Information on the most widely used ASTM standards within the materials testing industry
Model: UT4075; ASTM D6076, ISO 3380
UnitedTest supplies high‑precision leather shrinkage temperature tester for leather hydrothermal stability testing. Fully compliant with ISO 3380, ASTM D6076, GB/T 47488 standards. Ideal for tannery QC, leather laboratory test, tanning degree evaluation. Contact us for quotation.
A leather shrinkage temperature tester (also called leather hydrothermal shrinkage tester, Ts tester for leather, or collagen denaturation temperature apparatus) is a laboratory instrument used to determine the shrinkage temperature (Ts) of leather — the temperature at which a wetted leather specimen suddenly contracts due to hydrothermal denaturation of collagen fibers.
General introduction
UnitedTest supplies high‑precision leather shrinkage temperature tester for leather hydrothermal stability testing. Fully compliant with ISO 3380, ASTM D6076, GB/T 47488 standards. Ideal for tannery QC, leather laboratory test, tanning degree evaluation. Contact us for quotation.
Leather Shrinkage Temperature Tester is essential laboratory testing equipment to measure the shrinkage temperature of natural leather, genuine hide, chrome‑tanned leather and vegetable‑tanned leather. Shrinkage temperature refers to the temperature at which fully‑wetted leather specimen generates sudden irreversible shrinkage under controlled heating, caused by collagen fiber hydrothermal denaturation. This value directly reflects tanning effect, cross‑linking degree and hydrothermal stability of finished leather, widely used for incoming inspection, production quality control, R&D test and third‑party leather lab verification.
As a professional manufacturer of leather physical testing machines, UnitedTest develops and manufactures full‑spec leather shrinkage temperature tester strictly aligned with international and Chinese national standards: ISO 3380:2015, ASTM D6076‑18(2023), GB/T 47488‑2026. Our equipment supports both water‑medium test for ≤98 °C and glycerine‑water mixed‑solution test for leather samples above 98 °C shrinkage temperature, covering most leather material test scenarios.

What Is a Leather Shrinkage Temperature Tester?
A leather shrinkage temperature tester (also called leather hydrothermal shrinkage tester, Ts tester for leather, or collagen denaturation temperature apparatus) is a laboratory instrument used to determine the shrinkage temperature (Ts) of leather — the temperature at which a wetted leather specimen suddenly contracts due to hydrothermal denaturation of collagen fibers.
The Ts value is the single most accepted indicator of:
Tanning type and degree (e.g. chrome-tanned leather usually Ts > 100 °C, vegetable-tanned lower)
Hydrothermal stability of finished leather
Process control in tanneries, footwear, automotive upholstery, and leather goods R&D.
Key Features
As a professional manufacturer of leather physical testing machines, UnitedTest designs the unit for lab-grade repeatability:
Multi-standard mode switch — ISO 3380 / GB/T 47488 / ASTM D6076 presets in PLC/HMI
Precision bath system — 500 mL+ vessel, depth >110 mm, top-bottom gradient ≤1 °C via stirrer
Controlled heating — PID control, 2 ±0.2 °C/min (ISO/GB) or 3–5 °C/min (ASTM)
Optical/digital shrinkage detection — dial comparator or encoder, resolution 0.15 mm, auto-stop at 0.3 % contraction
PT100 / RTD sensor — ±0.5 °C accuracy, data logging every 30s
Glycerin upgrade kit — for >100 °C Ts testing per GB/T 47488 and ASTM D6076
Vacuum pre-wetting station — desiccator + vacuum pump (<4 kPa) for dry samples per ISO 3380.
Software report — exports mean Ts parallel/perpendicular to backbone, batch ID, medium type.
A rectangular leather specimen is thoroughly wetted, clamped between a fixed holder and a movable holder, immersed in a heating bath (water or glycerin-water mix), and heated at a controlled rate. When collagen shrinks, the movable arm deflects a pointer/dial. The bath temperature at the defined contraction (commonly 0.3 % length reduction under ISO/IULTCS) is recorded as the shrinkage temperature.
