FprEN ISO 17228
(Main)Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Change in colour with accelerated ageing (ISO/FDIS 17228:2026)
- Abstract
ISO 17228:2015 specifies various ageing procedures to obtain an indication of the changes that could occur when leather is exposed to a certain environment for a prolonged time. Over time, the surface colour of leather and the leather itself change due to ageing and to the action of the surroundings on the leather. The test conditions to be used depend on the type of leather and its intended use.
This procedure can also be used to age specimens for the test of dimensional change according to ISO 17130.
- Status
- Not Published
- Publication Date
- 10-Feb-2027
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 289 - Leather
- Drafting Committee
- WG 7 - Physical and fastness test methods
- Current Stage
- 5020 - Submission to Vote - Formal Approval
- Start Date
- 17-Sep-2026
- Completion Date
- 17-Sep-2026
FprEN ISO 17228 is a CEN leather testing standard for accelerated ageing and colour fastness. It specifies how to expose leather to heat, heat with elevated humidity, or cyclic temperature and humidity, then measure the resulting change in colour. It is used by leather laboratories, manufacturers, and quality teams that need a controlled way to compare an aged test piece with a protected reference piece.
The standard gives selectable ageing programmes rather than one fixed exposure. That matters in practice because the test conditions are chosen for the leather type and its intended use, including automotive leather and undyed leather that may show yellowing.
What does FprEN ISO 17228 specify?
FprEN ISO 17228 specifies accelerated ageing procedures for leather and how to assess the resulting colour change. The document also allows the aged specimens to be used for dimensional change testing according to ISO 17130.
The document is organized into scope, normative references, principles, apparatus, test piece preparation, three ageing clauses, and test reporting. Clause 7 covers ageing by heat alone, Clause 8 covers heat and elevated humidity, and Clause 9 covers cyclic variation in heat and elevated humidity. Annex A is informative and deals with instrumental evaluation of yellowing.
| Annex | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Annex A | Evaluation of yellowing by instrumental colour measurement |
What are the key requirements of FprEN ISO 17228?
General approach
FprEN ISO 17228 requires the test piece to be exposed to at least one of three ageing conditions: heat alone, heat with elevated humidity, or cyclic changes in heat and humidity. The aged piece is then compared with a reference piece kept protected from light under standard atmosphere.
This structure matters because the test is meant to simulate different ageing situations, not a single universal environment. Users choose the programme that best matches the leather type and service conditions.
The general colour fastness principles are taken from ISO 7906. In practice, that means the result should be judged within the normal framework used for leather colour fastness testing.
Test pieces and equipment
FprEN ISO 17228 requires the specimen to be conditioned according to ISO 2419 before cutting test pieces. It calls for two representative test pieces of at least 100 mm × 100 mm, and whole hides or skins are sampled according to ISO 2418.
The equipment includes an oven for heat ageing, a climate chamber for humidity-controlled ageing, a holder that prevents contact with chamber sides, and either grey scales or instrumental systems for colour assessment. The temperature, humidity, and timing controls matter because the method depends on repeatable exposure conditions.
Ageing procedures
Clause 7 gives ageing by heat alone, with selected time-temperature programmes listed in Table 1. The table includes general-purpose conditions and longer or higher-temperature programmes, including several intended for automotive leather.
Clause 8 gives ageing by heat and elevated humidity, with selected programmes in Table 2. These conditions are used for general ageing, migration testing, climate testing, and transport simulation. In practice, the humidity adds a second stress factor, so the method can reveal changes that dry heat alone may not show.
Clause 9 gives cyclic temperature and humidity programmes in Table 3. These are especially used for automotive leather and are meant to simulate day-like or climate cycling conditions. The standard also states that any nonstandard conditions used must be recorded in the test report.
Assessment and reporting
FprEN ISO 17228 requires the colour difference to be assessed visually with the grey scale or instrumentally with the specified colour measurement methods. ISO 105-A02 and ISO 105-A05 are used for change in colour, while ISO 105-A03 and ISO 105-A04 may be used when staining assessment is also needed.
The standard also allows instrumental colour difference measurement with ISO 22700, including averaging measurements at four positions on the test pieces when that approach is used. The test report must identify the standard, the leather type, the ageing method and conditions, the colour rating, any optional ISO 22700 result, any visible change in appearance or flexibility, deviations, and the test dates.
What terms does FprEN ISO 17228 define?
- Test piece - the leather piece exposed to the ageing conditions and then assessed against the reference piece.
