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SIZES

To get the maximum comfort with gloves, choosing the right size is essential. The general standard indicates how to determine the size needed: measure the circumference of your hand, as indicated in the chart. One size for each hand measure; all COFRA’s gloves are colour coded for size identification, as indicated in the chart:

SIZE	Circumference of the hand (mm)	Hand length (mm)
6 (XS)	152 / 6”	160 / 6,3”
7 (S)	178 / 7”	171 / 6,7”
8 (M)	203 / 8”	182 / 7,2”
9 (L)	229 / 9”	192 / 7,6”
10 (XL)	254 / 10”	204 / 8”
11 (XXL)	279 / 11”	215 / 8,5”

It is possible that the length of gloves conceived for special applications may not be in compliance with the values in the table mentioned here above. To get better and right information make reference to the table mentioned for each product. Moreover, it is possible that glove size does not fit perfectly because hand shape is different from person to person (a wide hand with short fingers can be an example).

THE COATING

The kind of coating is essential to choose the right glove: it has to be chosen according to the different contact surfaces, mechanical performance demands, comfort needs:

	Nitrile compound, developed by COFRA, able to reach more advanced results on the abrasion resistance and mechanical stress than the nitrile coated gloves presently on the market. It guarantees an abrasion resistance notably greater than a normal nitrile coating. The result is a longer lifetime of gloves, thus allowing applications in harder work environments. Tear and perforation resistance are improved, too. The thickness of GRANITICK is innovative, too: notwithstanding the superior mechanical performance, it is a compound thinner than usual, thus assuring adherence to hand and maximum dexterity. The typical features of nitrile are the same as high quality nitrile, with a good resistance to greases and oils and with good grip on dry surfaces.
	HANDLING OIL AND NOT FEELING IT! Revolutionized nitrile concept. NITRA-X is an innovative compound, breathable, with double layer granting excellent grip on wet and oily surfaces. The oil is collected on the outer layer (1) thanks to the excellent compound porosity. The external surface does not remain oily, granting maximum grip. Thanks to the structure of its micropores, the inner layer made of nitrile foam (2) prevents the penetration of oil into the lining, while allowing air to pass, thus optimizing breathability. NITRA -X has an excellent flexibility, makes easier and quicker hand movements.
SMOOTH NITRILE	Excellent grip on dry surfaces. Resistant to oils and chemicals. The compact surface provides optimal mechanical properties and it opposes to water leaking. Coating suitable for different applications.
NITRILE FOAM	Excellent grip on dry and wet surfaces. The porous surface provides excellent breathability and comfort, as well as better flexibility than smooth nitrile. Coating suitable for different applications, above all wet surfaces.
NITRILE MICRO-FOAM	Thanks to higher number of pores which grant increased breathability, this new nitrile foam guarantees superior comfort and resistance. It provides excellent grip on both dry and wet surfaces.
NITRILE FOAM AND WATER-BASED POLYURETHANE	Soft compound, breathable, elastic and at the same time highly resistant, it grants excellent grip on dry and wet surfaces. This new formula creates right combination between comfort and safety for workers. The absence of DMF (Dimethylformamide) as a polyurethane solvent reduces irritations and prevents from skin allergies in the most sensitive people. Water base makes the glove eco-compatible and in this way easily disposable.
NITRILE MIXED POLYURETHANE	Excellent breathability, flexibility and dexterity. The nitrile strengthens the glove, thus enhancing its mechanical resistance. Recommended for little tools handling or in applications that demand increased breathability.
SAND FINISHED NITRILE	Excellent grip on oily surfaces, thanks to its special coating. Very good performance in durability, abrasion and tear. Recommended for workshops and oily tools handling.

	New polyurethane compound that turns around the concept of grip. The excellent grasp of little tools and the maximum dexterity enhance productivity in those jobs where maximum precision and accuracy are demanded.
POLYURETHANE	Superb breathability. Its thinness and flexibility provide maximum dexterity and superb comfort. It is not well resistant to wear. Recommended for little tools handling and in applications where a high mechanical resistance is not demanded.

CRINKLED LATEX	Excellent grip on dry surfaces. Maximum comfort and dexterity provided from the elasticity of latex. Not resistant to oils and chemicals in general. Recommended for construction and high comfort demand.

