Garden Gloves: Are You Using the Right Ones?

by DoItYourself Staff

String Knit Glove

Used for general purpose work applications.
Provides cut and abrasion resistance.
Some styles are coated with a polymer to provide added protection or to provide a better grip.
May be constructed of cotton, a cotton/polyester blend, synthetic fibers and high-performance fibers.

Cotton Glove

General-purpose glove for performing a variety of tasks around the home and garden.
Offers good comfort and breathability.
Quilted style is good for heavy, multi-purpose applications and added heat protection.
Chore gloves are for general purpose work.
Some gloves may be marketed for specific tasks, such as garden gloves with patterns or designs to attract certain types of buyers.
May be cotton or cotton/polyester blend, canvas, jersey or terrycloth. Often has a knit wrist.
Some styles may have PVC dots to improve gripping ability and durability.

Leather Glove

May be solid leather for heavy-duty applications or have a leather palm.
Durable and long lasting glove. Handles a wide variety of applications.
Construction materials include cowskin, pigskin, goatskin and deerskin.
Driving gloves offer dexterity when operating equipment.
Welding gloves offer protection from heat and sparks in welding applications.
Gunn pattern leather palm gloves offer protection from rough objects, sparks and for cushioning blows.
Clute pattern leather palm gloves offer the best economy in leather protection.

Supported Glove

Protects against solvents and resists chemicals, cuts punctures and abrasions.
May be constructed of neoprene, nitrile, PVC, rubber or vinyl.
One style is a coating over a lining of cotton or other fabric. The fabric helps insulate and adds comfort.
Another style is dipped, where the PVC or other material does not have a fabric lining.
Neoprene offers the most chemical protection and flexibility.
Nitrile offers good abrasion resistance.
PVC offers good liquid and solvent protection.
Rubber offers good gripping power and cut and puncture resistance.
Vinyl offers breathability, gripping power and minimizes absorption.

Unsupported Gloves

Good for applications requiring dexterity and mild chemical resistance, or disposable gloves.
Thin gauges offer a better sense of touch while a heavy gauge offers more protection.
May be constructed of latex, nitrile, neoprene, vinyl, polyethylene or blends.
Some styles are lined.