Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT
Hardness band
SOFT = heavily fatliquored garment / soft upholstery chrome leather
High fatliquor, low modulus and high drape — pick for garments, soft seating and flexible bellows rather than load-bearing parts.
Values for the SOFT condition
Other Chrome-Tanned Leather tempers and conditions
Chrome-Tanned Leather is listed in 3 conditions; see the grade overview at Chrome-Tanned Leather.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flesh split | Lower layer left after splitting — weaker and more porous but cheap and heat-shielding; the standard for welding gloves and aprons. | — | 12 | 60 | — | 0.13 W/m·K |
SOFTThis page Heavily fatliquored garment / soft upholstery chrome leather | High fatliquor, low modulus and high drape — pick for garments, soft seating and flexible bellows rather than load-bearing parts. | — | 17 | 65 | — | 0.14 W/m·K |
FGDefault Full-grain finished chrome leather | Highest-strength, unsanded grain layer — default choice for shoe uppers, straps, gaskets and premium upholstery. | — | 26 | 48 | — | 0.16 W/m·K |
What is Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT?
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT is Chrome-Tanned Leather heat treated to SOFT — high fatliquor, low modulus and high drape — pick for garments, soft seating and flexible bellows rather than load-bearing parts. Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT has a tensile strength of 17 MPa (2.47 ksi), weaker than 57% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 65% and the elastic modulus is 0.08 GPa (0.0116 Msi). Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT has a density of 0.85 g/cm³ (0.0307 lb/in³), heavier than 70% of natural material grades. FG is the default condition FabDigit quotes; SOFT is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 65%, better than 102% of natural material grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 12 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 93% of natural material grades
- Low stiffness — 0.08 GPa (0.0116 Msi), worse than 87% of natural material grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 30/100, worse than 77% of natural material grades
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT properties
Typical room-temperature values for Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Chrome-Tanned Leather reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT has a density of 0.85 g/cm³ (0.0307 lb/in³), heavier than 70% of natural material grades.
Mechanical6
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT has a tensile strength of 17 MPa (2.47 ksi), weaker than 57% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 65% and the elastic modulus is 0.08 GPa (0.0116 Msi).
Thermal4
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT is rated for continuous service to 85°C (185 °F). It conducts heat at 0.14 W/m·K (0.0809 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 51% of natural material grades.
Electrical1
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT has an electrical resistivity of 1×10⁹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is poor (30/100), worse than 77% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT takes about 140 MJ of energy and emits 12 kg of CO₂ — more than 100% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability2
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT's machinability is very good (72/100, worse than 60% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT
Is Chrome-Tanned Leather easy to machine?
Cut with steel-rule (clicker) dies, rotary/drag knife or CO2 laser at low power — laser cutting scorches and releases chromium-bearing fume, so extract and test edges.
Can Chrome-Tanned Leather be welded?
Not weldable; join by stitching, riveting, lacing or flexible adhesives (polychloroprene, PU) after roughing/skiving the bond area.
Can Chrome-Tanned Leather be formed, bent or molded?
Wet-forms and heat-sets poorly compared with veg-tan leather; shape by damp moulding below 60 °C, stitching or lasting over a form, and allow for 2–5 % shrinkage on drying.
What surface finishes work on Chrome-Tanned Leather?
Dyed, fatliquored, then spray/roller-coated with pigment-PU or aniline finish, plated/embossed and glazed; edges are burnished, painted or folded rather than polished.
Chrome-Tanned Leather chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Cr2O3chromium(III) oxide on dry hide substance; ISO 5398 / GB/T 9098 | 3 – 5 | 4 |
| fatliquor & oilsISO 4048 dichloromethane extractables | 3 – 12 | 7 |
| moistureISO 4684, conditioned 20 °C/65 % RH | 10 – 16 | 14 |
| syntans / vegetable retanning agents | 0 – 8 | 4 |
| dyes, pigments & finish film | 0.5 – 6 | 2 |
| sulphated ash (excl. Cr) | 0.5 – 3 | 1.5 |
| Cr(VI)must be <3 mg/kg per EN ISO 17075 / REACH | 0 – 3×10⁻⁴ | 0 |
| collagen (hide protein)dry substance basis | ≥ 60 (balance) | — |
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT — frequently asked
What is Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT used for?
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT is typically used for work gloves, gaskets, upholstery, conveyor belt facing and shoe uppers. In short: softest structural leather; water-resistant tannage; poor wet-forming vs veg-tan.
What is the tensile strength of Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT?
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT has a typical tensile strength of 17 MPa (2.47 ksi) — weaker than 57% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (72/100, worse than 60% of natural material grades). Cut with steel-rule (clicker) dies, rotary/drag knife or CO2 laser at low power — laser cutting scorches and releases chromium-bearing fume, so extract and test edges.
Can Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT be welded?
Not weldable; join by stitching, riveting, lacing or flexible adhesives (polychloroprene, PU) after roughing/skiving the bond area.
What surface finishes work on Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT?
Dyed, fatliquored, then spray/roller-coated with pigment-PU or aniline finish, plated/embossed and glazed; edges are burnished, painted or folded rather than polished.
Can Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT be formed, bent or molded?
Wet-forms and heat-sets poorly compared with veg-tan leather; shape by damp moulding below 60 °C, stitching or lasting over a form, and allow for 2–5 % shrinkage on drying.
What is the maximum service temperature of Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT?
Chrome-Tanned Leather SOFT is rated for continuous use to about 85°C (185 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ISO 3376 Leather — Determination of tensile strength and percentage extension — ISO (2020)
- ISO 3380 Leather — Determination of shrinkage temperature up to 100 °C — ISO (2015)
- ISO 5398 Leather — Chemical determination of chromic oxide content — ISO (2018)
- EN ISO 17075 Leather — Chemical determination of chromium(VI) content — ISO (2017)
- Principles of Leather Manufacture / Leather Technologist's Pocket Book — SLTC (2011)
- CES EduPack natural materials records (leather) — Granta Design/Ansys (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.