- Reference test piece - the matching piece kept protected from light and under standard atmosphere for comparison.
- Standard atmosphere - the conditioning environment used before and after ageing, as specified through ISO 2419.
- Grey scale - the visual scale used to rate colour change and, where needed, staining.
- Relative humidity (r.h.) - the humidity level controlled in the climate chamber during humid and cyclic ageing.
- Yellowing - the colour change often seen in undyed leather after ageing, commonly checked instrumentally.
- Automotive leather - a recurring application area in the recommended ageing programmes, especially for climate cycling.
Who uses FprEN ISO 17228?
FprEN ISO 17228 is used by leather test laboratories, tanneries, leather finishers, and quality control teams that need to compare colour stability after accelerated ageing. It is also relevant to automotive leather suppliers and technical buyers who specify ageing conditions for product qualification.
The standard is useful when a project needs a repeatable way to document how leather responds to heat, humidity, or cyclic climate exposure. It also supports work on undyed leather, where yellowing is often the main concern.
What changed in FprEN ISO 17228 from the previous edition?
FprEN ISO 17228 cancels and replaces ISO 17228:2015. The main stated changes are updates to the latest versions of ISO 2418, ISO 2419, and ISO 7906, plus the addition of ISO 22700 for instrumental colour difference measurements and yellowing calculations.
Which standards are used with FprEN ISO 17228?
- ISO 105-A02 - provides the grey scale used to assess change in colour visually.
- ISO 105-A03 - provides the grey scale used to assess staining visually when needed.
- ISO 105-A04 - gives the instrumental method for assessing staining of adjacent fabrics.
- ISO 105-A05 - gives the instrumental method for assessing change in colour for grey scale rating.
- ISO 2418:2023 - covers the position and preparation of specimens from whole hides or skins.
- ISO 2419:2024 - covers specimen conditioning before and after ageing.
- ISO 7906:2022 - gives the general principles for leather colour fastness testing.
- ISO 17130 - is the companion test for dimensional change after specimens have been aged.
- ISO 22700 - supports instrumental measurement of leather colour and colour difference.
What does the FprEN ISO 17228 document contain?
The document contains step-by-step procedures for heat ageing, humid ageing, and cyclic ageing, together with the required apparatus and specimen preparation. Tables 1 to 3 set out the selected time, temperature, humidity, and cycle programmes and indicate their recommended uses.
It also contains the reporting items needed to make the result usable in practice, including the ageing conditions actually used. Annex A adds guidance for instrumental yellowing assessment and gives example approaches used in the leather industry.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Referred By
EN ISO 3035:2025 - Corrugated fibreboard - Determination of flat crush resistance (ISO 3035:2025) - Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Consolidated By
ISO/FDIS 17228 - Leather — Tests for colour fastness — Change in colour with accelerated ageing - Effective Date
- 12-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 09-Jul-2024
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Frequently Asked Questions
FprEN ISO 17228 is a draft published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Change in colour with accelerated ageing (ISO/FDIS 17228:2026)". This standard covers: ISO 17228:2015 specifies various ageing procedures to obtain an indication of the changes that could occur when leather is exposed to a certain environment for a prolonged time. Over time, the surface colour of leather and the leather itself change due to ageing and to the action of the surroundings on the leather. The test conditions to be used depend on the type of leather and its intended use. This procedure can also be used to age specimens for the test of dimensional change according to ISO 17130.
ISO 17228:2015 specifies various ageing procedures to obtain an indication of the changes that could occur when leather is exposed to a certain environment for a prolonged time. Over time, the surface colour of leather and the leather itself change due to ageing and to the action of the surroundings on the leather. The test conditions to be used depend on the type of leather and its intended use. This procedure can also be used to age specimens for the test of dimensional change according to ISO 17130.
