Start with the hazard
Cut, puncture, impact, abrasion, heat, cold or chemical splash. Name the dominant hazard and the shortlist narrows to two or three families immediately.
Category hub · 17 glove families
Seventeen glove families, one selection logic: start from the hazard, then choose liner, coating and level. Samples from 500 pairs per style.
Buyers usually arrive with a category name — cut gloves, nitrile gloves, winter gloves — but work gloves that perform are decided by three things: what the hand touches, what can hit it, and what the environment does to grip. A glove chosen by name alone is how crews end up with a drawer full of the wrong pair.
This hub sorts the range by hazard rather than by catalogue order. Each family page states the liner, coating, protection level and the task it was built for, so you can shortlist two or three styles and sample them against each other.
Reviewed · Specs confirmed on the approved sample
Cut, puncture, impact, abrasion, heat, cold or chemical splash. Name the dominant hazard and the shortlist narrows to two or three families immediately.
Dry, oily, wet or gritty changes the coating. Sandy nitrile for oil, PU for dry feel, PVC for rough wet work, leather for heat and abrasion.
Specify ANSI/ISEA levels for cut, puncture and impact so the glove is neither under-protective nor heavier than the job requires.
Browse the range
Each page carries the liner, coating, protection detail and the task it was built for, so you can pull a short list before you ask for samples.
Protection classes that are tested differently. Pick by the hazard, not by the product name.
The dip decides grip, breathability and how the glove behaves on oily, wet or dry parts.
Leather for abrasion and hot contact, with the cut and grip trade-offs written into the spec.
Weather and visibility layers sit on top of the base glove, so the shell and the liner both matter.
The same glove performs differently by site. These pages start from the job and work back to the spec.
Static control and barrier gloves, kept strictly away from medical claims.
Match the task
Each row points to the page that fits that hazard. Send the task and the site conditions and the sample plan comes back against the same description.
Reference
Ratings depend on liner, gauge and coating. Final values are confirmed on the approved sample.
Use this as a shortlist, then confirm the level and finish on a sample.
| Family | Main hazard | Typical build | Often bought by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut resistant | Sharp edges | HPPE / glass fiber, PU or nitrile palm | Metal, glass, recycling |
| Puncture resistant | Sharps, wire | Dense liner + reinforced palm | Scrap, demolition, waste |
| Impact resistant | Struck hand | TPR back + nitrile or leather palm | Construction, rigging |
| PU coated | Abrasion, small parts | 13G/15G knit + PU palm | Assembly, packing |
| Nitrile coated | Oil, abrasion | Knit + sandy/foam nitrile | Machining, maintenance |
| Leather | Abrasion, heat, sparks | Split cowhide or goatskin | Welding, rigging, masonry |
| Winter | Cold | Fleece or acrylic lining + nitrile palm | Outdoor, cold storage |
| Hi-visibility | Visibility | Fluorescent knit + reflective trim | Road, rail, site |
Category names buyers use, mapped to the build and the page that specifies it. Sleeves and specialty builds are quoted with the glove order.
| Category | Build | Where it is specified |
|---|---|---|
| Coated cut-resistant gloves | HPPE or glass-fiber liner, PU or nitrile palm, A2–A5 | Cut resistant gloves |
| Mechanical gloves | Knit liner, TPR back, nitrile or synthetic leather palm | Impact resistant / Mechanic gloves |
| Steel and wire cut-resistant gloves | HPPE plus steel yarn, A5–A6, reinforced palm | Cut resistant gloves |
| Welding gloves | Split cowhide or goatskin, 14 in gauntlet, aramid thread | Welding gloves |
| Cut-resistant arm sleeves | HPPE knit tube, 18 in or 24 in, thumb slot optional | Quoted with cut glove orders |
| ESD and anti-static gloves | Carbon or PU-coated knit, surface resistance stated per style | ESD and anti-static gloves |
| Leather-patch cut gloves | HPPE liner with cowhide palm patch, A3–A5 | Cut resistant gloves |
| Nylon gloves | 13G or 15G nylon liner, PU or nitrile palm | PU coated / Nitrile coated |
| General-purpose / labor protection gloves | Jersey, cotton, PU coated or PVC dotted; no single rated level | Jersey and cotton / PU coated |
| Non-slip gloves | PVC dots, sandy nitrile or crinkle finish | Grip work gloves |
| Animal handling gloves | Cut-resistant liner with leather palm; not bite-rated | Cut resistant / Leather gloves |
| Acid and chemical splash | Not a barrier glove; needs EN374 breakthrough data for the substance | Outside this range |
| Electrical insulating gloves | Not offered; needs ASTM D120 or IEC 60903 class and test date | Outside this range |
| Coated gloves | PU, nitrile, PVC or foam latex, palm, 3/4 or full dip | PU / Nitrile / PVC coated |
| Cotton yarn gloves | 7 oz or 8 oz cotton jersey, knit wrist, dots optional | Jersey and cotton gloves |
| Cotton cloth gloves | 8 oz cotton cloth, clute cut, band top | Jersey and cotton gloves |
| Canvas gloves | Cotton canvas, clute cut, knit wrist | Jersey and cotton gloves |
| Leather gloves | Split cowhide, goatskin, grain pigskin or grain cowhide | Leather work gloves |
| Fire-service style gauntlets | Heavy split cowhide, 14 in gauntlet — general work glove, not NFPA 1971 PPE | Welding / Leather gloves |
Standard ranges shown; every value is confirmed on the approved sample before bulk.
