Understand the language of glove styles and construction
Hand protection is available for a wide range of work environments---from high heat to high moisture, harsh chemicals to cut and puncture hazards. Specialty gloves have been developed for all kinds of protection over the centuries that people have been wearing gloves. Improved knowledge of the terms of gloves and glove-making materials and techniques helps in making better choices for hand protection for specific jobs.
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Abrasion resistance - Ability of a glove material to resist damage from rubbing on rough surfaces.
Ball and tape fastener - A strap used to snug the fit of a full leather glove at the wrist.
Band top - Band of material used as a cuff on gloves.
Belly leather - Leather from the belly portion of an animal hide. Widely used in full leather gloves.
Binding - Thin fabric sewn on the entire cuff circumference to prevent the cuff material from fraying.
Bleed - Transfer of dye to the wearer's hands - not color fast.
Blister - Defect on dipped gloves caused by an air bubble trapped during the dipping cycle or by water trapped during the curing cycle. This defect usually occurs during over-dip, rather than primary dip.
Boardy - Stiff, not pliable. Used to describe stiff leather.
Buckskin - Leather from deer and elk skin used for shoes, gloves and clothing. Only the outer cut of the skin from which the surface grain has been removed may be correctly defined as "genuine buckskin". Leather finished from the split or under cut of deerskin must be described as "split buckskin".
Buffalo - Buffalo leather is made from the hides of domesticated water buffalo (not the American bison).
Calf leather, calfskin - Leather made from the skins of young cattle from a few days up to a few months old, the skins weighing up to 15 lb. Calf leather is finer-grained, lighter in weight and more supple than cowhide.
Camel skin - Leather from camels is soft and has high wear resistance.
Chemical degradation - Change in a glove material's physical properties (e.g., thickness, weight, strength) as the result of chemical exposure.
Chlorination - Process in glove manufacturing that is generally applied to unsupported gloves for hardening the glove interior. This makes the gloves easier to don and helps keep them from sticking together. Chlorination is performed during manufacturing by rinsing gloves in a chlorinated solution.
Clute cut - Glove style with a one-piece palm and no seam at the base of the finger. There are seams along the fingers on the inside. Flexible and good for cotton, synthetics, and economical, lightweight leather gloves. Not recommended for heavy gloves.
Color coding - Standard glove trade color codes are: Yellow – Extra Small (7); Red – Small (8); Green – Medium (9); Brown – Large (10); Blue – Extra Large (11); Black – XXL (12)
Compounding - Process in molded glove manufacturing where the proper ingredients (plasticizers, stabilizers, fillers, viscosity modifiers, etc.) are mixed to create a wide range of material properties such as cut resistance, flexibility, and long wear.
Conductive cold resistance - The ability of glove materials to resist transfer of heat from the hand to the outside environment when contacting a cold surface.
Conductive heat resistance - The ability of glove materials to resist transfer of heat from the outside environment to the hand when contacting a hot surface.
Continuous pull - An extension of the material used for the palm of a glove that is sewn to the cuff. The continuous pull reinforces the seam used to sew on the cuff.
Corrected grain - Grain leather that has had an abrasive used on the finish for more uniform appearance (to hide scratches etc.). Also used to give a soft feeling on grain leather, when it is called buffed, snuffed or fluffed.
Cotton - Cotton is soft, breathable, absorbent, lightweight and durable. Cotton gloves are used for basic abrasion protection.
Cowhide - Leather from full-grown cows. Cowhide is the most popular leather because of its availability. With a good balance of durability, dexterity, abrasion resistance, and comfort, it can have a smooth or rough finish.
Cuff - The cuff is the end of the glove, the material extending beyond the palm of the hand to give extra protection to the wrist and forearm. Glove cuffs can include several styles, such as gauntlet, pinking, rolled, safety, serrated, slip-on and wristlet cuffs.
Curing - A process used in glove manufacturing to convert raw materials into a finished product by the application of heat and/or chemicals.
Cut and sewn - Fabrics like canvas, jersey, or leather are cut into components according to a pattern, then sewn together to make a glove.
Cut resistance - The ability of a glove material to resist cutting through when exposed to sharp surfaces.
Deerskin - Leather made from the hide of a deer, deerskin has high flexibility and is soft, but strong. It is regarded as the best leather for fine gloves and was once the material for extensive trade between Native Americans and Europe, which led by the mid 18th century to temporary near-extirpation of deer from the Southeast region of North America.
