How To Find And Choose A Leather Glove Manufacturer

We recently attended a power sports trade show, and saw a wide range of gloves. Our visit reminded us how difficult it is for a glove buyer to sort out manufacturing options.

We saw everything from the best quality leather gloves, to inferior gloves made of mismatched scraps.

Never was the saying “buyer beware” more apt!

Today we want to outline a process to find and research the right leather glove manufacturer for your needs.

How To Find and Choose a Leather Glove Manufacturer?

When vetting glove companies as potential manufacturing partners, an old ad slogan comes to mind:

“An Educated Consumer is Our Best Customer”

It was a good slogan back in the day, and it’s still good advice today!

That’s why we wrote this series. Having some basic knowledge about leather is very important to making a good sourcing decision.

Here’s a 5-Step plan that you may find helpful:

Do Your Homework: Create a “short list” by asking around, attending trade shows, or on Linkedin. You can also check a directory like Alibaba or Pangiva.
Get Educated: Before comparing glove samples and negotiating price, learn about the key factors that impact leather glove fit and feel, and cost factors.
Contact your short list: Once you’ve done your basic research, contact manufacturers. Ask questions designed to assess their ability to design, manufacture and deliver the glove that you need. For leather gloves, look for a factory with a history of leather sewing experience.
Examine samples: Inspect them for high quality workmanship. Finished gloves should not only look good, but feel comfortable on the hand. That’s a key data point!

While price should enter the equation, don’t be tempted by a glove sample that is priced attractively, but doesn’t fit or feel the way it should on the hand.

Especially beware of cheap leather gloves that are made of many small pieces, with excessive seams. They are usually made entirely from scrap leather and will not feel comfortable on, or wear well, will have incompatible stretch and the colors likely won‘t match.

Get references: More important than what a company says about itself, is what others say about it! Before entrusting a company with your business get references.