Overview
EN ISO 5404:2011 - Leather: Determination of water resistance of heavy leathers specifies a laboratory method to evaluate the water resistance of heavy leathers. Adopted by CEN and prepared with IULTCS input, the standard is applicable to all types of heavy leathers and measures how water penetrates and is absorbed under simulated flexing and compression similar to shoe soles.
Key SEO terms: EN ISO 5404, ISO 5404:2011, heavy leathers, water resistance test, leather testing.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Measured parameters
- Penetration time - time until water first appears on the opposite face of a test piece (minutes).
- Water absorption - percentage mass gain relative to conditioned mass.
- Area of penetration - total wetted area (mm²) on the reverse face.
- Water penetration rate - mass of water transmitted per unit area per hour (g/cm²·h), calculated from the 10 min period after first penetration.
- Test principle
- Continuous wetting of one surface while the specimen is flexed and pressed by a roller to simulate wear.
- Apparatus highlights
- Roller: 120 mm ± 2 mm diameter.
- Platform: nominal 100 × 40 mm with perforations to feed water through a cotton gauze.
- Roller motion: 100 mm ± 2 mm amplitude, (20 ± 1) cycles/min.
- Pressing force: 80 N ± 5 N.
- Water flow over platform: 7.5 ml/min ± 2.5 ml/min.
- Ancillary items: absorbent cellulosic board, transparent overlay with grid, balance (0.001 g), thickness gauge.
- Sample preparation
- Cut at least three test pieces per sample (ISO 2418 guidance).
- Roughen grain surface on abrasive paper to remove thin finishes.
- Seal cut edges with a flexible adhesive and condition specimens per ISO 2419.
- Reporting
- Results include reference to ISO 5404:2011, thickness, penetration time, water absorption, area of penetration and penetration rate as applicable.
Applications and users
EN ISO 5404 is used by:
- Tanneries and leather manufacturers for quality control of heavy leathers (e.g., soles, heavy upholstery).
- Footwear and leather goods manufacturers assessing material suitability for wet conditions.
- Independent testing laboratories and certification bodies performing standardized physical tests.
- R&D teams optimizing tanning and finishing processes to improve water resistance.
Practical benefits: objective comparison of heavy leather batches, validation of treatments/coatings, and supporting product specifications for performance in wet environments.
Related standards
- ISO 2418 - Sampling location for leather tests
- ISO 2419 - Sample preparation and conditioning
- ISO 2589 - Thickness determination
This concise summary helps you understand the scope, measurement outputs, and practical use of EN ISO 5404:2011 for assessing water resistance of heavy leathers.
