Leather Gloves and EN 388: A Practical Buying Guide
Every pack of leather work gloves carries a label with EN 388 and a string of numbers like 4121X. Most people skim past it and buy whatever feels thickest. Then the gloves wear through in a fortnight and the whole cycle starts again.
Those numbers are not there to fill space on the label. They tell you exactly what the glove will and won't stand up to, and once you can read them, picking the right pair takes about thirty seconds. This guide covers what EN 388 actually tests, how to read the code, and which leather suits which job.
What EN 388 covers
EN 388 is the European standard for gloves that protect against mechanical risks. Scrapes, sharp edges, snags and punctures. It has been the benchmark since 2003, with a major update in 2016 that you'll see on gloves manufactured since then.
The standard runs four tests on the material. Abrasion, blade cut, tear and puncture. Each produces a score, and the scores are printed on the label in a fixed order. Learn the order once and you can read any glove on the market.
One thing to remember: EN 388 doesn't cover everything. Heat, cold, chemicals and vibration have their own standards, such as EN 407 for heat and EN 511 for cold. If your risk assessment flags those hazards, a plain leather glove won't be enough on its own.
How to read the code
The label shows four numbers in a set order, and each one relates to a specific test.
Abrasion resistance, scored 1 to 4. This measures how many cycles of rubbing against abrasive material the glove survives before wearing through. A score of 4 here means it will shrug off rough concrete, brick and stone for a long time. This is where leather usually shines.
Cut resistance, scored 1 to 5. This is the coupe test, where a circular blade rotates across the material until it cuts through. Higher is better, but there's a catch with leather, and we'll come back to it.
Tear resistance, scored 1 to 4. How much force it takes to rip the material once it's been nicked. This matters for barbed wire, fencing and anything with snag points.
Puncture resistance, scored 1 to 4. How much force a standard point needs to push through the material. Relevant for wire, staples, needles and anything sharp that comes at you end on.
So a glove marked 4121X scores 4 for abrasion, 1 for cut, 2 for tear and 1 for puncture. The letter after the numbers is a different story, explained below.
The 2016 update: X, letters and impact protection
The 2016 revision of EN 388 added two things you'll see on newer gloves. First, any of the four numbers can be replaced with an X, meaning the test wasn't performed or the result fell below level 1. Second, an extra letter code from A to F showing cut resistance measured by the ISO 13997 straight blade test.
Why two cut tests? The older coupe test uses a circular blade that rotates back and forth, and it was designed for textile gloves. When it meets dense materials like leather or high-performance fibres, the blade can dull partway through and give results that don't reflect real performance. The ISO 13997 test drags a straight blade across the material once, which is more consistent for tough materials. That's why a leather glove can show 1 for the coupe cut test but C or D on the letter scale.
You might also see a P at the end. That means the glove has passed the impact test for knuckle and back-of-hand protection, which is worth looking for on demolition and heavy fabrication work.
Which leather for which job
Not all leather gloves are the same, and the hide makes a bigger difference than the brand.
Cowhide is the all rounder. It's tough, handles abrasion well and stays reasonably flexible, and it's usually the most affordable option. For general site work, brick, block and concrete handling, cowhide is the safe default.
Goatskin is thinner and far more dexterous, with excellent grip, and it stays soft when wet. If your team is doing assembly, handling tools or anything needing fine control, goatskin is worth the extra cost.
Pigskin is soft, breathable and keeps its flexibility after getting wet, which makes it comfortable for long shifts. It's not as abrasion resistant as cowhide, so it suits lighter handling work.
Split leather is the budget option, made from the inner layer of the hide. It's cheaper and fine for light duty, but it won't stand up to heavy abrasion the way full grain will.
Also worth knowing: rigger gloves, the classic canvas back with a leather palm, are still one of the best value options for general handling. The canvas breathes, the palm grips, and they're cheap enough to replace without anyone wincing.
Matching gloves to the actual work
Start from the task, not the price tag. Handling bricks, blocks and rough concrete means abrasion is the priority, so look for a 3 or 4 in the first position and cowhide. Cutting, sheet metal or glass means cut resistance matters most, so check the ISO 13997 letter and look for reinforced stitching, and consider a cut-resistant liner if edges are sharp. Wire, fencing and barbed wire punish tear and puncture, so check positions three and four. For warehouse and general handling, a mid range glove like 3131X is plenty and won't cost a fortune.
One honest warning: leather is not a cut-proof material. A razor edge or spinning blade will go through any hide, and no EN 388 rating changes that. For serious cut hazards you need a glove built for that specific risk, not the thickest leather you can find.
Finally, care. Leather gloves can't go in the washing machine like fabric gloves. Wet leather should dry slowly, away from radiators and direct heat, or it goes stiff and cracks. And once gloves are soaked in oil, chemicals or cement dust, replace them. Contaminated leather doesn't come back.
If you're not sure which glove matches your risk assessment, that's a normal conversation to have. We stock leather gloves and hand protection across the gloves range and the wider PPE category at Colbrook, and we're happy to talk through what your team actually does before you order. Call us on +44(0)1236 755544.
REF: leather-gloves-guide
