Everyone loves a good pair of cut resistant gloves, but do you know what the secret is behind a pair of protective, dexterous cut resistant gloves?
The answer is composite yarn.
You may be wondering what composite yarn is. It is essentially yarn that is enhanced with steel or fiberglass. Manufacturers take their already strong and durable yarn, and make it even stronger by adding these materials.
There are three main factors (of course, aside from strength) that influence the cut resistant level of composite yarn. Hardness, lubricity, and rolling action are the three main factors. The harder the steel within the yarn is, the more durable the glove will be. If a glove has higher lubricity (or slickness) it will allow a blade or other material to slide over the surface of the glove without cutting through. A common feature in composite yarn is the rolling action. In gloves with this type of engineering, the individual yarns actually roll as a sharp edge slides over them, again, preventing cuts.
When you can find a cut resistant work glove that combines all of these features, then you can be confident that you’ll have excellent protection against cuts and tears while working. You’ll typically only find composite yarns used in the manufacture of higher rated cut resistant gloves, A3 or higher.
Other features to consider when purchasing cut resistant gloves include grip coatings, glove color, and moisture wicking capability.
