EN ISO 11641:2025

Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to perspiration (ISO 11641:2025)

This document specifies a method for determining the colour fastness to perspiration of leather of all kinds at all stages of processing. It applies particularly to gloving, clothing and lining leathers, as well as leather for the uppers of unlined shoes.

Leder - Farbechtheitsprüfungen - Farbechtheit gegen Schweiß (ISO 11641:2025)

Dieses Dokument legt ein Verfahren zur Bestimmung der Farbechtheit aller Arten von Leder in allen Verarbeitungsstufen gegen Schweiß fest. Hauptsächlich ist es auf Handschuh-, Bekleidungs- und Futterleder sowie Leder als Obermaterial von ungefütterten Schuhen anwendbar.

Cuir - Essais de solidité des coloris - Solidité des coloris à la sueur (ISO 11641:2025)

Le présent document spécifie une méthode permettant de déterminer la solidité des coloris à la sueur sur les cuirs de toutes catégories, à toutes les phases du traitement. Elle s’applique particulièrement aux cuirs destinés à la fabrication des gants, des vêtements et des parements, ainsi qu’aux cuirs pour les tiges de chaussures sans doublure.

Usnje - Preskušanje obstojnosti barve - Obstojnost barve proti znoju (ISO 11641:2025)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 11-Nov-2025
• ICS: 59.140.30 - Leather and furs
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 289 - Leather
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 289/WG 3 - Fastness test methods
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 12-Nov-2025
• Completion Date: 12-Nov-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 11641:2026 - Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to perspiration (ISO 11641:2025)

Relations

• Replaces: EN ISO 11641:2012 - Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to perspiration (ISO 11641:2012)
• Effective Date: 24-Apr-2024

Overview

EN ISO 11641:2025 - Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to perspiration (ISO 11641:2025) specifies a laboratory method to assess how leather retains colour when exposed to human perspiration conditions. Adopted by CEN and prepared by IULTCS in collaboration with CEN/TC 289, this standard applies to leather at all processing stages and is particularly relevant for gloving, clothing, lining leathers and uppers of unlined shoes. The method simulates the more demanding alkaline perspiration environment to provide conservative, reproducible results.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope: Applies to all kinds of leather; can test finished leather intact or with the finish broken.
• Principle: Leather and adjacent fabric are soaked in an alkaline artificial perspiration solution and pressed together under controlled pressure and temperature; afterwards colour change and staining are assessed.
• Artificial perspiration composition: Per litre - 5.0 g sodium chloride (NaCl), 5.0 g tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris), 0.5 g urea, 0.5 g nitrilotriacetic acid; pH adjusted to 8.0 ± 0.1 with 2 mol/L HCl.
• Test conditions: Uniform pressure of 12.5 ± 1.0 kPa applied using a rectangular weight-piece (approx. 5 kg, ~115 mm × 60 mm cross-section) between inert plates; oven drying at 37 °C ± 2 °C.
• Adjacent fabrics: Use multifibre (ISO 105-F10) or specified single-fibre adjacent fabrics (ISO 105-F01–F07) to assess staining.
• Evaluation: Change in colour and staining judged using grey scales (ISO 105-A02/A03) or instrumental methods (ISO 105-A04/A05).
• Supporting requirements: Specimen preparation (ISO 2418), general fastness test principles (ISO 7906), and laboratory water quality (ISO 3696).

Applications

• Routine quality control for tanneries and leather processors to ensure consistent dye stability.
• Product development and material selection for footwear, gloves, apparel, and linings where perspiration contact is expected.
• Supplier verification and acceptance testing in procurement contracts and technical specifications.
• Failure analysis and corrective action when customer complaints involve staining or colour change from sweating.

