Eurofins | BLC Leather Testing Services

Eurofins | BLC are experts in leather testing with 100 years' experience working with businesses around the world in the leather industry. Eurofins | BLC’s analytical accredited testing laboratory can provide your business with product performance and quality testing.

Leather testing provides your business and customers with evidence that product quality complies with the relevant standard, is fit for purpose, and meets customer expectations. Eurofins | BLC recommends that leather testing is carried out by brands, retailers, manufacturers and suppliers as part of routine due diligence processes.

 

Physical Leather Testing

Eurofins | BLC’s range of physical leather testing includes tests to establish leather performance and quality for a range of applications:

  • BS EN ISO 2589:2016 - Thickness
  • BS EN ISO 17186:2011 - Finish thickness (thickness of surface coatings)
  • BS EN ISO 17235:2015 - Softness
  • BS EN ISO 2420:2017 - Density
  • BS EN ISO 5402-1:2011 - Flex resistance by flexometer method (Bally flex)
  • BS EN ISO 5402-2:2015 - Determination of flex resistance by the vamp flex method
  • BS EN ISO 4684:2005 - Determination of volatile matter (moisture)
  • ASTM D6116-00 - Standard Test Method for Blocking
  • BS EN ISO 4045:2008 - Determination of pH value and difference figure of an aqueous extract

 

Water Spotting (Water Staining), Water Fastness & Perspiration Testing

Eurofins | BLC can test a finished product or sample to measure the resistance to water spotting on the leather:

  • BS EN ISO 105-E07:2010 & BS EN ISO 15700:1999 - Spotting: water (water spotting)
  • BS EN ISO 11642:2012 - Water (water fastness)
  • BS EN ISO 105-E04:2013 & BS EN ISO 11641:2012 - Perspiration

 

Leather Finish Adhesion Testing (Wet & Dry)

Eurofins | BLC can test the adhesive properties of various finishes for leather, PU, PVC and other synthetic alternatives:

  • BS EN ISO 11644:2009 - Finish adhesion

 

Leather Tear Strength Testing

Eurofins | BLC offer a variety of leather tear strength tests for multiple end uses:

  • BS EN ISO 3376:2020 - Tensile strength and percentage extension
  • BS EN ISO 3377-1:2011 - Tear load – single edge tear
  • BS EN ISO 3377-2: 2016 - Tear load – double edge tear – Baumann

 

Light Fastness*, Colour Fastness & Colour Migration Testing

Eurofins | BLC provides a range of lightfastness, colour fastness and migration tests for leather, textile and synthetic alternatives. Eurofins | BLC tests can determine the resistance of fading, bleeding, running of dyes or pigments, and colour migration:

  • BS EN ISO 105-B02:2014 - Light (light fastness)
  • BS EN ISO 15701: 2015 - Staining of PVC (PVC migration)

 

Rub Fastness Testing

Eurofins | BLC rub fastness testing measures the resistance of colours in leather to loss under rubbing:

  • BS EN ISO 17700:2019 Part A & B - Colour fastness to rubbing (rub fastness)
     

Cold Crack Testing of the Leather Finish

Finish cracking can be a common leather problem which can be caused by specific environmental conditions, therefore Eurofins | BLC recommends that leathers are tested for their resistance to cracking: 

  • BS EN ISO 17233:2017 - Crack cold resistance

 

Leather Dry-Cleaning & Wash Fastness Tests 

Where leathergoods need to be dry cleaned or washed on a domestic or commercial scale, Eurofins | BLC can test their ability to resist fatigue, fading and failure.

  • Specialist dry cleaning testing services available
  • BS EN ISO 105-C06:2010 - Colour fastness to domestic and commercial laundering (colour fastness to washing)

 

Abrasion Resistance Testing (Including Taber Method)

Eurofins | BLC can test a range of leather types (including PU and synthetic alternatives) for their resistance to abrasion:

  • Taber Method
  • BS EN 13520:2002+A1:2004 - Abrasion resistance (Martindale)

 

Find Your Leather Test

Eurofins | BLC provides a wide range of leather testing services, so if you cannot see the appropriate test in the above list, please contact us via [email protected] or telephone +44 (0) 1604 679 999 to discuss your testing needs.

 

How long does leather testing take? 

Most of the above performance and quality tests take the following length of time to complete which depends on the selected service:

Service

Turnaround Time

Price

Standard

5 working days

£Quotation

Express

3 working days

£Quotation + 50%

Premium

Next day
(Samples must be received no later than 10am for this service)

£Quotation + 100%

*Please note that lightfastness testing takes 10 days and cannot be fast-tracked.

 

Eurofins | BLC Leather Testing & Verification Services

As experts within the leather industry, Eurofins | BLC provide a wide range of leather tests for leather products, samples, and wet blue. Eurofins | BLC can also help your business solve leather production and product problems.

Eurofins | BLC?’s leather testing and problem-solving services, include:


Please read our testing terms and conditions. 

Eurofins | BLC Chemical Testing Services for Leather

Chemical testing of leather to quantify restricted substances is essential for compliance purposes to national and international regulation. There are a number of chemical compounds which could potentially be present as a result of tanning, manufacturing, finishing and potentially during transportation of leathergoods.

