SIST EN 15987:2022

Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather trade

This document specifies the key terms and definitions used for the leather trade and provides guidance on the correct use of the term “leather”.
Defined parameters in this document need to be assessed using standard test methods specific for leather.
NOTE   See Bibliography for leather test method standards.

Leder - Terminologie - Hauptbegriffe für den Lederhandel

Dieses Dokument legt die Hauptbegriffe fest, die beim Handel mit Leder verwendet werden, und gibt Hinweise für die korrekte Verwendung des Begriffs „Leder“.
Definierte Parameter in diesem Dokument erfordern eine Beurteilung auf der Basis genormter lederspezifischer Prüfverfahren.
ANMERKUNG   Siehe Literaturhinweise zu Normen über Prüfverfahren für Leder.

Cuir - Terminologie - Définitions pour le commerce du cuir

Le présent document spécifie les termes et définitions clés utilisés dans le commerce du cuir et fournit des lignes directrices relatives à l'utilisation correcte du terme « cuir ».
Les paramètres définis dans le présent document doivent être évalués à l'aide des méthodes d’essai normalisées relatives au cuir.
NOTE   Pour obtenir de plus amples informations concernant les méthodes d’essai normalisées relatives au cuir, consulter la bibliographie.

Usnje - Terminologija - Ključne definicije za trgovanje z usnjem

General Information

• Status: Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 31-Jan-2022
• Publication Date: 14-Nov-2022
• ICS: 01.040.59 - Textile and leather technology (Vocabularies)
• ICS: 59.140.01 - Leather technology in general
• Technical Committee: IUSN - Leather
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 08-Nov-2022
• Due Date: 13-Jan-2023
• Completion Date: 15-Nov-2022
• Ref Project: EN 15987:2022 - Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather trade

Relations

• Replaces: SIST EN 15987:2015 - Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather trade
• Effective Date: 09-Nov-2022
• Revised: SIST EN 15987:2015 - Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather trade
• Effective Date: 24-Feb-2021

Overview

EN 15987:2022 (CEN) defines the key terminology used in the leather trade and provides guidance on the correct use of the term "leather". The standard clarifies which products qualify as leather (hide or skin of animal origin with original fibrous structure, tanned to be imputrescible) and sets limits on surface coatings. Defined parameters in the standard are to be verified using recognised leather test methods listed in the bibliography.

This document supersedes EN 15987:2015 and updates the definition of leather to support consistent classification, labelling and communication across European markets.

Key Topics

• Definition of leather: animal hide or skin with fibrous structure intact, tanned and imputrescible; surface coatings not thicker than 0.15 mm.
• Product categories: crust, wet-blue, wet-white, split leather and pelt.
• Grain and finishing terms: full grain, corrected grain, aniline, semi-aniline, nubuck, suede, pigmented and coated leathers.
• Tannage classifications: chrome-tanned, chrome-free, metal-free-tanned, organic-tanned, vegetable-tanned, including concentration thresholds for tanning metals where specified.
• Specific leather types: nappa, box calf, chamois, cavallino, pull up and others.
• Composite and processed materials: leather fibre board, bonded or recycled leather fibre, transfer coated leather and exceptions for man-made materials (Annex A).

Note: The standard requires that relevant parameters be assessed using standard test methods for leather; see the bibliography for referenced EN/ISO test standards.

Applications

EN 15987:2022 is practical for:

• Manufacturers and tanners seeking uniform product descriptions and correct use of leather-related terms.
• Retailers and brands that require accurate labelling and consumer information across EU markets.
• Importers, regulators and conformity assessors needing a common vocabulary for classification and compliance.
• Quality and testing labs using referenced test methods to verify tanning metal content, coating thickness and leather identification.

Benefits include clearer supply‑chain communication, reduced mislabelling risk and better alignment with testing protocols for material claims.

