DETERMINATION OF SOME PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ARTIFICIALLY AGED CHROME TANNED GARMENT LEATHER

The aim of this study was to determine the physical changes that might occur in chrome-tanned garment leathers with artificial ageing. For this purpose, a study was conducted on eight pieces chrome-tanned sheep leathers for garment. All leathers were artificially aged by employing the ageing factors of temperature, temperature + UV ray and temperature + humidity. Then, the changes that occurred in the characteristics of artificially-aged leathers were determined by means of some physical tests. According to the findings, it was ascertained that the artificial ageing factors of temperature + UV ray, temperature, and temperature + humidity (in a descending order) caused significant losses of quality on garment leathers. Moreover, decrease in the tensile strength and tear load, fall in the shrinkage temperature and fading in the color of the artificially-aged garment leathers were ascertained.