Safety Glove Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms you'll see on our product pages, product data sheets (PDS) and glove markings. For more on the standards themselves, see Glove Standards & Certification.
Standards and certification
AS/NZS 2161: The Australian and New Zealand series of standards for occupational protective gloves. Each part covers a hazard or requirement, and most parts are based on European (EN) or international (ISO) standards. Check the edition year: some parts match the current European edition and some are based on older ones.
BSI: The British Standards Institution, an independent certification body. BSI certifies Elliotts gloves outside the welding range, such as G-Flex and Chemvex mainly to AS/NZS 2161.3:2020 for mechanical protection and AS/NZS 2161.10:2005 Occupational protective gloves Part 3. Protection against chemicals and micro-organisms (EN 374-3)
Certification body: An independent organisation that assesses products against standards and, if they comply, certifies them. It reviews test reports, materials and labelling, audits the factory, issues a licence or certificate and keeps checking. Elliotts welding gloves are certified by Intertek SAI Global, and our other certified gloves by BSI.
Certified: A glove that an independent certification body has assessed and licensed against a standard, with ongoing audits to check production stays the same. Compare with tested and self-declared.
Certified Product mark: Intertek SAI Global's mark showing a product is certified under its StandardsMark scheme. It appears with a licence number on the glove or PDS, which you can look up on Intertek SAI Global's online register.
EN 1149: A series of European standards for electrostatic properties: how well a material dissipates a static charge. Elliotts welding gloves are tested to EN 1149-2.
EN 12477: The European standard for protective gloves for welders. It sets minimum mechanical, thermal and dexterity results and minimum cuff lengths, and classifies welding gloves as Type A or Type B.
EN 388: The European standard for protection against mechanical risks: abrasion, blade cut, tear, puncture and impact. Results appear as up to six characters under a hammer pictogram. AS/NZS 2161.3:2020 is identical to EN 388:2016+A1:2018.
EN 407: The European standard for protection against heat and flame. Results appear as six digits under a flame pictogram (or a hot-contact pictogram), each rating one thermal test from 1 to 4. The current edition is EN 407:2020. The Australian equivalent, AS/NZS 2161.4:1999, is based on an earlier edition.
EN 511: The European standard for protection against cold down to -50°C, covering convective cold, contact cold and water permeability. The current edition is EN 511:2006.
Intertek SAI Global: An independent certification body that certifies every Elliotts welding glove to EN 407:2020, EN 12477, EN 388 and AS/NZS 2161.2:2020, and audits our manufacturing. Its Certified Product mark and licence number appear on certified gloves.
ISO 21420: The international standard for general requirements for protective gloves: design, sizing, dexterity, innocuousness and marking. It replaced EN 420. The Australian version is AS/NZS 2161.2:2020.
ISO 374: The international series of standards for gloves protecting against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms, covering permeation, penetration and degradation. The Australian version of Part 1 is AS/NZS 2161.10.1:2024.
Licence number: The number a certification body issues for a certified product, shown with its mark. Some certification bodies call it a certificate number. Search it on the certification body's online register to see what's certified, to which standards, and whether it's current.
Performance level: The rating a glove achieves in a test, usually 1 (lowest) to 4 or 5, or A to F for TDM cut. Higher is better. An X means the test wasn't done or isn't claimed.
Pictogram: The shield-shaped symbol on a glove or its packaging that shows which standard it meets, with the performance levels printed underneath.
Self-declared: A glove whose markings rest on the supplier's own statement that it meets a standard, with no independent check.
Surveillance audit: An ongoing check by a certification body, after certification, that a product is still being made the same way as the samples that were tested.
Tested: A glove with a laboratory test report showing that a sample passed. A test report covers the samples tested, on the day they were tested. It doesn't involve ongoing factory audits. Compare with certified.
Type A / Type B: The two classes of welders' glove in EN 12477. Type A puts protection first: higher heat, spatter and mechanical performance, lower dexterity, for all welding processes, especially stick and MIG. Type B puts dexterity first, for TIG. A Type A+B glove meets the minimum requirements of both.