Degradation - A change in glove material physical properties as the result of exposure to chemicals, heat, or some other form of environmental condition. Also see Chemical Degradation and Heat Degradation.
Denim - An economical single-layer fabric used in some leather-palm gloves.
Dipping - A process in glove manufacturing where a form or glove liner is put into an uncured polymer compound. Glove manufacturing may use multiple dips to provide desired glove thickness and other characteristics.
Don - The act of putting on a glove.
Doff - The act of taking off a glove.
Drivers' glove - A slip-on-style, full-leather glove.
Duck - Launderable single-ply cotton material used in gloves.
Elk – Elkskin is supple, yet tough. It dries soft.
Elongation - A glove's ability to be stretched.
Fabric weight - Usually expressed as ''8-ounce'', ''24-ounce'' or some other number. This is the weight of a full square yard of the fabric that the glove is sewn from. So a square yard of fabric used to make an 8-ounce brown jersey glove weighs 8 ounces.
Fiber - Smallest visible piece of a tanned skin. The characteristics of the fibers play a very important role in wear and tear resistance.
Finger tips - Added leather protection and wear feature built into some leather-palm glove patterns.
Fleece lining - Soft, cotton material used for added warmth and reduced abrasive chafing in leather gloves.
Flesh split - Layer of hide next to an animal's muscles and flesh.
Flock lining - Glove lining of fine cotton fibers for moisture absorption and easy donning.
Foam lining - Polyurethane layer, generally covered by fleece or flock lined with nylon. Provides a good glove lining for warmth.
Forming - Part of the turning process in glove manufacture that enhances the appearance and straightens seams that otherwise might cause discomfort.
Fourchette - The sidewall area between the top and bottom of glove fingers made by using additional material.
Full fashion style - A dress glove style with fourchettes and a set-in thumb for a tailored fit.
Full first finger - Wraparound index finger construction that eliminates a seam on the outer finger edge. Designed to add wear.
Full-grain leather - Leather that has the original-grain surface of the skin. The cleaned, natural hides have not been sanded to remove imperfections. Only the hair has been removed. The grain remains in its natural state, which allows the best fiber strength, resulting in greater durability. The natural grain also has natural breathability, resulting in greater comfort.
Full lining - A ''glove within a glove,'' the lining covers the entire interior surface of the glove.
Gauntlet cuff - A 4 to 4 ½ inch wide band of bonded material sewn to a glove as a cuff. Gauntlet cuff gloves are designed to be removed quickly if necessary.
Goatskin - Leather from goats that is harder wearing than most other leathers and both durable and supple because of the natural lanolin produced by goats. Mostly available in thin cuts, goatskin gives a pleasing finish with an interesting grain. Highly recommended for applications requiring tactile sensitivity with light to medium protective needs.
Grain - The outer, smooth surface of the hide. Left natural it provides a superior wear resistance compared to split leather. (Grain is also known as Epidermis.)
Gunn cut - A design that features fully-wrapped leather index fingers and thumbs, leather fingertips, leather knuckle straps, wing thumb design, shirred elastic back and continuous pull. Their open-cuff design allows the wearer easy on/off. These are usually very generously sized. This durable design provides better wear and comfort, especially for heavier gloves. This is the standard construction for leather gloves, featuring the benefits of a single-piece seamless back and the finer seams set farther away from the working area of the palm. It is also characterized by the two middle fingers being sewn separately onto the palm piece.
Gusset - The piece of leather sewn between the fingers, very often used in dress gloves. Also called side wall or fourchette.
Heel or continuous pull - The extended leather portion of a short-cuff or gauntlet leather palm glove. Reduces wear at the seam of the cuff caused while pulling the glove on.
Hem - The edge of the cuff finished with a textile, plasticized material or leather.
Impregnated - Plastic (PVC) does not merely coat the material, but actually penetrates the textile. Used where improved grip and dexterity, or a low-level cut protection is required.
Interlock lining - The inner glove is made of lightweight cotton interlock knit fabric.
Jersey lined - The glove is lined with brushed cotton fabric.
Kevlar® - The registered trademark for a light, strong synthetic fiber, developed by DuPont. It is 5 times stronger than steel, yet at the same time lightweight, flexible and comfortable. Its resistance to chemicals, heat, flames, cuts and breaking makes it one of the best protective materials for gloves.
