On-site labor can be hard and hazardous, we get it. It is infested with workplace risks like injuries, abrasions, and bruises. Lucky for you, protective gear like rigger gloves, high visibility vests, helmets, etc. have evolved a lot to protect us from precisely this sort of calamities. Protective gear comes in a wide range of shapes and sizes, each serving a specialized purpose. Something like a glass protects our eyes from pollutants and sparks while helmets protect us from rogue debris and increase our visibility at the same time as well. Here, we will take a look at one crucial part of the armor, the glove, and seek to understand the role it plays and its essentiality. 

The humble glove

Recorded history suggests that gloves, in some sort or the other, evolved thousands of years ago. Even cave paintings from the prehistoric era depict the usage of gloves for various purposes. But what we can see from these paintings is the fact that our ancestors used these gloves as a protective tool while hunting and gathering as well. Now, let us take a look at the various types of gloves that we have come across over the ages. 

• Industrial gloves- One of the widest applications of gloves can be found in the commercial and industrial space. There are various designs that can be found in this genre like aircrew gloves, chainmail gloves, leather work gloves, gardening gloves, rigger gloves, medical gloves, rubber gloves, surgical gloves, etc. These are a staple in the industrial sector and they serve a very critical purpose here, safety. Something like a pair of rigger gloves is absolutely essential for someone who is engaged in the hazardous business of rigging cables and heavy wires. Leather work gloves can help protect our palms and fingers from getting fried in case of a furnace accident r something of a similar nature. Fire-resistant gloves are widely used by firefighters while executing their risky jobs. One of the other priorities of these gloves is the upkeep of hygiene and cleanliness. Latex surgical gloves are designed in a manner that minimizes the risk of contamination and infection while surgeries and other medical procedures to a very large extent. They are usually disposable in nature as a measure to maintain their efficiency. If you are engaged in a field that involves workplace hazards, we highly recommend that you get a good pair of gloves at the earliest since it is always better to be safe than sorry. 

• Sports gloves- The usage of gloves can be widely found in the field of sports, and almost every sport involves the use of gloves for some purpose or the other. In cricket, batsmen use gloves to protect their fingers while wicketkeepers use gloves to improve their catching abilities. In football, goalkeepers use gloves to improve their grip. In motorsports, racers and bikers use gloves as a protective tool in case of crashes. In some cases, gloves serve certain very specialized purposes, like in the case of scuba diving, where gloves reduce drag. 

• Gloves in fashion- For a long time, gloves have been extensively used as fashion attire. If you look at any vintage photograph from the Victorian era or any other contemporary images, you would see people donning gloves as an accessory. Gloves were also used by royalty, with almost every monarch and VIP sporting silken or fancy gloves. 

• Gloves in defense services- The armed forces employ various forms of gloves in large quantities. All the three branches of the armed forces and even the special forces use specialized gloves. Snipers use gloves to protect their hands from scratches and cuts while fighter pilots use them to get a better grip on the controls and to protect their hands from the extreme temperatures they may get exposed to. Submariners use gloves to improve their on-deck performance.  

Besides these, there are specialized gloves like fingerless gloves that are used extensively at gyms, and winter gloves are used by people residing in cold weather areas as a shield against the extremely chilly temperatures. Now, let us take a look at the various advantages of using a pair of good-quality gloves.

• Jobs like that of a rigger or linemen need gloves to protect their skin from scratches, nicks, cuts, etc.

• It is important for someone working with chemicals to use a glove since they can act as a barrier against corrosive chemicals. 

• Gloves are a part of the daily attire for people residing in extreme geographical areas since they protect them from physical harm. 

• Gloves are a critical part of sports since they lend a certain degree of protection to the players while boosting their efficiency at the same time.

• Gloves help maintain hygiene and cleanliness, thereby reducing the risk of contact-based diseases. 

• Gloves are an important fashion accessory and can really enhance one’s look when matched properly with the right attire. 

Final take:

Gloves play a wide variety of important functions in our societies. Everything from leather work gloves to silken dress gloves is important in its own ways. We suggest that you do your research and pick up the perfect pair for your necessities.