Performance and testing terms
Abrasion resistance: How well a glove material resists wearing through when rubbed. Rated 1 to 4 under EN 388 by the number of rubbing cycles it survives.
Arc rating: How much arc flash energy a glove or garment can take before the heat reaching the skin is likely to cause a second-degree burn. Given in calories per square centimetre (cal/cm²), usually as an ATPV (arc thermal performance value). Choose PPE with an arc rating at or above the incident energy in your site's arc flash risk assessment.
Breakthrough time: In chemical glove testing, the time it takes a chemical to pass through the glove material. Rated in levels from 1 (more than 10 minutes) to 6 (more than 8 hours).
Contact heat: Heat passed to your hand by touching a hot surface. The second EN 407 digit rates the surface temperature a glove withstands for at least 15 seconds: level 1 = 100°C, 2 = 250°C, 3 = 350°C, 4 = 500°C.
Convective heat: Heat carried by hot air or gases, such as from a flame beneath the hand. The third EN 407 digit rates how long the glove delays that heat reaching the inside.
Coup test: The original EN 388 blade cut test. A circular blade moves back and forth across the material and the result is an index, rated 1 to 5. Very cut-resistant yarns can blunt the blade, so for those the TDM test is the reference.
Degradation: In chemical glove testing, how much a glove material weakens after contact with a chemical.
Dexterity: How easily you can handle small objects while wearing the glove. ISO 21420 rates it 1 to 5 using pins of decreasing diameter. EN 12477 requires level 1 for Type A welding gloves and level 4 for Type B.
Impact protection: Protection against knocks to the back of the hand and knuckles. Tested under EN 388 and marked P (pass) as the sixth character. Usually provided by moulded TPR protectors.
Limited flame spread: The first EN 407 test, previously called burning behaviour. It measures how long the material keeps burning and glowing after a 10-second flame is removed. A glove needs level 3 or better here to claim level 3 or 4 on any other EN 407 test.
Molten metal splash: Two EN 407 tests. Small splashes (fifth digit) counts how many drops of molten metal it takes to heat the inside of the glove by a set amount; it's the one that matters most for welding spatter. Large quantities (sixth digit) measures the mass of molten iron it takes to damage a simulated skin behind the glove, and matters for foundry and casting work.
Penetration: In chemical glove testing, whether liquid can get through holes, seams or other defects. Tested with air and water leak tests.
Permeation: In chemical glove testing, a chemical passing through the glove material at a molecular level, even when there are no holes. Measured as breakthrough time.
Puncture resistance: The force needed to push a standard point through the glove material. Rated 1 to 4 under EN 388. Puncture resistance isn't protection against needles or thin sharp points.
Radiant heat: Heat that travels as infrared energy from a hot source, like a furnace or a large weld pool, without touching you. The fourth EN 407 digit rates how long the glove delays it. Aluminised materials reflect it.
TDM test: The ISO 13997 cut test, used in EN 388 since 2016. A straight blade is drawn across the material under increasing force until it cuts through. The result, in newtons, is rated A (2 N) to F (30 N) and is the more reliable cut result for high-performance cut-resistant gloves. TDM stands for tomodynamometer, the test machine.
Tear resistance: The force needed to keep tearing a pre-cut sample of glove material. Rated 1 to 4 under EN 388.
Leather
Butt leather: Leather cut from the butt, the back and rump area of the hide. It's the thickest, densest and most consistent part of the hide, so it gives the most even protection and wear. Our premium welding gloves, including Big Red and Kev Blue, use selected butt leather.
Chrome leather: Leather tanned with chromium salts, the most common tanning method for glove leather. It's soft, durable and holds up well to heat. Used on the palms of our glove savers.
Cowhide: Leather from full-grown cattle, and the most widely used leather for work and welding gloves. It gives a good balance of durability, abrasion resistance, heat protection and comfort. It can have a smooth (grain) or rough (split) finish.
Full grain: Leather with the original outer surface of the hide intact. Only the hair has been removed; the surface hasn't been sanded or corrected. It keeps the full strength and breathability of the natural grain and wears better than corrected or split leather.
