Overview
ISO 11643:2009 - Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness of small samples to solvents specifies a laboratory method to evaluate the resistance of unused, uncleaned leather colours and finishes to solvent solutions. Intended for small leather samples (not composite materials or complete garments), the standard assesses how leather colour and finish respond to common dry‑cleaning solvents and to restorative agents such as trioléine. It is published by ISO in collaboration with IULTCS (IUF) as IULTCS/IUF 434:2009.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and limitations
- Applies only to small leather samples (approx. 40 mm × 100 mm) with an attached multifibre test fabric; not suitable for finished garments or composite assemblies.
- Not a guideline for selecting commercial cleaning processes for garments.
- Test principle
- A leather/sample composite plus multifibre adjacent fabric is immersed in a defined solvent solution, agitated, drained, pressed and air‑dried; colour change and staining are then evaluated.
- Permitted solvents and additives
- Typical solvents: perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethene) and petroleum hydrocarbons (bp 182–200 °C); other country‑specific dry‑cleaning solvents may be used if documented.
- Trioléine (glyceryl trioleate) can be added (e.g., 30 g/l in perchloroethylene) to assess re‑fatting effects; optional detergent formulations are provided in Annex A.
- Apparatus and parameters
- Mechanical agitation at 40 r/min ± 5 r/min, temperature maintained at 30 °C ± 2 °C, 30 minutes exposure.
- Use of ~20 PTFE rods in a 500 ml glass or stainless container; 100 ml ± 5 ml solvent per test.
- Pressing under 4.5 kg for 1 minute after exposure; dry under ventilation.
- Evaluation and reporting
- Visual/instrumental assessment using ISO 105 scales: ISO 105‑A02 (grey scale), ISO 105‑A03 (staining), ISO 105‑A04/A05 (instrumental methods).
- Test report shall record sample description, apparatus, solvent composition, greyscale indices for leather and each fibre type, finish changes, and procedural deviations.
Applications and users
- Who uses it
- Leather manufacturers, finish formulators, quality control labs, material test houses and R&D teams in footwear, upholstery, leather goods and garment industries.
- Practical value
- Verifies leather colour fastness to dry‑cleaning solvents and re‑fatting agents, anticipates risks of colour change, staining of adjacent fabrics, and finish damage during solvent exposure.
- Supports product specifications, quality acceptance criteria, supplier verification and comparative assessments of finishes and dyes.
Related standards
- ISO 105‑A02, ISO 105‑A03, ISO 105‑A04, ISO 105‑A05 (colour fastness evaluation methods)
- ISO 105‑F10 (multifibre fabric specification)
- IULTCS/IUF 434:2009 (equivalent method reference)
Keywords: ISO 11643:2009, leather colour fastness, solvent test, dry‑cleaning solvents, trioléine, perchloroethylene, leather testing, colourfastness test.