FprEN ISO 17228 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 59.140.30 - Leather and furs. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
FprEN ISO 17228 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to EN ISO 12625-12:2023, EN ISO 535:2023, EN ISO 3037:2022, EN ISO 3035:2025, EN ISO 12625-16:2024, EN ISO 9706:2025, EN ISO 12625-15:2022, EN ISO 12625-5:2024, ISO/FDIS 17228, EN ISO 17228:2015. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
FprEN ISO 17228 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
01-december-2025
Usnje - Preskušanje obstojnosti barve - Sprememba barve pri preskusu
pospešenega staranja (ISO/DIS 17228:2025)
Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Change in colour with accelerated ageing (ISO/DIS
17228:2025)
Leder - Farbechtheitsprüfungen - Farbänderung durch beschleunigtes Altern (ISO/DIS
17228:2025)
Cuir - Essais de solidité des coloris - Changement de couleur avec vieillissement
accéléré (ISO/DIS 17228:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 17228
ICS:
59.140.30 Usnje in krzno Leather and furs
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 17228
IUF 412
IULTCS
Leather — Tests for colour
Secretariat: ISO
fastness — Change in colour with
accelerated ageing
Voting begins on:
2025-10-09
Cuir — Essais de solidité des coloris — Changement de couleur
Voting terminates on:
avec vieillissement accéléré
2026-01-01
ICS: 59.140.30
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document has not been edited by the ISO Central Secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Reference number
ISO/DIS 17228:2025(en)
IUF 412:2025(en)
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 17228:2025(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 17228
IUF 412
IULTCS
Leather — Tests for colour
Secretariat: ISO
fastness — Change in colour with
accelerated ageing
Voting begins on:
Cuir — Essais de solidité des coloris — Changement de couleur
Voting terminates on:
avec vieillissement accéléré
ICS: 59.140.30
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document has not been edited by the ISO Central Secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2025
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
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BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
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or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
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TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
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NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
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Website: www.iso.org
Reference number
Published in Switzerland ISO/DIS 17228:2025(en)
IUF 412:2025(en)
ii
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
ISO/DIS 17228:2025(en)
IUF 412:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Apparatus . 2
6 Test piece preparation . 2
7 Ageing by heat alone . 3
7.1 Principle .3
7.2 Procedure .3
8 Ageing by heat and elevated humidity . 4
8.1 Principle .4
8.2 Procedure .4
9 Cyclic variation in heat and elevated humidity . 5
9.1 Principle .5
9.2 Procedure .5
10 Test report . 7
Annex A (informative) Evaluation of yellowing towards instrumental colour measurement . 8
Bibliography . 9
iii
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
ISO/DIS 17228:2025(en)
IUF 412:2025(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, the secretariat of which
is held by UNI, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna
Agreement).
It is based on IUF 412 published in J. Soc. Leather Tech. Chem., 86 pp. 325-331, 2002, and declared an official
method of the IULTCS in May 2003.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 17228:2015) which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— The method was updated to the latest versions of ISO 2418, ISO 2419, ISO 7906, added reference ISO 22700
for instrumental measurements of colour differences and yellowing calculations.
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
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
ISO/DIS 17228:2025(en)
DRAFT International Standard
IUF 412:2025(en)
Leather — Tests for colour fastness — Change in colour with
accelerated ageing
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies various ageing procedures to obtain an indication of the changes that
could occur when leather is exposed to a certain environment for a prolonged time. Over time, the surface
colour of leather and the leather itself change due to ageing and to the action of the surroundings on the
leather. The test conditions to be used depend on the type of leather and its intended use.
This procedure can also be used to age specimens for the test of dimensional change according to ISO 17130.
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 2418:2023, Leather — Chemical, physical, mechanical and fastness tests — Position and preparation of
specimens for testing
ISO 2419:2024, Leather — Physical and mechanical tests — Specimen and test piece conditioning
ISO 7906:2022, Leather — Tests for colour fastness — General principles of testing
ISO 17130, Leather — Physical and mechanical tests — Determination of dimensional change
ISO 22700, Leather — Measuring the colour and colour difference of finished leather
3 Terms and definitions
No terms and definitions are listed in this document.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
4 Principle
A test piece of leather is exposed to at least one of the three following conditions:
— heat (see Clause 7);
oSIST prEN ISO 17228:2025
ISO/DIS 17228:2025(en)
IUF 412:2025(en)
— heat and humidity (see Clause 8);
— cycles of different temperature and humidity (see Clause 9).
One or more of these procedures may take place simultaneously. The change in colour of the test piece is
assessed with the standard grey scale and, if applicable, any changes in the finish or appearance are noted.
These procedures can also be used to prepare the leather specimen for other physical or fastness tests after
accelerated ageing. The assessment of dimension change is described in ISO 17130.
NOTE Accelerated ageing tests are for guidance only and they are not necessarily representative of long-term use
at ambient temperatures.
The general colour fastness testing principles shall be in accordance with those described in ISO 7906.
5 Apparatus
Use normal laboratory apparatus and
...



