From traditional options like latex and leather to innovative synthetic fibers, understanding the characteristics and applications of different glove material types is essential for ensuring optimal safety and comfort.
In this article, we delve into the realm of glove materials and guide you in selecting the best material for gloves for your specific needs.
Five considerations for choosing glove materials
Thickness
The thickness of gloves is measured in mils. A mil is equivalent to 0.001 inches. The range of glove thickness can vary depending on the type of gloves and their intended use, but generally, it falls within the range of 2-15 mils.
Thickness directly affects protective performance and flexibility. Thicker gloves typically provide higher physical protection, such as puncture resistance and abrasion resistance, making them suitable for tasks involving rough objects or hazardous substances. However, thicker gloves may reduce tactile sensitivity. Thinner gloves, on the other hand, are more suitable for tasks that require higher tactile sensation and fine dexterity.
Tensile strength
Tensile strength refers to the force or tension required to break a glove. It is measured in megapascals (MPa). The lower the MPa rating, the easier it is for the glove to tear.
The measurement of tensile strength is useful in assessing the quality and performance of gloves, particularly in work scenarios that involve high tension or stretching, such as chemical handling, medical surgeries, or mechanical operations.
Elongation
Elongation refers to the ability of the glove material to stretch or deform under tension without breaking. A high elongation percentage indicates good flexibility and stretchability, allowing the glove to conform to the shape of the hand and provide a comfortable fit.
When considering medical gloves, people often require a minimum elongation of 300%.
Chemical resistance
Choosing glove materials with appropriate chemical resistance is important to avoid harm to the skin when dealing with various chemicals.
For example, if you need to handle chemicals containing chlorides, such as ferric chloride or sodium chloride solution, it is best to choose gloves made of vinyl. Vinyl gloves have excellent resistance to chlorides and can provide effective protection.
Breathability
Gloves with good breathability can provide a better wearing experience, reducing discomfort and fatigue in the hands. This is especially important for tasks that require long hours of glove-wearing or work in high-temperature environments.
Five common natural material gloves
Cotton glove
Cotton is popular for its comfort, breathability, and moisture-absorbing properties, making it a preferred choice. It is also an environmentally friendly and sustainable option.
These gloves are economically viable and suitable for a wide range of work environments, such as gardening labor and light-duty loading and unloading at construction sites.
Leather glove
People favor leather for its classic, stylish look. It offers excellent durability, abrasion resistance, and good puncture and cut resistance. In addition, gloves made of this material have good thermal insulation properties in cold environments.
The applications of leather gloves can vary depending on the type of leather materials. For example, driving gloves typically use soft sheepskin or deerskin to provide better grip and flexibility. While leather gloves used for industrial purposes may employ thicker leather to offer stronger protective properties.
Wool glove
Wool gloves are highly favored for their warmth, moisture-wicking properties, and softness. They are an ideal choice for keeping hands warm in cold weather.
Note that wool gloves may require additional care and maintenance. They typically need to be gently hand-washed, avoiding the use of hot water or vigorous rubbing to prevent damaging the texture and shape of the gloves.
Silk glove
Silk is a delicate, soft, and lightweight natural fiber, and gloves made from this material offer exceptional touch and comfort. These material gloves also have an elegant appearance, making them suitable for formal occasions such as weddings.
However, silk gloves are relatively fragile and can be more expensive. They require special care to maintain their quality and longevity.
Natural latex glove
There are two types of gloves: natural latex and synthetic latex. While the former one dominate.
Natural latex gloves are made from the sap of natural rubber trees and undergo processing and manufacturing. These gloves have excellent elasticity, softness, and comfort, while also providing good tear and puncture resistance. They are widely used in medicine, food handling, and other industries.
Nine synthetic material gloves list
There are many synthetic material gloves available on the market, each with its own advantages and characteristics in different fields and applications. Below I list common eight materials.
Polyester fiber glove
Polyester fiber is a synthetic fiber made from polyester resin. It is elastic, lightweight, soft, and resistant to sun exposure, which makes it a popular material for sunscreen gloves.
Ice silk is a specially treated polyester fiber material. Through textile techniques and special processing, ice silk gloves are designed to be cool, breathable, and comfortable.
Polyethylene glove
Polyethylene (PE) is a lightweight material. While polyethylene gloves provide a basic barrier between the skin and external elements, they offer limited protection against chemicals, punctures, and cuts.
People commonly use these gloves in food service, light-duty cleaning, and general-purpose tasks where they prioritize minimal protection and affordability.
PVC glove
PVC is the abbreviation of Polyvinyl Chloride, which is a common synthetic plastic material. It is waterproof and can effectively prevent the penetration of liquids. During the manufacturing process, various additives can be added to the PVC material to make it anti-ultraviolet, flame-retardant, and anti-static.
Industries such as chemical handling, cleaning work, food processing, and general tasks can utilize PVC gloves. However, it should be noted that the PVC material has limited breathability, which may cause increased hand sweating during prolonged wear.
Nylon glove
Nylon is a strong, abrasion-resistant, and flexible synthetic fiber material. Its breathability makes gloves of this material comfortable for prolonged wear. It has applications in various industries, especially in electronics, assembly, packaging, inspection, and gardening work.
Steel wire glove
Steel wire gloves, also known as metal mesh gloves, are protective gloves made from interlocking stainless steel rings. They offer exceptional cut and puncture resistance, providing adequate protection against sharp objects and potentially hazardous materials.
Metal mesh gloves provide heat resistance and allow for easy cleaning and sanitization, making them suitable for use in the food processing, meatpacking, woodworking, and metalworking industries.
Aramid fiber glove
Aramid fiber is a class of synthetic fibers known for its exceptional strength and heat resistance. Gloves made of this material provide reliable protection due to their high tensile strength, making them resistant to cuts, punctures, and abrasions.
They also provide chemical resistance and electrical insulation, making them suitable for various industries such as manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, construction, and firefighting.
Nitrile glove
Nitrile is a synthetic latex with similar elasticity, durability, and flexibility to latex but with a reduced risk of allergic reactions. These gloves are quickly becoming the preferred material for disposable gloves.
Additionally, nitrile material has excellent chemical resistance, especially against many organic substances. This makes nitrile gloves ideal for handling chemicals, oils, and industrial materials in fields such as healthcare, laboratories, and industries.
Neoprene glove
Neoprene is a synthetic rubber material. The material is puncture, cut, and abrasion resistant, while also being weather resistant and able to withstand extreme temperatures.
These gloves find applications across industries such as chemical processing, laboratories, oil and gas, automotive, and marine sectors. Their suitability for tasks involving chemicals, solvents, oils, and hazardous substances is well recognized.
Butyl rubber glove
Butyl rubber has excellent resistance to a wide range of chemicals and provides a reliable barrier against harmful substances. These gloves are highly resistant to water, moisture, oxidation, and ozone, ensuring durability in various environments.
Gloves made of this material find applications in industries such as chemical processing, laboratories, and manufacturing.
As a leading sourcing company in China, JingSourcing has helped 4000+ clients import different products to their countries, including various types of gloves.
Whether you want to wholesale or customize, we can find glove manufacturers who are good at making this type and produce them at ex-factory prices. In addition, printing and embroidery on gloves are allowed.
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