What Is Water Resistance?
The water resistance topic answers three separate questions depending on the product line. IN TEXTILES two properties are measured: water repellency (the ability of the surface to drain water without retaining it, rated by the spray test) and water permeability (resistance to water permeation under pressure, measured by hydrostatic pressure). IN SHOES, the assembled product is tested to see if it is water permeable. IN SUN PROTECTIVE PRODUCTS, it is measured how much of the protection is retained after entering the water (water resistance retention). The three practices are governed by different standards and their results are not interchangeable.
Purpose of Water Resistance
The aim is to verify whether the product delivers the declared performance in wet conditions: that the clothing is waterproof in the rain, that the shoes keep the feet dry, that the sunscreen continues to protect after leaving the sea.
Which Products Is Water Resistance Applied To?
- Outerwear and raincoat fabrics
- Tents, awnings and tarpaulins
- Work clothes and protective clothing
- Membrane and coated fabrics
- Work safety shoes and boots
- Water-resistant sunscreen products
In Which Sectors Is Water Resistance Used?
Standards Related to Water Resistance
- TS EN ISO 4920 (textile — surface wetting resistance, spray test)
- TS EN ISO 811 (textile — resistance to hydrostatic pressure)
- TS EN ISO 9865 (Bundesmann rain simulation)
- TS EN 343 (protective clothing against rain)
- AATCC 22 / AATCC 127
- TS EN ISO 5403-1/-2 (leather — dynamic water impermeability)
- TS EN ISO 20344 / 20345 (shoes — all shoes waterproof, WR)
- TS EN ISO 16217 (sunscreen — water immersion process)
- TS EN ISO 18861 (sunscreen — water resistance retention percentage)
Water Resistance Conditions
- Sprey testi
- A certain volume of water is sprayed from a height defined in the standard.
- Hidrostatik test
- The pressure is increased at a rate defined in the standard; The value at which the third drop appears is recorded
- shoe experiment
- The product is subjected to walking movement in water at a defined depth
- sunscreen
- SPF measurement is repeated before and after water immersion; retention percentage is calculated
Equipment for Water Resistance
- Spray test device (spray tester)
- Hydrostatic pressure tester
- Bundesmann rain simulator
- Walking simulation water tank (for shoes)
- Water bath and SPF measuring device (for sunscreen)
- Reference photo sets
Sample Requirements for Water Resistance
- Separate sample sets for each experiment
- Fabric samples should be placed with the coated surface facing outwards.
- If the stitched area will be tested, a separate sample should be prepared.
- Completely assembled, unused pairs are required for shoe testing.
- If post-washing performance is desired, a washed sample should also be submitted.
Duration of Water Resistance
The spray test is short. The duration of the hydrostatic test depends on the rate of pressure increase and the level to which the sample resists; It is significantly extended in high-performance membranes. In the shoe test, the defined number of cycles determines the duration, and in the sunscreen test, the dipping and SPF measurement steps determine the duration.
Water Resistance Procedure
- 1Specimens are conditioned.
- 2In the spray test, the sample is stretched on the inclined device and a defined volume of water is sprayed; The surface is graded with the reference set.
- 3In the hydrostatic test, the sample is sealed to the cell and the pressure is increased at a defined rate.
- 4In the shoe test, the product is subjected to walking movement in the water tank and the inner surface is examined.
- 5SPF in sunscreen is measured before and after water immersion.
- 6Results are reported on a trial-by-experiment basis.
Water Resistance Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance criteria vary depending on the application: the minimum degree in the specification in the spray test, the class limits of product standards such as TS EN 343 in the hydrostatic test, the maximum wetting area defined by TS EN ISO 20345 for WR in shoes, and the retention percentage calculated according to ISO 18861 in sunscreen to support the declaration. Class and threshold values are confirmed from the current edition of the relevant standard.
Evaluation of Results
The results are read together. A high degree of spray but low hydrostatic pressure indicates that the surface finish is working but the fabric is not a water barrier. Material impermeability in shoes does not guarantee product impermeability; Water mostly enters through the seam or bottom joint. Re-measurement after washing reveals the permanence of the water-repellent finish.