Some of Eurofins | BLC's most popular chemical tests for leather, leathergoods and samples to identify the presence of restricted substances includes, but is not limited to:

  • BS EN ISO 17226-1:2008 - Formaldehyde in leather (free and hydrolysed)
  • BS EN ISO 13365:2011 - Fungicide analysis
  • BS EN ISO 17070:2015 - Chlorinated Phenol analysis
  • BS EN ISO 17072-2:2011 - Total Heavy Metals
  • BS EN ISO 18218-1:2015 & BS EN ISO 18254-1:2016 - Alkylphenol ethoxylates
  • DIN 54231:2015-11 - Disperse Dyes
  • PD CEN/TS 15968:290 - PFOS & PFOA
  • BS EN ISO 14362-1:2017 - Aromatic amines in textiles (azo dyes, azos)
  • PD CEN/ISO TS 16179:2012 – Organotins
  • Various chrome VI tests, as detailed below

 

Chrome VI Testing for Leather

Eurofins | BLC can also provide a range of Chrome VI testing for leather samples and finished articles:

 

Standard Chrome VI Testing

Chemical determination of hexavalent chromium (chrome VI, Cr VI) content in leather:

  • BS EN ISO 17075-1:2017: Leather – Part 1: Colorimetric method and;
  • BS EN ISO 17075-2:2017:  Leather – Part 2: Chromatographic method (BLC recommended method)

 

Chrome VI Ageing (Heat & UV)

Chemical determination of hexavalent chromium content through pre-ageing the leather:

  • ISO 10195:2018 – Chrome VI heat ageing
  • Ultra Violet (UV) Light Ageing

 

Eurofins | BLC Chrome VI Testing Services

 

Chrome VI Risk & Testing Calculators

Eurofins | BLC can also provide a chrome VI risk calculator and testing calculator service as a Membership benefit to brands and retailers who are developing leather product lines. For further information on this, please contact Eurofins | BLC.

 

Do you need chrome VI or chemical testing advice for leather?

Contact Eurofins | BLC to for further information on chrome VI testing for leather on [email protected] or telephone +44 (0) 1604 679 999.

 

World-Leading Leather Testing Experts

With all this knowledge, support and experience at your fingertips, who better to test your leather than Eurofins | BLC?

At Eurofins | BLC, we have the technical pedigree in leather technology to provide fast accurate solutions to technical, environmental or management problems in the leather supply chain, including testing, chemical management, tannery and manufacturer audits and consulting support.

Eurofins | BLC’s analytical testing laboratory holds accreditations from UKAS (0076), ILAC and CPSC (1049). BLC has the testing capability and technical capacity to carry out bespoke leather testing projects for businesses.

 

For leather testing services, Eurofins | BLC provides:

  • Fast turnaround times - most testing results available within 5 working days
  • A fully comprehensive and easy to understand test report
  • Technical back up and support from leather product and supply chain experts
  • Highly competitive pricing
  • An assured pedigree with 100 years' of experience in the leather industry

 

Become a Eurofins | BLC Member and access:

  • Discounted prices
  • Advanced technical support
  • Online toolkits

 

Eurofins | BLC Membership Benefits

Our Accreditations

Eurofins | BLC holds accreditations from UKAS and CPSC and has auditors approved to carry out LWG audits. Trust Eurofins | BLC to deliver some of the most accurate test results in the industry.

View our Accreditations

Testimonials

"Through Eurofins | BLC Membership, we have access to technical support for leather product testing, helping us to provide more efficient services to our customers."

William Lamb

United Kingdom

"Membership allowed us to use the expertise of Eurofins | BLC to improve our suppliers' environmental performance."

Clarks International

United Kingdom

"Smart chemical testing of wet blue saves our business time and money."

Casino Hide Tanners

Australia

“10 years of Eurofins | BLC Membership has enabled us to provide continuous assurance of product quality and safety, giving our customers greater confidence in our products.”

ScS

United Kingdom

"I just wanted to say a big thanks for 2 great days of leather education last week."

IKEA

Sweden

"Eurofins | BLC Membership allows us to develop innovative high quality raw materials in order to continue our product improvement programme."

Mulberry

United Kingdom

"We were very impressed by the speaker on the leather training course who had excellent knowledge of the subject."

Next

United Kingdom

"I became a Member to take advantage their specification building services and 1-2-1 regulatory advice."

Gheli International

India

"All parts of the leather training course were relevant and very informative. I now have a new appreciation for leather!"

Ralph Lauren

United States of America

"We thought every part of the Eurofins | BLC leather course was very informative and interesting."

John Lewis Partnership

United Kingdom

"I enjoyed all of the leather course as a chemist I wanted to understand the whole process of making leather."

Smit & zoon

Netherlands

"I enjoyed the combination of theoretical and practical training on the 4-day leather course."

Asos

United Kingdom

Send An Enquiry

Contact Eurofins | BLC to discuss your enquiry with friendly and helpful experts and to get a quotation. For Eurofins | BLC to receive your enquiry, you must complete all 3 sections of the contact form below. To receive the Technical Update email, you simply need to complete this form. Eurofins | BLC aim to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours Monday to Friday.

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