NEOPRENE	Strong and durable, it provides excellent protection from physical hazards such as cuts and abrasions, great resistance and chemical protection. This coating is resistant to degradation by ozone, sunlight and oxidation. Finally, it remains functional and flexible at both low and at high temperatures.

	Gloves made without silicones, responsible for skin irritation and allergies. The absence of silicones ensures that glass, steel and metal parts can be generally handled without leaving prints, thus optimising the painting, assembly, packaging and finishing phases. As specified in the UNI ISO 4650:2013+EC 1-2014 test method, the gloves may contain silicones, but in a quantity not higher than 1%, a minimum threshold beyond which is not possible to determine a value on a scientific basis.

SILICONE-FREE

Gloves made without silicones, responsible for skin irritation and allergies. The absence of silicones ensures that glass, steel and metal parts can be generally handled without leaving prints, thus optimising the painting, assembly, packaging and finishing phases. As specified in the UNI ISO 4650:2013+EC 1-2014 test method, the gloves may contain silicones, but in a quantity not higher than 1%, a minimum threshold beyond which is not possible to determine a value on a scientific basis.

THE LEATHERS

During manufacturing and stratification, the leather is split into two parts: the external layer is called full grain leather and it is the one used to provide further softness and comfort, the internal layer is called split leather to provide better mechanical performance such as resistance to tear and wear.

COW LEATHER	Highly resistant to abrasion and to atmospheric agents such as humidity and sunlight. Usually the cow leather gloves are thicker, thus providing greater resistance. On the market it is possible to find several kinds of gloves: COFRA carefully chooses leathers guaranteeing at the same time softness and resistance.
GOAT LEATHER	Unlike cow leather, goat leather is used with thinner thickness, thus enhancing feeling in fingers and dexterity. The lower thickness does not imply low mechanical resistance, and at the same time it allows better breathability.

AZO FREE All the fabrics used for leather gloves are without AZO DYES.

THE LININGS

Made of knitted or non-woven fabric of different gauge, linings can be made of different or combined materials having different features and properties. The gauge indicates the number of needles in the space of one inch, or 2.5 cm, and is determined by the distance between one needle and another and the shape of the needle. The gauge is represented by a number inversely proportional to it: therefore, a lining with gauge 7 will be thicker than a gauge 18. A better dexterity and sensitivity is associated to a greater gauge; on the contrary, to a minor gauge it is usually associated a higher protection.

NYLON	It is the fabric offering the best resistance to abrasion and wear, far better than polyester. It resists also to oils and most of chemicals. Good elasticity.
POLYESTER	Fabric which combines good mechanical properties (wear resistance and dimensional steadiness) and good thermic properties. Lightness and robustness at the same time make it very versatile.
COTTON	It is the most comfortable fabric to the skin. Less resistant than nylon, it is however highly breathable.
ACRYLIC	It provides excellent thermal insulation, above all if flock-lined. Good abrasion resistance. Recommended for work at low temperatures.
DuPont™ Kevlar^®	Highly cut, flame and heat resistant aramidic yarn. Reinforced with a flexible steel mesh, it can reach the maximum cut protection category (category 5). DuPont ™ and Kevlar® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
HDPE (high density polyethylene)	Highly cut protection yarn. Thin and flexible, it provides protection, comfort and superb dexterity.
UHMWPE (Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly-Ethylene)	Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene is a high-tech material, belonging to the same chemical group of HDPE, in respect of which it has an enhanced mechanical performance thanks to a very high molecular weight. In particular, the UHMWPE reaches superior levels of resistance against cut and wear, whilst keeping flexibility and mobility. It is used for COFRA new generation anti-cut models, which take advantage of its ductility and toughness.
	Composite lining developed by COFRA by joining the features of the most resistant materials on the market, among which UHMWPE and steel (completely without glass fibers). Moreover, the cotton grants softness and good flexibility. The result is a high-performing and thin lining, able to reach level “E” in terms of resistance to cut, even in case of gloves with light polyurethane coatings.
	Latest generation material developed by COFRA, without glass fibers. It guarantees good flexibility and high mechanical performance. Its thin diameter lends itself very well to weaving with other yarns giving highly resistant linings, without compromising flexibility and softness.
	This yarn developed by COFRA joins nylon flexibility with the resistance of steel. The union of these two materials has allowed to obtain a wire with exceptional performance which ensures flexibility and lightness, allowing at the same time a better cut protection than the normal nylon, improving glove durability.
	Resistance, comfort and durability are the basis of the new NYLOTEC technology. NYLOTEC is a nylon yarn covered with a protective film that improves the mechanical properties of abrasion and cut resistance. The coating also protects against allergies and erythema, and its very thin thickness gives the glove a very high level of dexterity and comfort.
	Composite yarn made of polyethylene with high molecular weight (UHMWPE), highly cut resistant. Thanks to an innovative technology this yarn is segmented and treated to improve its flexibility. Single threads are twisted around a stainless steel thread, providing HeliPEx yarn with flexibility and excellent cut resistance.
	Microfibre padding characterized by a complexive surface 10 times larger than the usual fibres. This implies that the THINSULATE™ microfibres keep more air, thus reducing the passage of warmth from inside to outside. This guarantees a constant thermal insulation even with strong wind and low temperatures. THINSULATE™ is a trademark of 3M.
	COFRA-TEX is a TPU membrane (Thermoplastic Polyurethane): elastic in 4 directions, super light, ultra-thin, resistant to oil and grease, with great properties of breathability and water repellency. The gloves made of COFRA-TEX membrane have excellent mechanical properties. Laboratory tests proved good tear and traction resistance.

