Overview
ISO 22700:2019 - Leather: Measuring the colour and colour difference of finished leather - specifies an instrumental method for accurate, repeatable colour measurement of finished leather. The standard adapts general colourimetry concepts to leather, defining measurement conditions, instrument requirements, calculation of tristimulus and CIE Lab* values, and the use of CIEDE2000 for colour-difference evaluation. It also mandates the use of D65 daylight as the industry standard and D65 10° observer conditions for colour matching and metamerism analysis.
Key topics and requirements
- Measurement scope: instrumental reflectance measurement across the visible spectrum (360–780 nm; at minimum 400–700 nm).
- Standard illuminant and observer: D65 and D65 10° as the reference for colour matching and metamerism.
- Colour-difference formula: CIEDE2000 (ΔE00) for assessing total colour difference.
- Instrument types: guidance for spectrophotometers (spectral step ≤ 20 nm, preferably 5–10 nm) and colorimeters (recommended with D65/10°).
- Measurement geometry: recommended geometries d/0, 0/d, 0/45, 45/0 (with specified angular tolerances), and handling of specular reflectance (SPIN/SPEX).
- Standardization & verification: use of white and black standards and verification tiles; typical re-standardization interval (e.g., 8 hours or 100 flashes) and typical verification acceptance (~0.20 ΔE00).
- Sampling & procedure: specimen conditioning per ISO 2419, minimum measurements (at least 3; 5 for structured surfaces; 6 for large pieces), and presentation/measurement procedures.
- Reporting: mandatory reporting of illuminant, observer, instrument geometry, measurement area, number of readings, tristimulus and Lab* values, and ΔE00 results.
Applications and who uses it
ISO 22700:2019 is essential for quality control, colour matching and R&D across the leather supply chain:
- Tannery and finishing labs for batch acceptance and process control
- Automotive, footwear, furniture and luxury goods manufacturers for accurate colour matching
- QC laboratories and testing services performing contract colour assessments
- Instrument manufacturers and color-management specialists aligning devices and profiles
- Designers and procurement teams requiring objective pass/fail criteria for colour tolerance
Using ISO 22700 helps reduce disputes over shade variation, supports consistent colour communication, and provides a robust basis for metamerism analysis and inter-instrument agreement.
Related standards
- ISO 2419 - Leather: sample preparation and conditioning
- ISO 11664-3 - Colorimetry - CIE tristimulus values
- ISO 11664-4 - Colorimetry - CIE Lab* colour space
- ISO/CIE 11664-6 - CIEDE2000 colour-difference formula
- EN 15987 - Leather terminology
Keywords: ISO 22700:2019, leather colour measurement, CIEDE2000, D65, colour difference, spectrophotometer, colorimeter, metamerism, colour matching.
