KENYA STANDARD   DKS 677:2024 
ICS 59.140 
Third   Edition  
 
 © KEBS 2024  
 Leather—Full-chrome upper leather — 
Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT  MARCH  2024DKS 03-391:2024   
 
© KEBS 2023 – All rights reserved   
 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)  
Bata Shoes Company  
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology(DeKUT)  
Technical University of Kenya (TUK)  
Environmental Institute of Kenya (EIK)  
Kenya Leather Development Council (KLDC)  
Department of Veterinary Services (DVS)  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions for 
improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, are 
welcome.  
© Kenya Bureau of Standards  2024 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001 of  the Laws of Kenya, copyright subsists 
in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Sta ndards 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any mea ns without prior permission in writing from the 
Managing Director.  
   
Leather—Full-chrome upper leather — 
Specification  
 
 
  Kenya Bureau of Standards, Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road,  
P.O. Box 54974 - 00200,  Nairobi, Kenya  
 +254 020 6948000, + 254 722202137, + 254 734600471  
 info@kebs.org  
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 kenya bureau of standards (kebs)  
 
Foreword  
This Kenya Standard has been prepared by the Technical Committee on Leather and Leather Products  
under the guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the  
Kenya Bureau of Standards.  
In this third Edition , the format of presentation has been updated and the standard has also undergone.  
some minor revision.  
This standard cancel and replaces KS 67 7:2016 , Specification for chromed crust bovine leather.  
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents:  
KS 01 -679, Specification for leather sole  
IS 578, Specification for full -chrome upper leather (Second Revision).  
IS 2961, Specification for chrome retan finished upper leather (First Revision).  
Acceptable quality levels in leathers, UN (UNIDO) publication (1976).  
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources.  
Leather— Full-chrome upper leather  — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Kenya Standard specifies the requirements, test methods and sampling for full -chrome upper leather . This 
standard is not applicable to leather made from other tanning methods other than chrome tanning.  
 
 
2 Normative Reference s 
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the 
latest edition of the reference d document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
KS 819, Glossary of terms relating to hides, skins and leather  
 
ISO 2418 , Leather—Chemical, physical, mechanical and fastness tests — 
Position and preparation of specimens for testing  
 
KS ISO 2588, Leather — Sampling — Number of items for a gross sample  
 
KS ISO 3376,  Leather — Determination of tensile strength and elongation  
 
KS ISO 3380,  Leather — Shrinkage temperature  
 
KS ISO 4045,  Leather — Determination of pH      
 
KS ISO 4047,  Leather — Determination of sulphated total ash and sulphated water -insoluble ash  
  
KS ISO 4048,  Leather — Chemical tests — Determination of matter soluble in dichloromethane and free acid 
content  
 
KS ISO 4684, Leather — Chemical tests — Determination of volatile matter  
 
KS ISO 4098,  Leather — Chemical tests — Determination of water -soluble matter, water -soluble inorganic 
matter and water -soluble organic matter  
 
KS ISO 3377 -2, Leather — Physical and mechanical tests — Determination of tear load — Part 2: Double edge 
tear 
 
KS ISO 5398 -1, Leather — Chemical determination of chromic oxide content — Part 3: Quantification by atomic 
absorption spectrometry  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
For purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in KS 819 shall apply.  
 
4 Requirements   
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 The raw material shall be fresh, wet -salted  or dry -salted hides and/or skins. Semi -finished 
products like pickled -pelt, wet blue or crust leathers (chrome) are also acceptable.  
4.1.2 The material shall be tanned with basic chromium salts. Successful tannage will be indicated 
after the material has passed the boiling test.  
4.1.3 The flesh side of the leather shall be smooth and free from loose flesh.  
4.1.4 The grain side of the leather shall be tight.  
4.1.5 The leather shall be free from open shall be free from open holes, cuts and open surface 
blemishes.  
4.1.6 The leather shall be trimmed to exclude the unusable area along the edges and shanks, and 
nail and toggle marks.  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1 Physical and chemical requirements  
 
Full-chrome upper leather shall comply with the requirements given in Table 1.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Table 1 — Physical and chemical requirements of full-chrome upper leather  
  
 
S/No. 
                        Characteristic        Requirement  
  
Test method  
 
1. Chromium (as Cr2O3) content, % by mass, min.  2.5 KS ISO 5398 -1 
2. Moisture content (%), max.               14 KS ISO 4684  
3. pH of water extract          4.5 – 5.5 KS ISO 4045  
4. Fat content , %         2.5 – 7 KS ISO 4048  
5. Shrinkage temperature, ˚ C,  min.            100 KS ISO 3380  
6. Sulphate (Ash) (%), max.                4 KS ISO 4047  
7. Thickness, mm           0.8 – 2.4 KS ISO 2589  
8. Tensile strength , N/mm2, min.  15  KS ISO 3376  
9. Elongation at break, %  35 – 75 KS ISO 3376  
10. Tear strength , N, min.  40 KS ISO 3377 -2 
11. Rub fastness (grey 
scale) , After 40 cycles 
with perspiration 
solution, min  Dry  3 KS ISO 11640  
Wet  3 
12. Water vapour absorption , mg/cm2·h , min.  0.8 KS ISO 14268  
13. Flex resistance , after 20000 cycle s, min.  No crack  KS ISO 5402 -1 
14. Adhesion of finish (N/mm), min  5.0 KS ISO 11644  
15. Water vapour absorption , mg/cm2 , min.  15 KS ISO 17229  
 
 
5 Grading  
 
The shoe upper leather shall be graded into six selections as shown below:  
  
5.1 Grade I  
The upper leather shall have good grain well -filled flanks. 90 % to 100 % of the area shall be usable.  
 
5.2 Grade II  
Same as grade I. 80 %of the area shall be usable.  
  
5.3 Grade III  
Same as grade I. 70 %of the area shall be usable.  
  
5.4 Grade IV  
Same as grade I. 60 %of the area shall be usable.  
  
5.5 Grade V  
50 %of the area shall be usable.  
  
5.6 Rejects  
Any shoe upper leathers below the standard of grade V shall be called rejects.  
 
6 Pack aging  
Leather shall be packed in suitable packaging material designed to preserve and protect the leather from any.  
damage.   
7 Marking  
The packages shall be labelled  with the following information.  
a) the name of the manufacturer ; 
b)  number and total area of the pieces ;   
c) batch, and ; 
d)  month and year of manufacture.  
8    Sampling and criteria for conformity  
 
The sampling and criteria for conformity shall be as prescribed in KS ISO 2588.  The location of test pieces shall 
be as specified in ISO 2418 .