Overview
EN ISO 17229:2016 (ISO 17229:2016) defines a standardized laboratory method for determining the water vapour absorption of leather. The method measures how much water vapour a leather sample absorbs over a fixed period and is applicable to all leathers, with particular relevance to footwear uppers and linings where comfort and moisture management are critical.
Key topics and requirements
- Principle: A circular leather test piece is clamped over a container holding a fixed volume of water; the mass gain after exposure gives the water vapour absorption.
- Test conditions:
- Exposure time: 8 hours
- Temperature options: 20 °C ± 2 °C or 23 °C ± 2 °C
- Water: distilled or deionized conforming to ISO 3696 (grade 3)
- Apparatus essentials:
- Cylindrical container with specified internal diameter and depth (designed to define the exposed area)
- Precision balance (readability 0.001 g)
- Press knife for cutting circular test pieces (per ISO 2419 dimensions)
- Impermeable disc to seal the sample over the container
- Sampling and conditioning:
- Samples taken and located per ISO 2418
- Sample preparation and conditioning per ISO 2419 (report the conditioning atmosphere)
- Result expression and reporting:
- Water vapour absorption expressed in mg·cm⁻² (reported to one decimal place)
- Report must reference ISO 17229, include mean absorption, conditioning atmosphere, any deviations, and full sample identification
- Derived metric: The method can be combined with water vapour permeability (ISO 14268) to compute the water vapour number (W), a combined indicator of breathability and absorption.
Applications and users
- Footwear manufacturers evaluating upper and lining materials for moisture management and wearer comfort
- Leather tanneries and material suppliers conducting quality control and product specification checks
- Independent testing laboratories performing standardized leather tests for certification or compliance
- R&D teams optimizing leather treatments, finishes or coatings to improve comfort properties
- Procurement and specification authors who need objective, comparable data for material selection
Practical benefits include reproducible comparison of leather batches, assessment of treatments/coatings on moisture handling, and supporting label claims for breathability and comfort.
Related standards
- ISO 14268 - Water vapour permeability (used to compute the water vapour number)
- ISO 2418 - Sampling location for leather tests
- ISO 2419 - Sample preparation and conditioning
- ISO 3696 - Water quality for analytical use
Keywords: EN ISO 17229:2016, ISO 17229:2016, water vapour absorption, leather testing, footwear leather, water vapour number, ISO 14268, ISO 2418, ISO 2419.