Goatskin: Leather that is strong for its thickness and naturally supple, thanks to the lanolin goats produce. It's usually thin, so it gives excellent feel. The choice for TIG gloves and for palms and fingertips where you need sensitivity.
Grain: The outer, smooth side of the hide, where the hair was. Grain leather wears better than split leather. Corrected grain has been buffed to hide imperfections and give a more even finish.
Pigskin: Leather known for staying soft and flexible with wear and after getting wet, and for resisting abrasion. Its porous surface makes it the most breathable glove leather. Economical, and softens with use.
Rawhide: Cattle hide that has been de-haired and treated with lime, oil or grease, but not tanned.
Shoulder split: Split leather from the shoulder area, where the hide is less even in thickness and density. More affordable, but less durable than side split.
Side split: Split leather from the back and sides of the hide, where it's densest. It gives a consistent, durable leather.
Split: When a thick hide is split into layers, the top layer keeps the grain surface (top grain) and the lower layer, the split, is suede on both sides. Split leather is tough and heat resistant, and common on cuffs and economy welding gloves.
Tanning: The process that turns raw hide into leather, stopping it from rotting and giving it flexibility and strength.
Top grain: The upper layer of a hide once it has been split, carrying the grain surface. See grain.
Glove construction
Aramid thread: Sewing thread made from aramid fibre, which is heat and flame resistant and very strong. Cotton or polyester thread can burn or melt near the arc, and once a seam opens the glove is finished. Every Elliotts welding glove is sewn with aramid thread.
Clute cut: A glove pattern with a one-piece palm and no seam at the base of the fingers. Common on light-duty handling gloves.
Cuff: The part of the glove that extends past the palm to cover the wrist and part of the forearm.
Fourchette: The narrow strips of material sewn between the fingers to give them depth. Also called sidewalls or gussets.
Gauntlet cuff: A long, wide cuff that protects the wrist and forearm and lets you pull the glove off quickly. The standard cuff on welding gloves. Extended gauntlets, like our 680 mm XT gloves, cover most of the forearm.
Gunn cut: A glove pattern with a one-piece back and seams across the palm at the base of the fingers, so the seams sit away from the knuckles. Common on driver and rigger gloves.
Gusset: See fourchette.
Keystone thumb: A thumb sewn in as a separate, shaped piece set into a keystone-shaped opening in the palm. It follows the thumb's natural movement, so it gives better dexterity and comfort and less strain on the seams than a straight-set thumb. Used on WeldMark GPCR and Western Rigger CR.
Knit wrist: A stretchy knitted cuff that fits snugly at the wrist and keeps debris out.
Liner: A layer inside the glove, for comfort, sweat management, warmth, heat protection or cut resistance. Examples include cotton, cotton fleece, aramid and Dynamax cut-resistant liners.
Lock stitch: The stitch most sewing machines make. The upper and lower threads lock together in each hole, so it doesn't unravel easily like a chain stitch.
Pre-curved fingers: Fingers cut and sewn in a slightly bent shape, matching the hand's natural resting position. They reduce hand fatigue and improve grip.
Reinforced palm: An extra layer of leather or material sewn over the high-wear areas of the palm, thumb or fingers. Also called a wear patch.
Safety cuff: A short, stiff cuff that is open at the side, so the glove can be pulled off quickly if it catches.
Seamless knit: A liner or glove knitted in one piece on a glove-knitting machine, with no sewn seams to rub or split.
Shirred back: Elastic gathered across the back of the wrist so the glove fits snugly without a tight cuff.
Sidewall: See fourchette.
Supported glove: A glove made by dipping a knitted or woven liner into a liquid coating such as nitrile, PVC or neoprene. The liner supports the coating and adds strength.
Unsupported glove: A glove made by dipping a hand-shaped form straight into a liquid compound, with no liner.
Welt: A thin strip of leather sewn into a seam to strengthen it and protect the stitching. Often used at the base of the thumb and fingers.
Welted seam: A seam with a welt sewn into it. The welt sits over the stitches and takes the wear and heat, so the thread lasts longer and the seam is less likely to open. Standard on Elliotts leather welding gloves.