Keystone thumb - Type of inset thumb on full-leather glove patterns. Provides additional wear plus superior movement and comfort. Found mostly on driver's gloves.
Knit wrist - A knit wrist is a stretch-knitted cuff, typically made from cotton, used to protect the wrist and hold the glove in place securely. Also excellent protection against particles falling into the glove.
Knuckle strap - A band of leather across the back of a glove covering the knuckle area to provide additional bump protection.
Latex - Natural rubber product that offers barrier protection to guard against contaminants and chemicals. Stretches for comfort. Synthetic materials are frequently stiffer than latex, hence less comfortable to wear. Latex gloves are usually less expensive than synthetic rubber gloves, so they can provide chemical resistance at a more economical price.
Lining - Inner materials such as fabric, fur, or flocking that provide added warmth or comfort.
Lock stitch - Mechanical stitch most commonly made by sewing machines, so named because the two threads, upper and lower, ''lock'' together in the hole in the fabric through which they pass. Unlike chain stitch, lock stitch does not unravel easily. Used on higher-quality garments.
Middle split - Fatty layer between the top grain and flesh split of a cowhide. Similar to flesh split but has no tensile strength or abrasion resistance. Not usually used in gloves.
Nap - In fabric gloves, the loose ends of woven fibers that appear fluffy, nap-out on chore gloves, nap-in on cotton flannel styles. In leather-palm gloves, a ''nappy'' appearance is the loose ends of leather fibers, which usually indicates poor quality.
Neoprene - Synthetic rubber with a high chemical and heat resistance. Provides superior support, flexibility, warmth and impact protection.
Nitrile - Nitrile gloves are manufactured using synthetic latex, contain no latex proteins, and are three times more puncture-resistant than natural rubber. They have superior resistance to punctures and abrasions and are also used for protection against a variety of chemicals. Nitrile material has a naturally low coefficient of friction, making them easy to don.
Nylon - Synthetic fiber that is lightweight, exceptionally strong, resilient and abrasion-resistant. It is easy to wash, fast-drying and resists shrinkage, wrinkling and damage from oil and many chemicals.
Out-seam-sewn - Stitching and seams on the outside surface. Seldom used on work gloves because of vulnerability of seams to abrasion.
Pattern - The design of the glove. The most common patterns are Gunn cut and Clute cut.
Pigskin - Skin from swine, known for resilience, resistance to abrasion, staying pliable with wear, and being slower to stiffen after exposure to moisture. Because it is porous, pigskin offers the greatest breathability. Economical and softens with use.
Pile lining - Bulky acrylic material used for extra warmth in gloves.
Plasticized cuff - Waterproof adhesive laminated between two layers of fabric.
Polymer - Material that can be liquefied for use as a coating on gloves, such as PVC, vinyl, neoprene, nitrile, or rubber.
Polypropylene - Economical, tough, heat-resistant material that offers high tear resistance plus excellent resistance to organic solvents, degreasing agents, acids and alkalis. Lightweight, non-toxic, resistant to staining, retains flexibility and has a low moisture absorption rate.
Polyurethane (Poly) - Synthetic material with high abrasion resistance, chemical-resistance and flexibility. Polyurethane offers the elasticity of rubber combined with the toughness and durability of metal. Urethanes have better abrasion and tear resistance than rubbers and are stronger. Polyurethane offers excellent wear properties, flexibility and elastic memory. It is resistant to oils, solvents, fats, greases and gasoline and will remain flexible down to -90°F and in hot water up to 175°F.
Powdered - Dusted with corn starch for moisture absorption and easy donning.
Puncture resistant - Due to their inherent construction, conventional materials such as cotton, leather, and nylons are unable to stop sharp objects from penetrating. Puncture-resistant products provide superior puncture protection, utilizing a variety of different technologies such as an Aramid liner or metal mesh.
PVC (Polyvinyl chloride, known as Vinyl) - PVC protects against a broad range of low-hazard chemicals. It has high strength, good weather resistance and retains its shape. It is non-toxic and has good electrical insulating properties.
Rawhide - Cattle hide that has been de-haired and treated with lime, oil or grease but has not been tanned.
Reversible gloves - Almost always made from a jersey material with a single seam around the entire periphery and a separate cuff sewn on as the last step. Reversible styling enables the wearer to wear the glove on either hand.
Roper's glove - A modified drivers' style, usually a clute pattern of thin deer, goat or elk top-grain leather. Keystone thumbs or English inset thumbs are common.