THE FINISHES

INTERNAL FINISHES AND TREATMENTS

	FLOCKING Light internal finish made of cotton based textile fibers. It facilitates fitting and removal of the glove. It allows for greater comfort and a better moisture absorption.
	TEXTILE SUPPORT Inner part made of a textile lining made of cotton or other synthetic materials that increase the glove resistance, preserve the hand from irritation and allow to increase comfort. Suitable for long lasting works.
	CHLORINATION Glove washing treatment obtained with chlorinated water in order to remove impurities, bacteria and traces of production dust. It allows to obtain a better and easier putting on and taking off of the glove without the use of powders. It is useful to reduce the risk of allergies in latex gloves.
	POWDERED Finish obtained by putting talc or cornstarch inside the glove during the production. It facilitates the fitting (putting on and taking off) and allows for greater comfort, reducing perspiration.
	POWDER-FREE Finish especially used in the food industry, where there is the need that the products are not contaminated. It reduces the risk of irritation in individuals who suffer from irritation caused by dusts.

EXTERNAL FINISHES

	SMOOTH Finish without any kind of embossment.
	TEXTURED Light micro-rough finish (generally present on the chemical unlined or disposable gloves) which grants better grip on wet and dry surfaces.
	DIAMOND Finish granting good grip on dry surface. Diamond shape grants and improves abrasion resistance.

STRAIGHT CUFF

	STRAIGHT CUFF Standard cuff and present above all on the dipping gloves. It allows good level of breathability and it is easy to be folded.
	PINKED CUFF Standard cuff finish. It reduces fibre unravelling.
	ROLLED BEADED CUFF It keeps the glove firmly to the cuff, avoiding liquids and droplets entrance. It grants greater tear resistance when the glove is worn.

STANDARDS

All COFRA’s gloves are engineered to grant protection to workers, in the foreseeable conditions of end use. The performances of PPE are expressed by a pictogram alongside the markings. They are certified according to laboratory tests.

EN 420:2003+A1:2009 - Protective gloves - General requirements and test methods
It defines the requirements for glove design and construction, innocuousness, sizes, dexterity and marking. The compliance with EN 420:2003+A1:2009 is compulsory for any kind of gloves, however marking is not strictly required. Any further technical information is in the information sheet included in the packaging.

EN ISO 21420:2020 - Update of the European standard EN 420:2003+A1:2009
The new version of EN 420 is now an International Standard and no longer just a European standard. The innocuousness of materials has become more restrictive following REACH regulations, by defining nickel content ( within allowable values) , DMF in polyurethane coated gloves and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, as well as the determination of carcinogenic amines. The standard is now applicable also to arm protection devices . Minimum glove length is no longer specified , except where required (see EN 12477 – protective glove for welders) The standard defines only the basic requirements and does not refer to protective properties of gloves (EN 388, EN407, EN511,…). Therefore, it is not used alone but in combination with the appropriate specific standard.

