Grain Characteristics Comparison of Different Types of Shoe Upper Leathers

In this study, it was aimed to comparatively investigate the grain properties of shoe upper leathers produced for different purposes. Thus, six different types of shoe upper leather (cracked, antique, patent, nappa, nubuck, printed) were provided from three different footwear companies. The tensile strength and elongation at break (TS EN ISO 3376), single and double edge tear strength (TS EN ISO 3377-1, TS EN ISO 3377-2), cracking and bursting resistance (TS 4137 EN ISO 3378, TS EN ISO 3379), flex resistance (TS EN ISO 5402-1) as well as dry and wet rubbing fastness tests (TS EN ISO 11640) were applied to leathers that have similar thicknesses. The results of the study gave information about the physical strength and product performances of different upper leather types. The data were evaluated comparatively and the effects of shoe upper leather types on quality and performance were evaluated.