ISO 3380 / 《GB/T 47488》: heating rate 2 ± 0.2 °C/min, water medium up to 100 °C
ASTM D6076: heating rate 3–5 °C/min, water ≤ 98 °C, glycerin-water > 98 °C (up to ~112 °C)
GB/T 47488-2026: extended to >100 °C using glycerin or glycerin-water medium, MOD of ISO 3380:2015
1. ISO 3380:2015 Leather‑Physical and mechanical tests‑Determination of shrinkage temperature up to 100 ℃
International IULTCS‑adopted standard for leather shrinkage temperature below 100 °C. Specifies specimen dimension, pre‑wetting requirement, heating rate (2 °C/min typical), clamping load, bath medium and test report requirements for hides and skins.
2. ASTM D6076‑18(2023) Standard Test Method for Shrinkage Temperature of Leather
American standard covering all leather types. Two heating media: deionized water for expected shrinkage ≤98 °C; glycerine‑water solution for samples over 98 °C. Regulates specimen size, vacuum soaking pretreatment, heating rate 3‑5 °C/min, observation and recording rules for sudden shrinkage point.
3. GB/T 47488‑2026 Leather‑Physical and mechanical tests‑Determination of shrinkage temperature
Chinese national standard, modified adoption of ISO 3380:2015. Adds provisions for high‑temperature leather samples and hydrophobic leather pretreatment, unifies domestic laboratory operating specifications for leather shrinkage temperature measurement in China leather industry.
Tannery incoming hide / outgoing finished leather QC
Footwear factory heat-resistant leather verification (moist-heat lasting)
Automotive leather upholstery hydrothermal aging assessment
R&D comparison of chrome vs vegetable vs aldehyde tanning
Third-party inspection labs needing ISO 17025 aligned leather Ts machine
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Main Technical Specification
| Sample | (50±2)mm × (3±0.2)mm or (2±0.2)mm, 4 pcs |
| Glass beaker | 500 ml, inner diameter 70±2 mm, depth >110 mm, can be used at temperatures over 100°C |
| Sample holder | Small nails, distance from the bottom of the container (30±5) mm |
| Test hook | Movable test hook, one end connected to the bottom of the specimen, the other end connected to the line running through the pulley. |
| Thermostat | Taiwan imported thermostat, accuracy 0.5°C, scale value 1°C |
| Heater | Heated at (2±0.2)°C/min |
| Inner diameter of brass tube | 4mm |
| Circular scale | Diameter 45mm |
| Scale resolution | 2.7% (minimum scale 5°) |
| Stirrer | Effectively stirs the water in the container so that the temperature difference between the top and bottom of the specimen ≤1°C; |
| Weight | 20kg |
| Volume | W520×D400×H740mm |
| Power supply | 1 phase,AC220V,50Hz |
Standard
ISO 3380 Leather – Physical and mechanical tests – Determination of shrinkage temperature up to 100 °C
ISO 3380 defines a laboratory method to measure the shrinkage temperature (Ts) of leather—the temperature at which a leather specimen suddenly contracts when heated in water. It is the official IULTCS method IUP 16 and is aligned with European leather standardization (CEN/TC 289).
ASTM D6076 Standard Test Method for Shrinkage Temperature of Leather
ASTM D6076 measures the shrinkage temperature (Ts) of all types of leather by gradually heating a wetted specimen in a liquid medium until hydrothermal collapse of the collagen fiber network causes sudden contraction. It is the U.S. equivalent of ISO 3380 but uses different specimen size, heating rate, tension mass, and medium rules (water ≤98 °C, glycerin-water >98 °C).
ASTM D2209 Standard Test Method for Tensile Strength of Leather
ASTM D2209 measuring the rupture load and tensile strength of a leather strip specimen 1/2 in. (12.7 mm) wide. It measures tensile strength only and references ASTM D2211 separately for elongation.
ISO 3376 Leather‑Physical and mechanical tests‑Determination of tensile strength and percentage elongation
ISO 3376 defines a unified laboratory test method to measure three key mechanical indexes of leather: tensile strength, percentage elongation under specified load, and percentage elongation at maximum force. This standard applies to all leather types (upper leather, lining, upholstery, automotive, etc.) and is issued in cooperation with IULTCS.
ISO 17693 – Footwear — Test methods for uppers — Resistance to damage on lasting
ISO 17693 specifies a test method to determine the lastability ("resistance to damage on lasting") of uppers or complete upper assemblies, irrespective of the material, for assessing suitability for the end use.
"Resistance to damage on lasting" = the ability of a material to be stretched simultaneously in all directions (distended) without being damaged.
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