For military leather processing pinnacle technologies are applied, because the leather must have extreme hydrophobicity, herewith to maintain the breathability and moisture management capabilities. Therefore, leather producers must use such tanning chemicals, which are able to impart sufficient waterproofness and vapour permeability. In this study the influence of retanning and fatliquoring technologies for wet-blue hide conversion into finished military leather on its waterproofing behaviour and breathability has been studied. The comparable evaluation of leathers manufactured in Lithuanian and Kazakhstan tanneries was carried out. The leathers were characterized by chemical analysis and moisture absorption, water vapour permeability and water vapour absorption properties.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.18.2.1918

Unfinished leather has high water vapour permeability and low waterproofness because of its natural porous structure. To modify the surface appearance and hide any defects, to improve physical properties, such as light and rub fastness, resistance to water, solvents, abrasion, etc., leather needs to be finished. In this study the influence of waterborne finishing agents on the waterproofness and breathability of the hydrophobic leather obtained using different retanning, waterproofing, neutralization and dispersing agents has been investigated. The leather was characterized using morphological analysis and permeability studies.