Glove Material Selection Guide: How to Choose the Right Gloves for Safety and Perfomance

When choosing the right gloves for work, selecting the right material is crucial for ensuring safety, comfort, and performance. Gloves come in various materials, each with its strengths and weaknesses. In this blog, we’ll examine the performance of different glove materials—leather, nitrile, rubber, latex, PVC, and others—against key performance criteria like abrasion resistance, cut resistance, puncture resistance, tear resistance, heat resistance, and chemical resistance. We'll also explore how these materials apply to industries like agriculture, automotive, chemical & fire, construction, and more.

Leather Gloves

Leather gloves are a popular choice due to their durability and natural strength. There are various types of leather used for gloves, including full-grain leather, split leather, chrome leather, pigskin leather, and goat skin leather. Each has its own strengths when it comes to performance characteristics.

Full Grain Leather vs. Split Leather

• Full Grain Leather: The highest quality leather, which retains the entire grain layer. Full-grain leather gloves are tough, durable, and offer excellent abrasion resistance. However, they are thicker, making them less dexterous. Full-grain leather is typically used in applications that require robust protection from mechanical risks like abrasion and puncture, such as in construction or mining.
• Split Leather: Made from the lower layers of the hide, split leather is generally more flexible than full-grain leather but offers slightly less durability. However, the thickness used in PPE applications, particularly in the construction and mining industries, negates the flexibility advantages typically seen in lighter-duty gloves. It provides good protection but is still less dexterous compared to other materials.

Pigskin Leather and Goatskin Leather

• Pigskin Leather: Known for its softness, flexibility, and resilience, pigskin leather offers excellent abrasion resistance and is more comfortable for long-term wear than some other leathers. It’s more resistant to moisture than other types of leather, which makes it suitable for jobs that involve wet environments, such as agriculture and food processing.
• Goatskin Leather: Goatskin is both lightweight and durable, offering a high level of dexterity while maintaining good abrasion and cut resistance. It's ideal for work that requires a balance of protection and fine motor control, such as fabrication & welding or automotive tasks.
• Chrome Leather: This leather is tanned using chromium salts, making it more flexible, waterproof, and resistant to staining. Chrome leather is highly durable, offering excellent abrasion resistance, and it’s well-suited for high-wear environments like steel & foundry or construction.

Leather Glove Performance

• Abrasion Resistance: High (especially full-grain leather)
• Cut Resistance: Moderate to high, depending on the leather type. Full-grain leather provides better cut resistance than split leather.
• Puncture Resistance: High. Leather is naturally resistant to punctures, making it ideal for handling rough materials in industries like automotive and steel & foundry.
• Tear Resistance: High. Leather, particularly full-grain, resists tearing well.
• Heat Resistance: Moderate to high. Leather gloves provide good protection against heat, especially full-grain leather. Gloves reinforced with a double palm or Kevlar offer superior protection in heat-intensive environments like welding or construction. Leather gloves are commonly used for their heat-resistant properties, making them ideal for handling hot materials or environments.
• Chemical Resistance: Low to moderate. Leather is not particularly resistant to chemicals, oils, or solvents. For chemical handling, gloves made from other materials, such as nitrile or PVC, are more suitable.

Dexterity

Leather gloves, especially thicker types like full-grain leather, tend to be less dexterous due to their thickness. They are well-suited for tasks requiring durability and protection but may not be ideal for tasks requiring high precision.

 

Dipped Gloves: Nitrile, Rubber, Latex, PVC

Dipped gloves, such as nitrile, rubber, latex, and PVC-coated gloves, are thinner and more flexible than leather gloves, offering enhanced dexterity. These gloves are often used in industries that require a combination of flexibility and protection from chemicals, abrasions, and other hazards.

Nitrile

• Abrasion Resistance: High. Nitrile is known for its excellent abrasion resistance, which makes it ideal for warehousing, chemical & fire, and automotive industries.
• Cut Resistance: Moderate. While nitrile provides some cut resistance, it is not as strong as leather or materials like Kevlar.
• Puncture Resistance: Moderate. Nitrile gloves offer some puncture resistance but are not as robust as leather for sharp objects.
• Tear Resistance: High. Nitrile provides good tear resistance, making it suitable for heavy-duty tasks.
• Heat Resistance: Low to moderate. Nitrile is not suitable for high-heat applications like welding or metalworking.
• Chemical Resistance: Excellent. Nitrile is resistant to a wide range of chemicals, including oils, diesel, petrol, and fertilizers, making it ideal for oil & gas, chemical & fire, and automotive industries.

