About Our Leather Gloves
Not a fibre by definition, yet a common material used in the manufacture of safety gloves. This is because it’s extremely robust and can withstand many different forms of assault on the hand. Some gloves are made entirely from leather and others use leather in areas where reinforcement is needed. The leather can be applied to a knitted shell, sometimes it’s even applied over another protective coating to further fortify the glove.
It can be used to cover the palm and fingers, the critical wear area between thumb and forefinger (commonly known as the thumb crotch) and sometimes it also covers the back of the hand.
All leather used in our gloves is premium grade, taken from the top section of the hide. This is the strongest and most consistent in thickness and stability. We use it in two forms which are defined below:
Grain Leather
This is the outer surface of the animal’s skin and therefore designed by nature to withstand injury and damage. It’s the thickest, strongest and most durable part and you will recognise it by its distinctive texture. Offers a resistance to heat.
Split Leather
This is the most common leather used to make work gloves. It’s a softer, more supple part of the hide which is found below the outer surface. It’s called ‘split’ because it’s been split away from the top layer. When used in clothing, it’s usually referred to as ‘suede’ and it has a knap that’s soft to the touch.
It may be soft but it’s extremely resistant to abrasion due to the density and structure of the fibres, no synthetic fibre can compete. It’s also flexible and offers some resistance to heat.