THE PRODUCTION PROCESS OF LEATHER GLOVES

👉 The journey from a raw hide to a finished product

Three processes are involved in the production of gloves:

a. Pre-Preparation

Nowadays, many leather gloves on the market are mostly made of pigskin, cowhide, sheepskin, etc. The word “leather” can be understood in two meanings: “hide” refers to the skin of various animals，it is the raw material for the tanning and fur industry. (i.e. rawhide), which is transformed into a durable substance called “leather” after a series of processing and tanning.

The peeled raw hide needs to be washed and wetted to remove the mud and sand adhering to the hide, scrape off the grease and rotten flesh attached to the hide, and remove the bristles from the skin to make the hide white and clean. Finally, it is soaked in lime water to sterilize the skin. A raw hide is prepped by washing, wetting, ashing, trimming, degreasing, acid soaking, etc.

b. Tanning Process

Tanning is an important step in the process of making leather from raw hides. Before tanning, the hides need to undergo a two-step process. First, the residual lime is neutralized with water and acid; second, the hides are softened with proteolytic enzymes to make the internal fibers of the hides more receptive to the tanning agent. The level of the tanning process determines the durability of the leather as well as its comfort.

c. Finishing & Processing into Leather Gloves

After the above two processes are completed, the final stage of making “leather” from “skin” is reached.

1. Glove Dyeing & Coloring

2. Air-drying

3. Blending in a roller machine with spiral blades

4. Stretching and flattening the leather

5. Molding and shaping

6. Glove cutting and sewing

7. Finished leather gloves