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Fibre, gauge, coating: how to choose your work gloves?

Are you looking for work gloves and not sure which model to choose? What criteria should you take into account? What do the terms gauge, fibre or coating mean? Sarah Bachir and Clément Tamisier, our glove experts at Delta Plus, guide you in making the right choice.

Gloves - PPE hand - Gauge
Fibre, gauge, coating: how to choose your work gloves?

Are you looking for work gloves and not sure which model to choose? What criteria should you take into account? What do the terms gauge, fibre or coating mean? Sarah Bachir and Clément Tamisier, our glove experts at Delta Plus, guide you in making the right choice.

Gloves - PPE hand - Gauge

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Fibre, gauge, coating: how to choose your work gloves?

Update 16.10.24

What are the main risks covered by protective gloves?

Clément Tamisier: There are many such risks. They may include:
resistance, 
shocks 
cuts 
burns 
cold, 
electrocution, 
electrostatics
chemical risks.

Each risk is governed by a standard. Choosing the wrong glove gives the illusion of being well protected, but can actually increase the risk. So you need to be careful. 

anticut gloves

What criteria should you take into account when choosing your work gloves?

Sarah Bachir: In addition to the risk(s) to be covered, you'll also need to pay attention to the work environment, the level of dexterity required and, finally, comfort. All these criteria will help determine the fibre, coating and gauge of the glove that's right for you. 
 

If we take the example of a mechanic in a car garage, he might need cut-resistant gloves suitable for an oily environment, with good dexterity and tactile function.

 

Fibre, gauge, coating... Can you explain these different terms to us?

 

Clément Tamisier: The terms fibre and gauge apply to knitted gloves, i.e. 95% of gloves. The 5% not concerned are leather gloves and gloves containing only a coating without the presence of fibre (chemical gloves).

The fibre is the material from which the gloves are made by knitting (e.g. cotton, polyester, polyamide). 
The gauge is the fineness of the stitch: there are 6 levels of gauge, from 7 to 21 (this number indicates the number of stitches for one English inch (2.54 cm) - the higher the gauge, the greater the number of stitches for the same size, so the finer the stitch, the greater your dexterity. 
Finally, the coating is an additional layer of protection (often made of plastic) added either to the whole glove or just to the palm. This will provide waterproofing and/or resistance to various chemicals.

What about work glove fibres: which are the most commonly used, and what are the properties of each?

Sarah Bachir: It's the risk that determines the choice of fibre. Multi-purpose gloves (which protect against resistance) are generally made of cotton, polyester or polyamide. 
Cotton is hypoallergenic, breathable, absorbent and soft to the touch. 
Polyester, which is synthetic, has excellent resistance and is easy to care for. It can also be blended with wool or cotton, which makes up for its inability to absorb perspiration and its rather rough feel. 
Finally, polyamide, which is a little more expensive, is solid, hard-wearing and supple. What's more, it feels comfortable and fresh. 
Glass, steel or thermoplastic fibres are added to cut-resistant gloves.
Kevlar protects against cuts and is highly resistant to flammability. 
Carbon and copper fibres protect against electrostatic hazards.
Finally, adding elastane (a fibre that provides elasticity) or acrylic (a fleece lining that protects against the cold) to gloves improves comfort.

 

Do these glove fibres cover all risks?


Clément Tamisier: No. Certain risks (particularly chemical) and work environments require a coating: 
polyurethane will be suitable for dry environments ; 
latex for wet environments; 
Nitrile, which is versatile, adapts everywhere, particularly to oily environments. It can be smooth or with a grip effect. Nitrile is also used for chemical gloves because of its excellent resistance to chemicals. 

Finally, for the heavy chemical industry, neoprene is the best choice, as it is flexible, handy and resistant, but also more expensive.

 

How is Delta Plus positioned in this market for work gloves?

 

Sarah Bachir: We offer around 250 models of protective gloves that cover almost all risks. 

Over the past two years, Delta Plus has moved upmarket. In order to be ever more innovative, we work with our own moulds and develop premium glove models. 

For example, among our new products for 2025, we have a level D cut-resistant glove (on a European scale from 1 to F) with a 21 gauge - the highest possible - for a real second-skin effect.  

We have also developed an A9 cut-resistant glove (on an international scale from A1 to A9) with an 18 gauge. 

Third example: we will be offering disposable nitrile gloves, suitable for people allergic to latex. These gloves also have an excellent grip thanks to a diamond-shaped textured coating. 
 

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To find out more about the choice of materials and their benefits, read our article on ‘without products’ (zero latex, zero nitrite, etc.) for sensitive people and our range of dielectric products for protection in all situations.

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