Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the extension and recovery behaviour of cervine garment leather. Cervine leather was more extensible than both ovine leather and conventional woven textiles for outerwear. The load and work required for a given extension decreased and stiffness increased during uniaxial and multiaxial extension/recovery cycling. The number of cycles and the extension level affected load, work and stiffness of the first four cycles only (in particular the first cycle). The number of cycles, the direction, and the level of extension did not greatly affect recovery, most of which occurred within 24 hours. For a given extension, the load, work, and stiffness were greater for specimens cut at 0° to the approximate backbone line than those cut at 90°. All differences attributable to direction were small, sometimes not statistically significant, and thus unlikely to affect garment manufacture, or wear. The minimal observed changes after extended periods of uniaxial cyclic testing suggests cervine leather to be a reasonably stable material.