EN ISO 21420:2020 - Update of the European standard EN 420:2003+A1:2009

The new version of EN 420 is now an International Standard and no longer just a European standard. The innocuousness of materials has become more restrictive following REACH regulations, by defining nickel content ( within allowable values) , DMF in polyurethane coated gloves and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, as well as the determination of carcinogenic amines. The standard is now applicable also to arm protection devices . Minimum glove length is no longer specified , except where required (see EN 12477 – protective glove for welders) The standard defines only the basic requirements and does not refer to protective properties of gloves (EN 388, EN407, EN511,…). Therefore, it is not used alone but in combination with the appropriate specific standard.

DEXTERITY

Dexterity is the the capacity to handle tools and make movements when wearing gloves. According to the intended use, the glove should provide the maximum dexterity allowed. It depends on several factors, e.g. the thickness of the glove material, its elasticity, its deformability. COFRA carries out the dexterity test on each glove, so that the best application can be selected. The standard defines different performance degrees in a range from 1 (low dexterity) up to maximum 5 (maximum dexterity).

Art. LIMBER G043 (dexterity 5), it allows to handle with high precision even very small tools

Art. INOX G073 (dexterity 3), it guarantees high protection and resistance, while keeping a dexterity degree suitable for the intended application

WASHING AND DRYING
	COFRA guarantees for its washing resistant products (marked with the "Washing Machine" symbol) the extended life of the glove while maintaining the same product performances, thereby optimising the company's costs and reducing the impact on the environment. In accordance with the EN ISO 21420:2020 general glove standard for washing resistant gloves, all gloves performances are laboratory tested before and after undergoing the maximum recommended number of cleaning cycles (according to the reported cleaning instructions), guaranteeing compliant results even after the last wash. The washing instructions follow international standards such as ISO 6330 (textile washing and drying procedures) and ISO 3175-2 (dry cleaning procedures).

WASHING AND DRYING

COFRA guarantees for its washing resistant products (marked with the "Washing Machine" symbol) the extended life of the glove while maintaining the same product performances, thereby optimising the company's costs and reducing the impact on the environment. In accordance with the EN ISO 21420:2020 general glove standard for washing resistant gloves, all gloves performances are laboratory tested before and after undergoing the maximum recommended number of cleaning cycles (according to the reported cleaning instructions), guaranteeing compliant results even after the last wash. The washing instructions follow international standards such as ISO 6330 (textile washing and drying procedures) and ISO 3175-2 (dry cleaning procedures).

EN 388:2003 - Protective gloves against mechanical risks
It defines the protection from at least one of the following mechanical risks (if the test falls below level 1, it will be “0” marked):
		LEVELS
	PERFORMANCE	1	2	3	4	5
	A. Abrasion resistance (cycles)	≥ 100	≥ 500	≥ 2.000	≥ 8.000	--
	B. Blade cut resistance (index)	≥ 1,2	≥ 2,5	≥ 5,0	≥ 10,0	≥ 20,0
	C. Tear resistance (Newton)	≥ 10	≥ 25	≥ 50	≥ 75	--
	D. Puncture resistance (Newton)	≥ 20	≥ 60	≥ 100	≥ 150	--

EN 388:2016+A1:2018 - EN 388:2003 Updated European Standard
Revision of EN 388 standard, applied to mechanical protective gloves, increases accuracy and reliability of cut tests. The current EN 388:2003 describes the test method called Coupe Test which calculates the number of cycles needed to cut the glove at 5N pressure (500 g about). EN 388:2016+A1:2018 adds a second test, TDM Test specifi ed by EN ISO 13997:1999 (straight blade, moving at a predetermined distance, subjected to variable force) which will be used for cut resistant gloves, whereas it will be optional for less resistant gloves, which will tested by Coupe Test. Protection gloves against mechanical risks must have a performance level equal to 1 or higher for at least one of the properties (abrasion, blade cutting, tear and perforation) or at least a level A of the EN ISO 13997:1999 TDM cutting resistance test; classified according the minimal requirements for each level which is shown in the following scheme:

EN 388:2016+A1:2018 - EN 388:2003 Updated European Standard

Revision of EN 388 standard, applied to mechanical protective gloves, increases accuracy and reliability of cut tests. The current EN 388:2003 describes the test method called Coupe Test which calculates the number of cycles needed to cut the glove at 5N pressure (500 g about).
EN 388:2016+A1:2018 adds a second test, TDM Test specifi ed by EN ISO 13997:1999 (straight blade, moving at a predetermined distance, subjected to variable force) which will be used for cut resistant gloves, whereas it will be optional for less resistant gloves, which will tested by Coupe Test.