Water Resistance Report
- Sample description and coating/membrane information, if applicable
- Applied standards and test level (material/product)
- Sprey testi derecesi
- Hydrostatic pressure value (cm of water column or kPa)
- Wetting area and amount of water intake in shoes
- SPF and retention percentage in sunscreen before/after dipping
- Results after washing, if any
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on Personal Protective Equipment (for protective clothing and footwear)
- Cosmetic Products Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (for sunscreen claims)
Footwear and Leather Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Water Resistance test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Footwear and leather testing assesses the physical durability and chemical safety of a product together. Footwear is a MULTI-COMPONENT product: the sole, upper, lining, insole, heel and bonding line are tested both individually and together. One component being good does not mean the product is good; failure usually appears where components join.
On the physical side, the most common field failure is SOLE-UPPER SEPARATION. Bond strength is therefore the most critical measurement in the field and is a direct indicator of the bonding process (surface preparation, adhesive selection, pressing conditions). Next come sole abrasion and flex resistance: a shoe is flexed hundreds of thousands of times over its life.
Slip resistance is the most important parameter for safety and its measurement depends on the surface: wet ceramic, oily steel and dry floor give different results. Slip resistance is therefore reported not as a single number but with the surface and the direction of slip stated.
A separate body of work applies to protective footwear, and this is the most commercially critical distinction. Toe protection (impact and compression), penetration resistance, antistatic behaviour, heat and cold insulation, electrical insulation and fuel resistance are assessed under personal protective equipment requirements. CE is mandatory for these products and the category must be chosen correctly; an ordinary footwear test report does not satisfy that file.
On the chemical side, CHROMIUM (VI) has a special place in leather. The chromium (III) used in tanning can oxidise into chromium (VI) during storage and ageing; that is, a leather that was compliant at production may exceed the limit months later. The time of measurement and the history of the sample therefore affect the result, and measurement after ageing may be required.
Other chemical items are aromatic amines from azo dyes, pentachlorophenol, short-chain chlorinated paraffins, dimethyl fumarate and phthalates. These items come from REACH restrictions and brand restricted substance lists.
There is NO CE marking on consumer footwear; the obligation runs through material composition labelling, compliance with chemical restrictions and general product safety. Labelling has a rule of its own: the type of material used for the upper, the lining and insole and the outer sole is shown by pictograms.
Comfort and functional claims (waterproofness, moisture management, breathability) are supported by separate tests, and these claims require evidence if used in marketing copy.
Method groups in this field
Bonding and strength
Sole-upper bond strength, seam strength, heel attachment strength, strap and buckle strength.
Abrasion and flexing
Sole abrasion, flex resistance (dry and at low temperature), insole abrasion.
Slip resistance
Forward and backward slip measurements on wet ceramic, oily steel and dry floor.
Protective properties
Toe impact and compression resistance, penetration resistance, antistatic behaviour, heat and cold insulation, fuel and chemical resistance.
Leather chemistry
Chromium (VI), azo dye amines, pentachlorophenol, short-chain chlorinated paraffins, pH and fat content.
Comfort and function
Waterproofness, water vapour permeability, moisture management, colour fastness and the effect of perspiration.
Commonly confused in this field
- Footwear claiming a protective function falls under PPE legislation and requires CE; a consumer footwear test report does not satisfy that file.
- A chromium (VI) result depends on the age of the sample and its storage conditions; leather compliant at production may exceed the limit later.
- Slip resistance is not a single number; it cannot be interpreted without stating the surface and the direction.
- A result obtained for one component does not cover the whole product; the joints are tested separately.
- Labelling rules run on material pictograms; an incorrect pictogram causes problems in customs and market surveillance.
- A waterproofness claim is not verifiable unless the test used and the number of flex cycles after which it was measured are stated.
Which decisions these results support
- Compliance with the brand restricted substance list
- The PPE category and CE file for protective footwear
- Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
- Root cause analysis of field complaints (bond opening, sole separation)
- Substantiation of functional claims
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Water Resistance
Are waterproof and water repellent the same thing?
It is not. Water repellent is the ability of the surface to bead and drain water and is achieved by the finish. Waterproof is the ability to resist water under pressure and requires a membrane or coating. A product is water repellent and can pass through water.
Are the seams also tested?
Fabric experiments do not include sewing. A garment made from a waterproof fabric will absorb water through the seams if the seam holes are not taped. If final product performance is desired, the stitched sample or assembled product must be tested separately.
What is required for a sunscreen to declare 'water resistant'?
The claim is based on measurement demonstrating that a certain percentage of protection is retained after immersion in water. ISO 16217 defines immersion and ISO 18861 defines how retention is calculated. The measurement is carried out together with the SPF determination.