ISO 11457:2018

Leather - Grading of wet blue goat and sheep skins based on defects

This document provides guidance for grading wet blue goat and sheep skins on the basis of their defects.

Cuir — Classement des peaux de chèvre et de mouton en bleu humide sur la base des défauts

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 05-Nov-2018
• ICS: 59.140.30 - Leather and furs
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 120/SC 2 - Tanned leather
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 120/SC 2 - Tanned leather
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 12-Feb-2025
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO 10545-18:2022 - Ceramic tiles - Part 18: Determination of light reflectance value (LRV)
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022

Overview

ISO 11457:2018 specifies guidance for the grading of wet blue goat and sheep skins based on defects. It defines grading principles, terminology and visual criteria used to evaluate chrome‑tanned intermediate hides (wet blue) for quality, cutting value and suitability for different end uses. The standard targets grading by visible grain‑side defects and uses schematic skin areas (figures) to identify prime portions.

Key Topics

• Scope and terms
  • Defines wet blue, and defect terms such as scabies and pocca (warble/warble marks).
  • No normative references; prepared by ISO/TC 120 (Leather).
• Presentation
  • Requires well‑trimmed wet blue goat and sheep skins (neck, fore/hind legs, tail).
• Grading criteria
  • Grading is based on three main checks: cutting value, defect and grain texture.
  • Grading uses schematic areas to identify where defects are acceptable or disqualifying.
• Goat skin grades (I–V)
  • Grade I: defects ≤ 10% of total area; fine smooth grain; prime clear portions.
  • Grade II: defects 10–20%; minor healed defects allowed in certain areas.
  • Grade III: defects 20–40%; acceptable minor pocca, vein marks in non‑prime areas.
  • Grade IV: defects up to 70%; scattered pocca, pinholes, open defects in multiple areas.
  • Grade V: defects up to 85%; thin/empty skin, heavy drawn grain, open defects.
• Sheep skin grades (A–E)
  • Grade A: defects ≤ 10%; no rib/blood vessel marks or drawn grain.
  • Grade B: defects 10–20%; limited scattered defects and light flay cuts in non‑prime areas.
  • Grade C: defects 20–40%; coarse grain, scabies, pinholes, light rib marks.
  • Grade D: defects ≤ 60%; some open defects across non‑prime portions.
  • Grade E: defects ≤ 80%; open defects across most of the skin except minimal cuttable area.
• Remarks
  • Skin area and substance, and final selection, depend on buyer‑seller contract and intended end product (shoes, garments, gloves, leather goods).
  • Grading focuses on grain‑side defects; suede or heel‑grip manufacturers may accept lower grades if flesh side is clean.

Applications

ISO 11457 is used by:

• Leather tanneries for sorting and pricing wet blue goat and sheep skins.
• Quality control teams to apply consistent defect‑based grading.
• Buyers, traders and spec writers for procurement contracts and commercial grading terms.
• Product developers selecting skins for shoes, garments, gloves, suedes and other leather goods where cutting yield and defect distribution matter.

Keywords: ISO 11457, leather grading, wet blue goat skins, wet blue sheep skins, defect grading, cutting value, grain texture.

Related Standards

• Relevant to other ISO leather standards and guidance produced by ISO/TC 120 (Leather). For purchaser or laboratory conformity details consult national standards bodies or the ISO catalogue.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 11457
First edition
2018-11
Leather — Grading of wet blue goat
and sheep skins based on defects
Cuir — Classement des peaux de chèvre et de mouton en bleu humide
sur la base des défauts
Reference number
©
ISO 2018
© ISO 2018
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
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Phone: [phone]
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Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 General terms . 1
3.2 Terms related to defects in wet blue skins . 1
4 Presentations . 1
4.1 Presentation of wet blue goat and sheep skin . 1
5 Grading of wet blue goat skins . 2
5.1 General . 2
5.2 Grade I . 3
5.3 Grade II . 3
5.4 Grade III . 3
5.5 Grade IV . 3
5.6 Grade V . 3
6 Grading of wet blue sheep skins . 4
6.1 General . 4
6.2 Grade A. 4
6.3 Grade B . 4
6.4 Grade C . 4
6.5 Grade D . 4
6.6 Grade E . 4
7 Remarks . 5
Foreword
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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
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electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further
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