oSIST prEN ISO 11640:2026

• Abstract:

  This document specifies a method for determining the behaviour of the surface of a leather on rubbing with a wool felt.; It is applicable to leathers of all kinds.

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 24-Jun-2026
• ICS: 59.140.30 - Leather and furs
• Technical Committee: IUSN - Leather
• Current Stage: 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 20-Apr-2026
• Due Date: 07-Sep-2026
• Completion Date: 10-Jul-2026
• Ref Project: prEN ISO 11640 - Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to cycles of to-and-fro rubbing (ISO/DIS 11640:2026)

• Revises: SIST EN ISO 11640:2018 - Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to cycles of to-and-fro rubbing (ISO 11640:2018)
• Effective Date: 08-Oct-2025

Overview

oSIST prEN ISO 11640:2026:2026 - Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to cycles of to-and-fro rubbing (ISO/DIS 11640:2026) - is a draft European standard developed by CEN in collaboration with ISO and IULTCS. It specifies a standardized method to determine the behaviour of leather surfaces when subjected to cycles of to-and-fro rubbing using a wool felt. This procedure, widely known as the "VESLIC rub test," is applicable to all types of leather. The goal is to assess the surface resistance of leather to colour change and staining caused by friction, under conditions that simulate real-world wear and handling.

Key Topics

• Colour Fastness: The primary focus is on assessing how well leather retains its colour when exposed to repeated rubbing.
• Test Methodology: The test involves rubbing the leather sample using a reference wool felt under defined pressure and for a specified number of cycles.
• Assessment Criteria: After testing, colour change on the leather surface and staining of the wool felt are evaluated using grey scales. Visual and instrumental methods are referenced for assessment.
• Sample Preparation and Conditioning: Detailed procedures cover the preparation and conditioning of both the leather test pieces and wool felts, whether dry, wet, or wetted with artificial perspiration solutions.
• Reporting Results: Guidance is provided on information required for accurate and comparable test reporting, including sample identification, test conditions, and observed effects.

Applications

oSIST prEN ISO 11640:2026 is a vital tool in the leather industry for quality assurance, research, and regulatory compliance. Its applications include:

• Quality Control in Manufacturing: Leather producers and processors use this standard to ensure their products meet specified levels of colour fastness to rubbing, a critical aspect for consumer satisfaction and product durability.
• Product Development: Designers and manufacturers can evaluate the suitability and performance of leathers intended for high-wear items such as footwear, handbags, upholstery, automotive interiors, and apparel.
• Trade and Procurement: Buyers and suppliers in the global leather market rely on standardized tests like ISO 11640 to compare products and ensure consistency.
• Regulatory Compliance: The method is frequently referenced in legislation, technical specifications, and certification schemes where product safety and performance standards for leather goods are essential.

Related Standards

oSIST prEN ISO 11640:2026 is part of a suite of leather testing and assessment standards. Key related standards include:

• ISO 7906: General principles of testing for colour fastness in leather.
• ISO 2418 and ISO 2419: Procedures for sampling, positioning, and conditioning of leather specimens.
• ISO 105-A02/A03/A04/A05: Grey scales and instrumental methods for assessing colour change and staining, relevant for both leather and textiles.
• ISO 11641: Methods for assessing colour fastness to perspiration in leather.
• ISO 3696: Specification of water quality for use in analytical and test environments.
• EN 15987 and ISO 15115: Key terminology and definitions for the leather trade.

oSIST prEN ISO 11640:2026:2026 supports a harmonized, reproducible approach to evaluating leather colour fastness, fostering trust and transparency throughout the supply chain. Routine use of this standard helps manufacturers deliver high-quality leather goods that maintain their original appearance and resist fading, even after prolonged use.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2026
Usnje - Preskušanje obstojnosti barve - Obstojnost barve proti drgnjenju v dveh
nasprotnih smereh (ISO/DIS 11640:2026)
Leather - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to cycles of to-and-fro rubbing
(ISO/DIS 11640:2026)
Leder - Farbechtheitsprüfungen - Bestimmung der Reibechtheit von Färbungen (ISO/DIS
11640:2026)
Cuir - Essais de solidité des coloris - Solidité des coloris au frottement en va-et-vient
(ISO/DIS 11640:2026)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 11640
ICS:
59.140.30 Usnje in krzno Leather and furs
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 11640
IUF 450
IULTCS
Leather — Tests for colour fastness
Secretariat: ISO
— Colour fastness to cycles of to-
and-fro rubbing
Voting begins on:
2026-04-08
Cuir — Essais de solidité des coloris — Solidité des coloris au
Voting terminates on:
frottement en va-et-vient
2026-07-01
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 is circulated as received from the committee 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 11640:2026(en)
IUF 450:2026(en)
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 11640:2026(en)
International
IUF 450:2026(en)
Standard
ISO/DIS 11640
IUF 450
IULTCS
Leather — Tests for colour fastness
Secretariat: ISO
— Colour fastness to cycles of to-
and-fro rubbing
Voting begins on:
Cuir — Essais de solidité des coloris — Solidité des coloris au
Voting terminates on:
frottement en va-et-vient
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 is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2026
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
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO copyright office
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
Phone: [phone]
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Reference number
Published in Switzerland ISO/DIS 11640:2026(en)
IUF 450:2026(en)
ii
ISO/DIS 11640:2026(en)
IUF 450:2026(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 2
5 Apparatus and materials . 2
6 Test pieces . 3
7 Conditioning of test pieces and pieces of felt . 3
7.1 Dry leather and dry felt .3
7.2 Wet felt .3
7.3 Wet leather .4
7.4 Felt wetted with artificial perspiration solution .4
8 Procedure . 4
9 Precision . 5
10 Test report . 5
Annex A (informative) Commercial sources for apparatus and materials . 6

iii
ISO/DIS 11640:2026(en)
IUF 450:2026(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, in accordance with the
Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
The first edition was based on IUF 450 published in J. Soc. Leather Tech. Chem., 71, pp. 24–25 (1987), and
declared an official method of the IULTCS in October 1989.
The rubbing of a leather surface with a wool felt is also known as the “VESLIC rub test”. VESLIC (Association
of Swiss Leather Chemists and Technologists) was the original developer of the test method and equipment.
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO 11640:2018) which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— implementation of illumination conditions according to ISO 7906;
— sampling and conditioning according to ISO 2418 and ISO 2419 latest versions;
— this new version considers to and fro rubbing in two senses of movement (head – tail / belly – belly)
instead of the single sense of rubbing in the previous version.
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
ISO/DIS 11640:2026(en)
DRAFT International Standard
IUF 450:2026(en)
Leather — Tests for colour fastness — Colour fastness to
cycles of to-and-fro rubbing
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for determining the behaviour of the surface of a leather on rubbing with
a wool felt.
It is applicable to leathers of all kinds.
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, Leather — Chemical, physical, mechanical and fastness tests — Position and preparation of specimens
for testing
ISO 2419, Leather — Physical and mechanical tests — Specimen and test piece conditioning
ISO 3696, Water for analytical laboratory use — Specification and test
...