Leather - Physical and mechanical tests - Determination of water vapour absorption
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Our test laboratory performs accredited testing according to DIN EN ISO 17229 for the determination of the water vapour absorption of leather. Water vapour absorption describes the ability of leather to absorb and temporarily retain moisture from the environment. The moisture absorption capacity is influenced by material structure, fibre configuration, tanning, and finishing.
Test Procedure
In the DIN EN ISO 17229 test, conditioned leather specimens are exposed to water vapour under defined temperature and humidity conditions. During the test, the mass change of the specimen is determined and the absorbed amount of water vapour is calculated. Before testing, the specimens undergo defined climatic conditioning in order to establish comparable initial conditions.
The standard is particularly applied to upper leather and lining leather for footwear. Especially for lining materials, the ability for temporary moisture absorption may influence comfort behaviour. In practice, the standard is frequently used together with DIN EN ISO 14268, since absorption and permeability behaviour are often evaluated jointly.