is composed of multiple parts related to raw sheep skins:

• ISO 4683-1: Descriptions of defects in raw sheep skins, complementing part 2 by specifying what imperfections affect grading.
• Other standards under ISO Technical Committee 120 (ISO/TC 120) cover a wide range of leather and hide processing topics, including raw hides and pickled pelts.

These interconnected standards work together to support harmonized global practices in the raw material stages of leather and fur production.

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