DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
 
  DUS 655  
Second  Edition  
2021 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 655:20 21 
© UNBS 20 21  
  
Method for t he sampling of leather for footwear  
 DUS 655:20 21 
© UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved                 ii Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 20 21 
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permission from UNBS.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to  
The Executive Director  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala  
Uganda  
Tel: +256 417 333 250/1/2  
Fax: +256 414 286 123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 655:20 21 
© UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved                 iii 
 Foreword  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of the Laws  of Uganda, as amended.  UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the Na tional Enquiry Point on TBT Agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and co nsists of key stakeholders 
including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. T he committee reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee UNBS/TC 7, Textiles, Leather, P aper 
and related products , Subcommittee SC 2, Leather  and related products  
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition ( US 655 :2006), which has been technically revised:  
The title was modified to “Method for the sampling of leather for footw ear” 
The scope was modified to “This Uganda Standard specifies a method for the sampling of leather to be used 
in the construction of footwear”  
The clause under s ampling for rubber was deleted.  
The clause under sampling for footwear components a nd other ma terials was deleted.  
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 655:20 21 
 
© UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved                 1 Method for the sampling of leather for footwear  
1 Scope  
This draft Uganda Standard specifies a method for the sampling of leather to be used in the construction of  
footwear.  
2 Normative References  
There are no normative references in  this document.  
3 Terms and definitions  
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp  
No terms and definitions are listed in this do cument.  
4 Sampling  
4.1 Location of sample for chemical  tests  
Unless otherwise specified, cut a piece of sufficient size to ensure a final sample large enough to carry out the 
specified analyses from the following position:  
a) all leathers except bellies and s houlders: from the area marked Official Sampling Position (OSP) in 
Figure 1; and  
b) bellies  and shoulders: from the appropriate area shown in Figure  1. 
NOTE 1  If a contract or a specification calls for a sample to be taken from a position  other than those men tioned 
above, this  fact should be stated on any report.  
NOTE 2  If a sample of unknown location is received for analysis , this fact should be stated on any report.  
4.2 Location of sample for physical tests  
Cut a sample that is free from obvious defects (suc h as scratches and flay cuts) from the positions below.  
a) In the case of whole skins, sides, and hides, Figure 2 represents a skin or hide with the head 
removed. B is the root of the tail. A is a point on the backbone such that AC = 2 AB. AD is a line 
perpen dicular to BC. F is the mid -point of AD, and AE is of length 50 mm. The lines GH and JK, 
whose mid -points are E and F respectively, are parallel to BC and each of length equal to EF. Cut the 
sample for physical tests from the square HKJG and as close to th e line EF as possible.   
2                © UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved  
 b) For bends Figure 3 represents a bend. B is  the root of the tail, and A is  a point on the backbone BC, 
equidistant from B and C. AD is a line perpendicular to BC. F is  the mid -point of AD, and AE is  of 
length 50 mm. The lines GH and J K, whose mid -points are E and F respectively, are parallel to BC 
and each of length equal to EF. Cut the sample for physical tests from the square HKJG and as close 
to the line  EF as possible.  
c) In the case of shoulders Figure 4 represents a side before the removal of belly and shoulder. P 
(Figure 4 and Figure 5) is the mid -point of RS. DC (Figure 5) is a line parallel to, and 20 mm away 
from RS, and PCB is a line through P parallel to the backbone. DA is a line parallel to, and 50 mm 
away from the backbone, and of length equal to half the length DC. AB is parallel to DC. Cut the 
sample for physical tests from the rectangle ABCD and as close to the point C as possible.  
d) In Figure 4, for the case of bellies, Q is the midpoint of the line TU. Cut the sample for p hysical tests 
from a location as close to the point Q as possible but at least 20 mm away from the line TU.  
NOTE 1  The results of some physical tests depend on the direction (relative to the backbone of the skin or hide) in 
which the test specimens are cut . For these tests, the intended use of the leather should be considered when the direction 
of cutting is decided.  
NOTE 2  In cutting samples from sides (but not from whole skins, hides, or bends) it may, for certain tests, be desirable 
to avoid the use of m aterial that lies within 100 mm of the backbone because of local effects caused by tension in sides 
toggled out to dry. The leather within 100 mm of the backbone should not be used, for example, for measurements of 
extensibility.  
 
Figure  1 — Location of Official Sampling Position (OSP)   
© UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved                 3 
 
 
Figure 2 — Sampling locations for whole skins, sides and hides  
Square HKJG, plus the corresponding square on the other side of the backbone, constitute the limits of areas 
for sampling.  
 
Figure 3 — Sampling locations for bends  
Square HKJG constitutes the limits of the area for sampling.   
4                © UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved  
 
 
Figure 4 — Shoulder and belly: positions of points P and Q  
 
Figure 5 — Sampling locations for sh oulders  
Rectangle ABCD constitutes the limits of the area for sampling.   
© UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved                 5 
 Bibliography  
US 655:2006,  Method for the sampling of leather and other footwear materials   
6                © UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved  
   
© UNBS 20 21 – All rights reserved                 7 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda Na tional Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Certification Mark shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is governed by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunder. This mark can be used only by those licensed under the certificat ion mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and in conjunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that  standard under a system of supervision, control and testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particu lars of the terms and conditions of licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
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