ABSTRAKPermintaan kulit yang bermutu semakin meningkat tetapi ketersediaannya semakin menurun. Teknologi pasca penyamakan (finishing) merupakan hal yang dapat dilakukan untuk menutupi kerusakan kulit. Salah satu bahan finishing kulit yang dapat digunakan untuk menutupi cacat kulit adalah pigmen. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penambahan jumlah pigmen pada lapisan dasar terhadap sifat fisik kulit tersamak. Kulit sapi yang sudah disamak ulang diberi perlakuan finishing dengan variasi pigmen 7,5; 10; 12,5; 15; dan 17,5% pada lapisan dasar. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pigmen berpengaruh pada penyerapan air selama dua jam dan ketebalan lapisan finishing. Formulasi dengan berbagai variasi pigmen dalam penelitian ini memenuhi standard SNI 0234: 2009 Kulit Bagian Atas Alas Kaki-Kulit Boks dan ISO 20879: 2007 Footwear performance requirements for footwear-upper dari segi ketahanan gosok cat (kering dan basah), penyerapan air (2 dan 24 jam), dan permeabilitas uap air..(Kata kunci: “finishing, kulit sapi, pigmen, permeabilitas uap air”) ABSTRACTThe demand of high quality leather was increasing, but it’s availability was decrease. Finishing was technology to upgrade the quality of leather. Pigment was one of the materials for finishing leather that can correcting grain. The aim of this research was to determine the best variation in addition of pigment as base coat on leather physical properties. Retanned cow leather was finished with 7,5; 10; 12,5; 15; and 17,5% of pigment as base coat. This study revealed pigment, as one of basecoat material, affected not only water absorption for two hous but also leather coating thickness. Finishing formulation used to finish leather, with pigment included, was met the requirements of SNI 0234: 2009 Kulit Bagian Atas Alas Kaki-Kulit Boks dan ISO 20879: 2007 Footwear performance requirements for footwear-upper for rub fastness (wet and dry), water absorption (2 and 24 hours), and water vapour permeability. (Keywords: “finishing, cow leather, pigment, water vapour permeability”)