Work Gloves 101 » Leather 101

Gloves come in many different levels of protection, dexterity, and comfort. You need the right combination of materials and construction for your application. Our glove experts can help you make an informed decision about which combination of materials and construction is right for your application.

Leather. Leather is a favourite choice for gloves. It's tough. It has good abrasion and puncture resistance. It breathes and conforms to the hand with time.

Did you know that different types of leather have their own Pro's and Con's?

Grain vs Split. Grain Leather comes from the smooth external side of the hide. Grain provides durability, dexterity and water and oil repellency. Split Leather is the rougher internal side of the hide. Split Leather is also durable and is more economical.

Cuts of Leather. The location and cut of leather that comes from cowhide makes a big difference, especially with split leather (the internal side of the hide). Side split is the most durable and best quality but also the most expensive. Shoulder split is also quite durable but slightly more economical. Belly split is the most economical and least durable cut.


 
Do more layers equal more protection?
Construction in the palm area of leather gloves leads to some misconceptions. When sizing up gloves in a catalog, it is tempting to believe – based on appearance alone – that a patch palm is going to double your protection. To the uninitiated, palm patches would seem to offer greater protection, as the double palm looks like it would give twice the protection in that area.
The reality with most patch-palm leather glove styles is that the patch exists as a kind of bridge between two pieces of leather to create a full palm. This enables the glove manufacturer to maximize use of the full hide by using up all the smaller leftover pieces.

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Head Office
36 Vimy Street, Acton
ON, Canada L7J 1S1
Phone: (519) 853-1920
Toll Free: (800) 265-7617
Fax: (519) 853-4496

 

Superior Glove Works Ltd. – Work Gloves and Safety 1-800-265-7617 Site last updated Nov 2010.