The kinetics of the grafting polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto leather were studied with chemical initiation systems. The results showed that the rate of grafting of GMA onto leather was dependent on different rates in the chemical initiation systems; for ammonium persulfate (AmPS)/acetone sodium bisulfite (ASBS), potassium persulfate (PPS)/ASBS, and sodium persulfate (SPS)/ASBS, the powers were 1.06, 0.48, and 0.43 and 0.63, 0.46, and 0.43, respectively, with respect to the concentration of the emulsifier sodium dodecyl sulfate, whereas the powers were 1.41, 0.70, and 0.81, respectively, with respect to the monomer concentration. The apparent activation energy was calculated for each initiation system and was found to be 180.8, 361.63, and 542.45 kcal for the AmPS/ASBS, PPS/ASBS, and SPS/ASBS systems, respectively. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.