ISO 4683-3:2026

• Abstract:

  This document specifies guidelines for grading raw sheep skins on the basis of their mass and size.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 03-Sep-2026
• ICS: 59.140.20 - Raw skins, hides and pelts
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 120/SC 1 - Raw hides and skins, including pickled pelts
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 120/SC 1 - Raw hides and skins, including pickled pelts
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 04-Sep-2026
• Due Date: 22-Jan-2027
• Completion Date: 04-Sep-2026

ISO 4683-3:2026 is an International Standard published by ISO. It gives guidelines for grading raw sheep skins on the basis of mass and size. The document is for people who receive, prepare, measure, weigh, and classify raw sheep skins in trade and processing.

What does ISO 4683-3:2026 specify?

ISO 4683-3:2026 specifies how to grade raw sheep skins by mass and size. It also sets the way the skins should be presented before grading, so the measurements are taken in a consistent form.

The document is organized into five clauses:

• Scope
• Normative references
• Terms and definitions
• Presentation
• Grading

Clause 4 covers how the skin should be cut and prepared. Clause 5 covers how to measure length, width, area, and mass, and how to place the skin into a grading category.

What are the key requirements of ISO 4683-3:2026?

ISO 4683-3:2026 focuses on three practical steps: present the skin in a defined form, measure it in a defined way, and assign a grade using the stated size and mass categories. That matters because grading only works when different people measure the same skin the same way.

Presentation before grading

ISO 4683-3:2026 says raw sheep skins should be presented with the head cut straight behind the ears, the shanks cut off at right angles above the knee and hock, and the tail cut off not more than 4 cm from the butt. In practice, this means graders need a consistent starting shape before any measurement is taken.

Measuring length and area

ISO 4683-3:2026 measures length with the skin folded lengthwise along the backbone line and laid flat. Length is taken from the root of the tail to the widest point of the front part of the throat, and width is taken from the midpoint of the backbone line to the end of the belly, both to the nearest 1 cm with a standard measuring tape.

The area is then determined from the measured length and width. For users, this means the grade depends on a defined measuring method, not on visual estimate.

Determining mass

ISO 4683-3:2026 treats different skin conditions differently when weighing them. Dry salted and wet salted skins are unfolded, shaken to remove surplus salt, brushed, and then weighed individually; sun-dried skins are weighed to the nearest 0,01 kg, while dry salted and wet salted skins are weighed to the nearest 0,1 kg.

Wet salted skins are also made free from excess water before weighing. In practice, this helps prevent extra salt or water from inflating the mass and changing the grade.

Grading by size and mass

ISO 4683-3:2026 grades raw sheep skins using backbone length or size area together with mass. Table 1 groups skins into five categories: Extra small (lamb), Small, Medium, Large, and Extra large.

The table gives the matching ranges for backbone length, wet salted mass, dry salted mass, sun-dried mass, and area. For readers, this is the actual classification tool used to sort skins for handling, purchase, or process planning.

What terms does ISO 4683-3:2026 define?

• butt - the part of the skin left after the bellies and shoulders have been removed.
• dry salted skin - a skin preserved for a definite period by drying in air after treatment with common salt.
• raw skin - a skin after body heat has gone, trimmed, defatted, and cleaned of dung and other foreign matter.
• shanks - the part of the skin covering the leg between the knee and the ankle.
• sun-dried skin - a skin preserved for a definite period by drying under the sun or in air.
• wet salted skin - a skin preserved for a definite period by salt treatment that reduces moisture content.

Who uses ISO 4683-3:2026?

ISO 4683-3:2026 is used by graders, tannery staff, traders, quality control teams, and procurement staff handling raw sheep skins. They use it to prepare the skins correctly, measure them, weigh them, and assign a grade in a repeatable way.

It is especially relevant where skins are bought, received, sorted, or prepared for further processing, because the grading method depends on both physical size and mass condition.

What does the ISO 4683-3:2026 document contain?

ISO 4683-3:2026 contains the clause structure, the defined terms, the presentation rules, the measurement method for length and width, the method for determining mass, and Table 1 for grading. The grading table combines backbone length, weight, and area into the five category bands.

The document is short and practical rather than descriptive. It gives the working steps needed to classify raw sheep skins in a consistent way, which is why it is useful for day-to-day grading and for checking that suppliers use the same method.

International
Standard
ISO 4683-3
First edition
Raw sheep skins —
2026-09
Part 3:
Guidelines for grading on the basis
of mass and size
Peaux brutes de moutons —
Partie 3: Lignes directrices pour le classement en fonction de la
masse et de la taille
Reference number
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Presentation . 2
5 Grading . 2
5.1 Measurement of length and area .2
5.2 Determination of mass .2
5.3 Grading on the basis of size and mass .2

iii
Foreword
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