| Parameter | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | PVC, nylon, nitrile, nitrile rubber (NBR), latex, cowhide, goatskin, pigskin, cotton, cotton yarn, canvas, HPPE, glass fiber, steel | Blend and gauge selected for the hazard |
| Sizes | XS–2XL (US 6–11); one size for selected cotton and PVC-dot styles | Custom grading from 500 pairs per style |
| Cuff and overall length | 10 cm to 33 cm depending on family | 18–27 cm most common; 30–35 cm gauntlet |
| Functions | Grip, abrasion, oil resistance, cut, puncture, breathability, dust, ESD | Protection level stated per approved spec |
| Product types | General purpose, non-slip, cut-resistant, coated, leather, cotton | Mixed families can ship on one order |
Where a hazard needs a different product class, the row says so. We do not stretch a work glove into a claim it cannot support.
| Sector | Typical task | Family to start with |
|---|---|---|
| General industry / industrial park | Maintenance, assembly, light handling | PU or nitrile coated |
| Construction | Rebar, masonry, struck hand | Impact plus cut resistant |
| Logistics and warehousing | Packing, picking, cutter opening | PU coated, touchscreen fingertips |
| Automotive repair | Tools, parts, oil | Mechanic or impact, nitrile palm |
| Agriculture and forestry | Fencing, pruning, outdoor handling | Leather, jersey or PVC dotted |
| Machinery and metal fabrication | Sheet metal, plate, edges | Cut resistant A3–A5 |
| Welding and metal joining | Stick, MIG, TIG | Leather gauntlet or TIG glove |
| Oil, gas and mining | Pipe, tools, abrasive rock | Nitrile coated or impact; not a chemical barrier |
| Electronics assembly | Components, boards, static-sensitive parts | ESD and anti-static |
| Food processing | Food contact, wet cleaning | Food-contact disposable nitrile; coated glove for handling |
| Steel and glass | Plate, sheet, sharp edges, heat | Cut A4–A6; heat resistant where hot |
| Electrical manufacturing | Assembly and wiring | ESD or general work glove; not insulating PPE |
| Power generation and utilities | Maintenance, wiring, substation work | General work glove; not insulating PPE |
| Steel mill and foundry | Hot ingots, slag, furnace work | Heat resistant and leather; molten metal needs dedicated PPE |
| Cleanroom, laboratory, semiconductor, photovoltaic | Low-lint handling in ESD areas | ESD and anti-static; not sterile or cleanroom-certified |
| Electroplating and chemical handling | Plating baths, solvents | Outside this range for permeation; ask for a dedicated chemical glove |
| Gardening, home, pets and outdoor leisure | Yard, cleaning, pets, travel | Jersey, PVC dotted or disposable nitrile |
| Cold storage and outdoor winter work | Cold, wet, wind | Winter work gloves |
| Fire rescue and forest fire | Fireground and wildfire | Outside this range as PPE; heavy leather work gauntlets are not NFPA 1971 rated |
| Medical and clinical | Examination, patient care | Outside this range; our nitrile is industrial and food-contact grade |
Questions buyers ask
If your question is about a specific style, send the spec and we will answer with the sample plan instead of a generic reply.
PU for dry handling and feel, nitrile for oil and abrasion, PVC for rough wet work and heavier abrasion. If you are unsure, send the task description and a photo of the surface and we will recommend two options to sample.
Yes. Distributors usually buy mixed pallets across several families; brands usually private-label two or three styles. Both start at 500 pairs per style and color.
Yes. Sizes are packed to your ratio, typically S–XXL. Tell us the ratio you sell and we will set the carton configuration before production.
We send the closest standard sample first, free of charge for evaluation, with freight at cost. If you need a modified build, a counter-sample follows in 7–10 days.
XS–2XL, which is US 6–11, as standard, plus one-size builds for selected cotton and PVC-dot styles. Cuff and overall lengths run from 10 cm to 33 cm depending on the family: 22–24 cm is the common knit or safety cuff and 30–35 cm is the gauntlet range. Custom grading starts at 500 pairs per style.
No, not as rated PPE. Our nitrile is industrial and food-contact grade, not examination grade; our leather gauntlets are general work gloves, not NFPA 1971 firefighting PPE; and a coated work glove is not a chemical barrier. Tell us the hazard and we will say whether it is in range or needs a dedicated product class.
The term covers light handling gloves — cotton jersey, PVC dotted, thin PU coated — bought by the bale for tasks with no single dominant hazard. If the job carries a rated hazard such as cut, puncture or heat, specify the level instead of the category name; the tables above map both naming systems.
No. Acid and chemical permeation protection needs a dedicated glove with EN374 breakthrough data for the specific substance, and electrical work needs ASTM D120 or IEC 60903 insulating gloves with a known test date. Our coated and nitrile work gloves are neither barriers nor insulators. Tell us the chemical, concentration and temperature, and we will say plainly whether a work glove is appropriate.
Next step
Share the glove type, liner and coating, quantities and destination. We reply with the sample plan, unit price at your quantity and the packaging options for your market.