SIST EN 15987:2022

Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather trade

This European Standard specifies the key terms and definitions used for the leather trade and provides guidance on the correct use of the term “leather”.

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

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

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN 15987:2022
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
SIST EN 15987:2022 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
SIST EN 15987:2022

---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
SIST EN 15987:2022


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.

---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
SIST EN 15987:2022
EN 15987:2022 (E)
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

2

---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
SIST EN 15987:2022
EN 15987:2022 (E)
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.
3

---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
SIST EN 15987:2022
EN 15987:2022 (E)
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
4

---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
SIST EN 15987:2022
EN 15987:2022 (E)
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
...

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 15987:2022
01-januar-2022
Usnje - Terminologija - Ključne definicije za trgovanje z usnjem
Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather trade
Leder - Terminologie - Hauptdefinitionen für den Lederhandel
Cuir - Terminologie - Définitions pour le commerce du cuir
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 15987
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
oSIST prEN 15987:2022 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
oSIST prEN 15987:2022

---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
oSIST prEN 15987:2022


DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 15987
NORME EUROPÉENNE

EUROPÄISCHE NORM

November 2021
ICS 01.040.59; 59.140.99 Will supersede EN 15987:2015
English Version

Leather - Terminology - Key definitions for the leather
trade
Cuir - Terminologie - Définitions pour le commerce du Leder - Terminologie - Hauptdefinitionen für den
cuir Lederhandel
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 289.

If this draft becomes a European Standard, 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.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN 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, Turkey and
United Kingdom.

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.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.


EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2021 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 15987:2021 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
oSIST prEN 15987:2022
prEN 15987:2021 (E)
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

2

---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
oSIST prEN 15987:2022
prEN 15987:2021 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 15987:2021) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 289 “Leather”,
the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 15987:2015.
In comparison with the previous edition, the following technical modifications have been made:
— modification of term “leather” in 3.2.1;
— editorial changes throughout the text.
3

---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
oSIST prEN 15987:2022
prEN 15987:2021 (E)
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 standard 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 listed in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
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 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
4

---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
oSIST prEN 15987:2022
prEN 15987:2021 (E)
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 term pelt can also be used for the skin of an animal with fur or hair still on it.
3.1.5
pickled pelt
pelt treated with acid and brine, to be preserved or to be prepared for tanning
Note 1 to entry: The term pelt can also be used for the skin of an animal with fur or hair still on it.
3.1.6
wet-blue
leather in a wet condition after chrome tanning
Note 1 to entry: Wet -blue is an intermediate stage of manufacturing.
3.1.7
wet-white
leather in a wet condition after tanning with substances e.g. zirconium salts, aluminium salts, modified
aldehydes, glutaraldehydes and syntans, that confer a whitish colour
Note 1 to entry: Wet- white is an intermediate stage of manufacturing.
3.2 Qualifying terms
3.2.1 Grain related
3.2.1.1
grain
outer side of leather once the hair or wool and epidermis has been removed, which is characterized by
one of the following patterns, specific to each animal species:
— pores from hair and wool;
— feather follicles;
— scales
3.2.1.2
full grain
leather having kept its entire grain, with none of the surface removed by any corrective mechanical
treatment
3.2.1.3
corrected grain
grain which has been partially removed by buffing or any similar mechanical treatment, and enhanced
by a finishing treatment
Note 1 to entry: The original pattern is generally identifiable except for heavily corrected grains.
5

---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------
oSIST prEN 15987:2022
prEN 15987:2021 (E)
3.2.2 Tannage related
3.2.2.1
chrome-tanned leather
hide or skin converted to leather either by treatment solely with chromium salts or with chromium
salts together with a small amount of some other tanning agent, used merely to assist the chromium
tanning process, and not in sufficient amount to alter the essential chromium tanned character of the
leather
3.2.2.2
chrome-free leather
hide or skin converted to leather by a tanning agent free of chromium salts, where the total content of
...