ISO 15115:2019

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 15115
First edition
2019-08
Leather — Vocabulary
Cuir — Vocabulaire
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
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ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
Bibliography .12
Index .13
Foreword
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iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15115:2019(E)
Leather — Vocabulary
1 Scope
This document defines terms used in the leather industry.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https: //www .iso .org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http: //www .electropedia .org/
3.1
abrasion resistance
ability of the leather to withstand surface wear from rubbing, chafing and other
frictional forces
3.2
aniline leather
leather whose natural grain (3.46) is clearly visible either without a surface coating or with
a non-pigmented surface coating
Note 1 to entry: The thickness of non-pigmented surface coating is usually less than or equal to 0,01 mm.
3.3
barkometer
type of hydrometer used in tanneries
Note 1 to entry: The correlation between specific gravity and barkometer reading (Bk) is as follows:
Specific gravity °Bk
1,0 0
1,020 20
1,120 120
3.4
basicity of chromium
number of hydroxyl groups borne by a chromium unit as a percentage
fraction of the same present in chromic hydroxide
3.5
basification
mild alkali treatment to ensure completion of tanning (3.97)
EXAMPLE Treating the mineral tanned stock with a view to forming a large aggregate of metallic compounds
and enabling reactive groups of skin (3.88) to complex with tanning material.
3.6
bate
enzymes mixed with an inert carrier used to selectively remove unwanted constituents of
hides (3.48) and skins (3.88)
3.6.1
acid bate
bate (3.6) that has optimum activity in the pH range of 3 to 5
3.6.2
alkaline bate
bate (3.6) that has optimum activity in the pH range of 8 to 8,5
3.7
bating
removing unwanted interfibrillary proteins by treating the hides (3.48) and skins (3.88) with
bates (3.6), to obtain soft and pliable leather with a smooth grain (3.46) surface
3.8
baume
liquid density measurement which can be converted to specific gravity
Note 1 to entry: Typically used to calculate the concentration of the process solution, for example salt solution,
using the following formulae:
— for liquids heavier than water, specific gravity = 145/(145 − n) at 15 °C (60 °F);
— for liquids lighter than water, specific gravity = 140/(130 + n) at 15 °C (60 °F).
where n is the reading on the baume scale abbreviated as °Be.
Note 2 to entry: Be is equivalent to 6,9 °barkometer (3.3) reading, Bk.
3.9
beam
convex wooden slab sloping downward from about waist height over which a hide (3.48)
is placed for unhairing, trimming off excess flesh and ragged edges, and scudding (3.78) by hand knife
3.10
binder
film-forming material, usually polymeric, used to adhere pigment particles and additives
for coating the surface of the leather
3.11
bleaching
lightening the colour by suitable chemical treatment
3.12
bleaching of vegetable-tanned leather
removing oxidized tannins and insoluble materials from the surface layers of leather, in
order to prevent cracking of the grain (3.46) and to lighten the colour
3.13
boil test
test of a piece of fully hydrated leather to check whether there is any shrinkage after
placing in boiling water for 2 min to 3 min
Note 1 to entry: When the leather retains the original area, chrome tanning is considered complete.
2 © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