Related Standards

The EN 15987:2022 bibliography points to leather test methods used to verify definitions and thresholds, including (examples):

• EN ISO 5398-1 / -2 / -3 / -4 - chemical determination of chromic oxide content
• EN ISO 17072-2 - total metal content determination
• EN ISO 17131 - identification of leather with microscopy
• EN ISO 17186 - determination of surface coating thickness

These referenced standards are essential for laboratories and compliance teams when assessing materials against the definitions in EN 15987:2022.

Practical Notes

• The term "leather" is reserved for products that meet the definition in clause 3.1.1; derivatives and qualifiers (e.g. split leather, calf leather) are permitted only when accurate.
• Annex A records a language-specific exception for the German term Kunstleder, which may be used historically without causing consumer confusion.

Adopting EN 15987:2022 helps stakeholders in the leather value chain maintain consistent terminology, accurate labelling and dependable testing practices.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2022
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 15987:2015
Usnje - Terminologija - Ključne definicije za trgovanje z usnjem
Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather trade
Leder - Terminologie - Hauptbegriffe für den Lederhandel
Cuir - Terminologie - Définitions pour le commerce du cuir
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 15987:2022
ICS:
01.040.59 Tekstilna in usnjarska Textile and leather
tehnologija (Slovarji) technology (Vocabularies)
59.140.01 Usnjarska tehnologija na Leather technology in
splošno general
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 15987
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
October 2022
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 01.040.59; 59.140.99 Supersedes EN 15987:2015
English Version
Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather
trade
Cuir - Terminologie - Définitions pour le commerce du Leder - Terminologie - Hauptbegriffe für den
cuir Lederhandel
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 19 September 2022.

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
© 2022 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 15987:2022 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
3.1 Key terms . 4
3.2 Qualifying terms . 5
3.2.1 Grain related . 5
3.2.2 Tannage related . 6
3.2.3 Finishing related . 6
3.3 Specific leather terms . 7
3.4 Others . 8
4 Use of the term “leather” . 8
Annex A (informative) Exception . 9
Bibliography . 10

European foreword
This document (EN 15987:2022) has been prepared by 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 April 2023, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by April 2023.
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 15987:2015.
In comparison with the previous edition, the following technical modification has been made:
— modification of term “leather” in 3.1.1.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations 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.
1 Scope
This document specifies the key terms and definitions used for the leather trade and provides guidance
on the correct use of the term “leather”.
Defined parameters in this document need to be assessed using standard test methods specific for
leather.
NOTE See Bibliography for leather test method standards.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1 Key terms
3.1.1
leather
hide or skin exclusively of animal origin, with its original fibrous structure more or less intact, tanned to
be imputrescible, where the hair or wool may or may not have been removed, whether or not the hide
or skin has been split into layers or segmented either before or after tanning and where any surface
coating or surface layer, however applied, is not thicker than 0,15 mm
Note 1 to entry: If the tanned hide or skin is disintegrated mechanically and/or chemically into fibrous particles,
small pieces or powders and then, with or without the combination of a binding agent, is made into sheets or other
forms, such sheets or forms are not leather.
Note 2 to entry: If the grain layer has been completely removed, the term “leather” is not to be used without
further qualification, e.g. split leather, suede leather.
3.1.2
split leather
layer from a hide or skin made from a flesh split or a middle split, without any grain structure, tanned to
be imputrescible
Note 1 to entry: A split is a layer of hide or skin obtained by dividing it horizontally (splitting) to obtain at least
two separate layers; the top layer is called top- grain split, and the bottom layer is called flesh split; for heavy
hides also a middle split can be obtained.
Note 2 to entry: If the name of the animal whence it originates, or the part of the animal whence it comes, is
included in the description, the term “split leather” will be used as a noun, e.g. pig split leather.
3.1.3
crust
leather which is tanned, fatliquored and dried, before finishing
3.1.3.1
dyed crust
leather tanned, dyed, fatliquored and dried, before finishing
3.1.4
pelt
hide or skin prepared for tanning by removal of the hair or the wool, epidermis and flesh
Note 1 to entry: The ter
...