Who uses this standard

• Leather manufacturers and tanneries
• Footwear, glove and leather-goods designers and OEMs
• Independent testing and accreditation laboratories
• Quality assurance, compliance and purchasing departments

Related standards (if applicable)

• ISO 105-E04 (textile perspiration test)
• ISO 7906 (general principles of colour fastness testing)
• ISO 2418 (specimen preparation)
• ISO 105-A02/A03/A04/A05 (grey scales and instrumental assessment)
• ISO 105-F01–F10 (adjacent fabrics)
• ISO 3696 (laboratory water quality)

Keywords: EN ISO 11641:2025, colour fastness to perspiration, leather testing, artificial perspiration solution, grey scale, adjacent fabric, leather quality control.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2026
Usnje - Preskušanje obstojnosti barve - Obstojnost barve proti znoju (ISO
11641:2025)
Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to perspiration (ISO 11641:2025)
Leder - Farbechtheitsprüfungen - Farbechtheit gegen Schweiß (ISO 11641:2025)
Cuir - Essais de solidité des coloris - Solidité des coloris à la sueur (ISO 11641:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 11641:2025
ICS:
59.140.30 Usnje in krzno Leather and furs
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 11641
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2025
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 59.140.30 Supersedes EN ISO 11641:2012
English Version
Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to
perspiration (ISO 11641:2025)
Cuir - Essais de solidité des coloris - Solidité des coloris Leder - Farbechtheitsprüfungen - Farbechtheit gegen
à la sueur (ISO 11641:2025) Schweiß (ISO 11641:2025)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 10 November 2025.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 11641:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
This document (EN ISO 11641:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee IULTCS "International
Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies" in collaboration with Technical Committee
CEN/TC 289 “Leather” the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2026, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 11641:2012.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards
body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 11641:2025 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 11641:2025 without any modification.

International
Standard
ISO
IULTCS
IUF 426
Third edition
Leather — Tests for colour fastness
2025-11
— Colour fastness to perspiration
Cuir — Essais de solidité des coloris — Solidité des coloris à la sueur
Reference numbers
ISO 11641:2025(en)
IULTCS/IUF 426:2025(en) © ISO 2025

ISO 11641:2025(en)
IULTCS/IUF 426:2025(en)
© ISO 2025
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 11641:2025(en)
IULTCS/IUF 426:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 2
5 Apparatus . 2
6 Test pieces . 4
7 Procedure . 4
8 Evaluation . 5
9 Precision . 5
10 Test report . 5
Annex A (informative) Commercial sources for apparatus and materials . 6
Bibliography . 7

iii
ISO 11641:2025(en)
IULTCS/IUF 426:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
IULTCS, originally formed in 1897, is a world-wide organization of professional leather societies to further
the advancement of leather science and technology. IULTCS has three Commissions, which are responsible
for establishing international methods for the sampling and testing of leather. ISO recognizes IULTCS as an
international standardizing body for the preparation of test methods for leather.
This document was prepared by the Fastness Tests Commission of the International Union of Leather
Technologists and Chemists Societies (IUF Commission, IULTCS), in collaboration with the European
Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 289, Leather, in accordance with the
Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 11641:2012), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— update of normative references, in particular to ISO 2418 and to ISO 7906.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
ISO 11641:2025(en)
International Standard
IULTCS/IUF 426:2025(en)
Leather — Tests for colour fastness — Colour fastness to
perspiration
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for determining the colour fastness to perspiration of leather of all kinds
at all stages of processing. It applies particularly to gloving, clothing and lining leathers, as well as leather
for the uppers of unlined shoes.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 105-A02, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part A02: Grey scale for assessing change in colour
ISO 105-A03, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part A03: Grey scale for assessing staining
ISO 105-A04, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part A04: Method for the instrumental assessment of the
degree of staining of adjacent fabrics
ISO 105-A05, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part A05: Instrumental assessment of change in colour for
determination of grey scale rating
ISO 105-E04, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part E04: Colour fastness to perspiration
ISO 105-F01, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F01: Specification for wool adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F02, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F02: Specification for cotton and viscose adjacent fabrics
ISO 105-F03, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F03: Specification for polyamide adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F04, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F04: Specification for polyester adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F05, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F05: Specification for acrylic adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F06, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F06: Specification for silk adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F07, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F07: Specification for secondary acetate adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F10, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F10: Specification for adjace
...