3.14
box calf leather
full chrome tanned calf leather, black or coloured, smooth or boarded, with a proteinic
finish (3.39)
3.15
break of leather
surface wrinkles formed when the leather is bent, grain (3.46) inward
Note 1 to entry: Adjectives commonly used to describe this characteristic are “tight”, “fine”, “loose”, “coarse”,
“pipey” and “flanky”. Generally, the finer the wrinkles or grain break, the better the quality of the leather.
3.16
buffing
abrasive mechanical treatment to the grain (3.46) or flesh surface of the leather
Note 1 to entry: See also snuffing (3.90).
3.17
burnishable leather
leather which will develop a shiny darkening appearance on rubbing or polishing
3.18
burst strength
force required to completely rupture the full thickness of the leather test piece
[SOURCE: ISO 3379:2015]
3.19
chamois
leather made from the flesh split (3.93.2) of sheepskin or lamb skin (3.88), or from sheepskin
or lamb skin (3.88) from which the grain (3.46) has been removed by frizzing, and tanned by processes
involving the oxidation of marine oils in the skin, using solely such oils (full-oil chamois) or first an
aldehyde and then such oils (combination chamois)
Note 1 to entry: Also leather made from the skin of a mountain antelope or chamois, but such leather is rare.
Note 2 to entry: In German language this term is also used to define chamois for clothing made out of deer skin.
Note 3 to entry: Chamois are also made out of goatskins.
3.20
chrome-free leather
hide (3.48) or skin (3.88) converted to leather by a tanning agent free of chromium salts,
where the total content of chromium in the tanned leather is less than or equal to 0,1% (mass of
chromium/total dry weight of leather)
3.21
chrome-tanned leather
hide (3.48) or skin (3.88) converted to leather either by treatment solely with chromium
salts or with chromium salts together with a small amount of some other tanning agent, used merely
to assist the chromium tanning process, and not in sufficient amount to alter the essential chromium
tanned character of the leather
3.22
coated and coated split leather
leather and split leather (3.93) where the surface coating, applied to the outer side, does not
exceed one third of the total thickness of the product but is in excess of 0,15 mm
3.23
cold crack resistance
resistance of leather finish (3.39) to crack and peel when subject to bending/flexing
under a temperature not exceeding −5 °C
3.24
corrected grain leather
leather in which the grain (3.46) has been partially removed by buffing (3.16) or any similar
mechanical treatment, and enhanced by a finishing (3.40) treatment
Note 1 to entry: The original pattern is generally identifiable except for heavily corrected grains.
3.25
crocking
transfer of colourant to the contact fabric when dry rubbed or wet rubbed
3.26
curing
temporary preservation of raw hides (3.72) and skins (3.88)
3.27
degreasing
removing natural fat from the hide (3.48) or skin (3.88) by emulsification in an aqueous
media and/or using a solvent media
3.28
degree of tannage
amount of fixed organic matter in 100 g of collagen
Note 1 to entry: Applicable to mineral-free leathers.
3.29
deliming
removing the alkalinity of limed pelt (3.67)
3.30
double face
double-sided leather made from lamb or sheep skins (3.88) or other animals with wool,
dressed, tanned, softened and dyed for desired properties
3.31
drawn grain
unwanted distorted grain (3.46) appearance
3.32
drum
cylindrical vessel with baffles inside and capable of rotation about its own axis, used for
mechanical agitation in leather processing
3.33
dry drumming
dry tumbling for leather with or without additives in a revolving drum (3.32) to soften the
structure and improve the nap (3.58)
Note 1 to entry: Also referred to as dry milling.
3.34
dry salting
curing (3.26) by which the hides (3.48) and skins (3.88) are treated with common salt and dried
4 © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

3.35
dyed crust leather
leather tanned, dyed, fatliquored and dried, before finishing (3.40)
3.36
E.I. leather
East India leather
vegetable-tanned leather (3.100) with characteristic light beige or pale golden yellow colour
manufactured by a process specific to a geographical location
Note 1 to entry: Registered Indian geographical indication number 95.
3.37
fatliquor
natural or synthetic oil-based formulation that can be an emulsion, solution or dispersion
used to lubricate leather fibres
3.38
fatliquoring
application of fatliquors (3.37) for lubricating and softening leathers
3.39
finish
coating on a leather surface
3.40
finishing
chemical and/or mechanical operations carried out on crust leathers to impart the desired
properties for the intended final use of the leather
3.41
flexural endurance
ability of finished leather to endure the stress applied due to repeated bending
3.42
fog resistance
resistance to the release of semi-volatile and low-volatile substances present in the
leather at high ambient temperature
3.43
full grain leather
leather having kept its entire grain (3.46), with none of the surface removed by any
corrective mechanical treatment
3.44
fur dressing
finishing (3.40) fur leather
Note 1 to entry: When dressing the furs, they are sheared (or trimmed), bleached (optional), dyed, combed and
finally plush wheeled.
3.45
glazing
operation of producing a bright, glossy or glasslike finish (3.39) on the grain (3.46) surface
of leather
3.46
grain
outer side of the leather once the hair or wool and epidermis have been removed,
characterized by follicles from hair or wool, feather follicles or scales, specific to each animal species
3.47
grain crack resistance
resistance of the grain (3.46) surface of the leather to rupture when subjected to
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