Rubber

• Abrasion Resistance: High, similar to nitrile. Rubber gloves are durable and offer good protection.
• Cut Resistance: Moderate. Rubber gloves offer less cut protection compared to nitrile or materials like Kevlar.
• Puncture Resistance: Moderate to high. Rubber gloves resist punctures, especially with thicker coatings.
• Tear Resistance: Moderate. Rubber is less tear-resistant than nitrile or leather.
• Heat Resistance: Moderate. Rubber gloves can withstand some heat, but they are not ideal for high-temperature tasks like welding.
• Chemical Resistance: Good. Rubber is resistant to certain chemicals and oils, though not as much as nitrile.

Latex

• Abrasion Resistance: Moderate. Latex is not as durable as nitrile or rubber for abrasive tasks.
• Cut Resistance: Low to moderate. Latex gloves are not suitable for tasks requiring high cut resistance.
• Puncture Resistance: Low. Latex is prone to punctures, especially under rough conditions.
• Tear Resistance: Moderate. Latex can tear under strain but offers a reasonable balance of flexibility and protection.
• Heat Resistance: Low. Latex gloves are not designed for heat resistance.
• Chemical Resistance: Moderate. Latex offers some protection against chemicals but not as much as nitrile or PVC.

PVC

• Abrasion Resistance: Moderate to high. PVC offers decent abrasion resistance but is generally less durable than nitrile or rubber.
• Cut Resistance: Low to moderate. PVC gloves are generally not cut-resistant.
• Puncture Resistance: Moderate. PVC gloves are better at resisting punctures compared to latex.
• Tear Resistance: Moderate. PVC offers decent tear resistance but is less durable than nitrile or rubber.
• Heat Resistance: Low. PVC gloves are not suitable for high-temperature applications.
• Chemical Resistance: Good. PVC gloves provide resistance to a range of chemicals, including oils, acids, and solvents. They are suitable for the chemical & fire and agriculture industries.

Supported vs Unsupported Gloves

In the dipped gloves category, supported gloves feature a durable liner coated with materials like nitrile, rubber, latex, or PVC. This design enhances their tear, puncture, and cut resistance, making them a reliable choice for demanding tasks. Unsupported gloves, on the other hand, are crafted entirely from the coating material and, while offering excellent chemical resistance and flexibility, generally lack the same level of durability against physical hazards.

 

Additional Reinforcements: Chineema, Kevlar, and Nomex

Chineema is commonly used as a liner in dipped gloves for cut resistance. It significantly improves the glove's ability to resist cuts without compromising flexibility, making it ideal for tasks in industries like food processing, automotive, and security.

Kevlar is often used for cut, heat, and puncture resistance. Kevlar-reinforced gloves offer superior protection, especially in industries like fabrication & welding, steel & foundry, and mining, where workers need gloves that can withstand both extreme heat and sharp objects.

Nomex is a heat-resistant material often used in gloves for applications involving high heat, such as welding, fabrication, and firefighting. Nomex is lightweight, breathable, and offers excellent heat protection without compromising dexterity.

 

Impact Protection and Padding

For workers exposed to falling debris or heavy machinery, impact protection is critical. Many gloves come with additional padding or protection on the back of the hand to protect against impacts. This is especially useful in industries like construction, mining, and steel & foundry, where workers are at risk of falling tools or materials.

 

Industry-Specific Applications

• Agriculture: Nitrile or PVC-coated gloves for chemical handling and dexterity.
• Automotive: Nitrile gloves for chemical resistance and dexterity. Leather gloves for heavy-duty tasks like handling sharp or abrasive materials.
• Chemical & Fire: Nitrile, PVC, or rubber gloves for chemical resistance. Leather gloves may also be used for heat protection in certain scenarios.
• Construction: Leather gloves (full-grain) for heavy-duty protection against abrasions and impacts.
• Food Processing: Nitrile or latex gloves for hygiene and dexterity.
• Mining: Leather gloves for mechanical protection, with Kevlar for additional cut resistance.
• Oil & Gas: Nitrile gloves for chemical resistance to oils and fuels.

 

Conclusion

At Procon, we understand that each industry requires different types of glove protection. Whether you're in construction, healthcare, or agriculture, choosing the right material can make a significant difference in safety, comfort, and performance. Grange gloves are designed with the specific needs of your industry in mind, ensuring that you have the right glove for the job—no matter the challenge.