Wing thumb: A thumb cut as part of the palm and angled outwards, with no seam across the base of the thumb. Common on heavy-duty and heat-resistant gloves.
Materials, coatings and fibres
Aluminised: A fabric with a thin aluminium coating that reflects radiant heat. Used on high-heat gloves and glove savers. It stops working once the coating cracks or peels.
Aramid: A family of heat-resistant, flame-resistant and very strong synthetic fibres. Kevlar is DuPont's brand of aramid. Used for thread, liners, cut-resistant yarns and high-heat gloves. It's damaged by chlorine bleach.
Dynamax: Elliotts' range of cut-resistant liner yarns. Dynamax 265 is an aramid blend; Dynamax 13D-F, 15D-F and 18D-F are HPPE-based knits in 13, 15 and 18 gauge.
E-glass: Glass fibre woven into fabric for very high heat. Used in our HeatShield and T1000 mitts.
Elastomer: A material that returns to its original shape after being stretched or deformed. Rubber, nitrile and neoprene are elastomers.
HPPE: High-performance polyethylene. A strong, light, cut-resistant fibre used in liners. It's heat sensitive, so never tumble dry it hot. Dyneema is a well-known brand.
Impregnated: Where a coating such as PVC soaks into the fabric rather than sitting on the surface. Used for better grip and dexterity, or some cut protection.
Latex: Natural rubber. Gives excellent grip and flexibility, but can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Neoprene: A synthetic rubber with good resistance to many chemicals, oils and heat.
Nitrile: A synthetic rubber used as a glove coating. Resists oils, fuels and punctures better than latex, and doesn't carry the latex allergy risk. Foamed nitrile coatings are more breathable and give better grip in oily conditions.
Polyurethane (PU): A thin, flexible coating that gives good dexterity and breathability. Best in dry conditions.
Preox: Pre-oxidised acrylic fibre. Flame resistant and heat stable, often used with an aluminised coating for radiant heat protection.
PVC: Polyvinyl chloride, or vinyl. A synthetic plastic used for chemical and liquid-proof gloves. Stays flexible in the cold and resists many acids, alkalis and water-based chemicals.
Thinsulate: 3M's brand of fine-fibre thermal insulation. Traps warm air without much bulk. Used in CryoSkin gloves.
TPR: Thermoplastic rubber. Moulded into protectors on the back of the hand and fingers for impact protection, as on Big Red CRX Impact and Mec-Flex impact gloves.
Vulcanisation: A chemical process that bonds rubber molecules together, usually with sulphur, to improve the rubber's strength, elasticity and chemical resistance.
Fabrics and knitting
Cotton fleece: Cotton fabric with a brushed, soft inner surface. Used as a warm, absorbent glove lining.
Denier: A measure of how fine a yarn is: the weight in grams of 9,000 metres of yarn. The lower the number, the finer the yarn.
Dimensional stability: A fabric's ability to keep its size and shape in normal use and after cleaning.
Gauge: The number of knitting needles per inch on the machine that knits a glove or liner. The higher the gauge, the finer and thinner the knit. A 7-gauge glove is thick and bulky; 13 to 18 gauge gives a thin, close-fitting liner with more feel.
Interlock: A double-knit fabric that looks the same on both sides. It's denser, smoother and more stable than a standard rib knit, and doesn't curl at the edges.
Jersey: A knitted fabric with a smooth face and a looped back, like a T-shirt. Jersey-lined gloves have a soft cotton lining.
Twill weave: A woven fabric with a pattern of diagonal ribs. Twill is strong and hard-wearing, like denim or drill.
Weave: The way the lengthwise (warp) and crosswise (weft) threads interlace to form a fabric and its surface pattern.
Woven: Any fabric made by interlacing warp and weft threads on a loom, as opposed to knitted fabric.
REFERENCE PAGES:
Glove & Hand Protection Introduction | Glove & Hand Protection Range | Glove & Hand Protection Materials | Glove & Hand Protection Certifications | Glove & Hand Protection FAQs