Water vapor permeability of bovine leather for making professional footwear

Different methods were used to investigate water vapour resistance and water vapour permeability on several bovine leathers to be used for making professional footwear. The Permetest instrument determined water vapour resistance while water vapour permeability was determined by a standard method, according to HRN EN ISO 20344:2012. Samples of box calf leather and nappa leather, whose raw material is equal, were technologically processed in a similar manner (hydrophobisized, combination tanned and polyurethane finish of the face of the leather) have the highest water vapour resistance. In the case of identical processing a sample of less thick suede has lower water vapour resistance in relation to thicker suede. Water vapour permeability is largely dependent on the processing of the face of the leather. Suede samples have high values of water vapour permeability in comparison to samples of box calf and nappa leather, independent on thickness and processing which is associated with the permeable structure of their buffed face.