Rubberized - A term used to describe the bonding of material layers in a glove cuff with rubber cement.
Safety cuff - A 2- to 2 ½-inch-wide band of bonded material sewn to a glove as a cuff, sometimes with a slit opening on the side. Safety cuff gloves are designed to be removed quickly if required.
Shirred wrist - An elastic band sewn into the wrist area on the back of a glove to snug the fit.
Shoulder split - This suede leather comes from the shoulder area where the hide is less uniform in density and appearance. The result is a less-durable, but more affordable leather.
Side split - Suede leather from the back and side portions of the animal. The hide is densest here, yielding a consistently durable-grade leather.
Slip-on style - A glove with no cuff. Drivers' gloves are an example of slip-on styling.
Split - When a thick piece of leather is split into two thinner pieces, the top piece will have grain (Top Grain) and the bottom piece will be suede on both sides. The bottom piece is the split.
Starched cuff - Two layers of fabric laminated and stiffened with starch, used as a band or safety cuff.
Straight thumb - A glove thumb that normally lies straight with the index finger. Common to most fabric gloves and drivers' gloves.
String knits - Fabric gloves or sleeves fabricated using a machine to knit the product in one piece rather than sewing pieces of material together.
Supported gloves - Chemical-resistant gloves manufactured using a shell or lining.
Tanning - The process of coloring, softening and adding preservative oils to prepare animal skins or hides as leather.
Tensile strength (tear resistance) - In leather, tensile strength is important. Leather has most of its tear resistance in the split portion of the hide due to the three-dimensionally interlocking fibers. Other factors that also play an important role include how well-tanned the leather is (not too loose), the type of animal, the part of the hide (belly, shoulder, side), etc. Grain leather has a low tear resistance due to the vertical fiber structure.
Terry cloth - Poly/cotton material blend tough enough to hold up to the demands on a work glove, yet soft enough to wipe sweat and debris away from your face. Terry cloth can absorb up to 27 times its own weight in water.
Thermal lining - A material woven to trap air and insulate against cold.
Thinsulate™ - Trademark of 3M Corporation for a type of synthetic-fiber thermal insulation used in clothing. Thinsulate fibers are about 15 micrometers in diameter, which is thinner than the polyester fibers normally used in insulation for clothing such as gloves. As with most insulation materials, the gaps between the fibers not only reduce heat flow but also allow moisture from perspiration to escape.
Thread - Thread can be divided in two types: natural and synthetic. Synthetic threads are usually stronger; but in certain applications (like welding gloves) natural fiber is preferred because a synthetic thread may melt from the heat. In welding gloves Kevlar might be used as well because it is very strong and heat-resistant.
3/4 Back - Used to describe a leather-palm-style glove when the back is leather 3/4 of the way from the finger tips to the wrist.
Thumb shield - An extra piece of leather sewn in the thumb-to-palm seam to improve wear in this high-abrasion area. Found in some drivers' and leather-palm styles.
Top grain - Top grain leather is fuzzy on one side and smooth on the other. The smooth side is where the hair and natural grain used to be. Top Grain leather is a lower-quality material than Full Grain leather. It has less tensile strength because all the natural grain is sanded off and an artificial grain applied.
Unsupported glove - A glove with no fabric lining, made by dipping a mold into liquid latex or plastic. The glove is created when the material solidifies and is removed from the mold.
Welder's glove - Gloves specially made to repel and resist welding sparks. Lined to protect against heat. Usually full leather with a gauntlet-type cuff that may also be leather.
Welt - A thin piece of leather sewn into a seam to strengthen it and prolong wear in stress, heat, or abrasion areas. Often a welt is used in the seam at the crotch of the thumb and the base of the finger.
Whip stitch - In this sewing method, thread is looped over the outside of the seam in this. Sometimes used in dress gloves. Almost never seen in work gloves because of the exposure of the thread to abrasion.
Wing thumb - Glove construction that angles the thumb diagonally across the palm. Allows good flexibility with no seams on the palm side to obstruct work or cause fatigue. Improves comfort similar to inset thumb designs. Common on welding, drivers', leather palm, and ergonomic gloves.
Wool - Natural fiber and excellent insulator that keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. Retains shape and resists tearing, abrasion, soiling and flames. Can easily absorb up to 30 percent of its weight in moisture without feeling damp or clammy.