Protection gloves against mechanical risks must have a performance level equal to 1 or higher for at least one of the properties (abrasion, blade cutting, tear and perforation) or at least a level A of the EN ISO 13997:1999 TDM cutting resistance test; classified according the minimal requirements for each level which is shown in the following scheme:

		LEVELS
MARKING		1	2	3	4	5
A. Abrasion resistance (number of frictions)		≥ 100	≥ 500	≥ 2000	≥ 8000	-
B. Cutting test* : blade cut resistance (index)		≥ 1,2	≥ 2,5	≥ 5,0	≥ 10,0	≥ 20,0
C. Tear resistance (N)		≥ 10	≥ 25	≥ 50	≥ 75	-
D. Perforation resistance (N)		≥ 20	≥ 60	≥ 100	≥ 150	-
E. TDM*: cutting resistance (N) - EN ISO 13997	A	B	C	D	E	F
E. TDM*: cutting resistance (N) - EN ISO 13997	≥ 2	≥ 5	≥ 10	≥ 15	≥ 22	≥ 30
F. Impact protection - EN 13594:2015	P			ABSENT
F. Impact protection - EN 13594:2015	Achieved			Test not executed
* For the opacification during the cut resistance test (index B), the cutting test results are only indicative while the TDM cut resistance test (index E) is the result of the reference performance. If one of the marking indexes is marked with: • letter “X” means that the test wasn’t executed or not applicable; • number “0” means that the test was executed but the minimum performance level hasn’t been achieved.

EN 407:2004 - Protective gloves against thermal risks (heat and/or fire)
This standard specifies the protection from at least one of the following sources of heat. This standard is applicable only together with EN 420; the material of the protection gloves must at least correspond to the performance level 1 of the abrasion and the tear resistance under EN 388.
			LEVELS
	MARKING		1	2	3	4
	A. Behaviour to fire	Time persistence to flame (s)	≤ 20	≤ 10	≤ 3	≤ 2
	A. Behaviour to fire	Residual glow time (s)	no requirement	≤ 120	≤ 25	≤ 5
	B. Contact Heat	Contact temperature T_c (°C)	100	250	350	500
	B. Contact Heat	Threshold time t_t (s)	≥ 15	≥ 15	≥ 15	≥ 15
	C. Convective heat	Heat transfer index HTI (s)	≥ 4	≥ 7	≥ 10	≥ 18
	D. Radiant heat	heat transfer t₂₄ (s)	≥ 7	≥ 20	≥ 50	≥ 95
	E. Small splashes of molten metal	Number of droplets	≥ 10	≥ 15	≥ 25	≥ 35
	F. Large splashes of molten metal	Cast iron (g)	30	60	120	200
	If one of the marking indexes is marked with: • letter “X” means that the test wasn’t executed or not applicable; • number “0” means that the test was executed but the minimum performance level hasn’t been achieved.

EN 407:2020 - Protective gloves and other hand protective equipment against thermal risks (heat and/or fire)
	The revision of EN 407 now defines also the application to arm protection devices and to new hand protection devices such as mittens, potholders, oven gloves, barbecue gloves and so on. A new pictogram has been introduced to be used in case of gloves that are not flame resistant (i.e. not tested to the first parameter of the Standard, see fig.2). In the case of a flame-tested glove reaching at least level 1, - it is still marked with the usual pictogram used until now, see fig.1. The two pictograms can never be used at the same time. Other improvements have been made to test methods for flame resistance (now limited flame spread) contact heat, convective heat and for large quantities of molten metal. For protective gloves tested against small splashes and large quantities of molten metal, a minimum glove length is required according to the selected size. If the test of limited flame spread does not reach at least level 3 and the gloves do not pass the rapid removal test, all other thermal tests cannot mention a value higher than level 2. All areas of the glove that are exposed to contact heat must be tested.

EN 407:2020 - Protective gloves and other hand protective equipment against thermal risks (heat and/or fire)

The revision of EN 407 now defines also the application to arm protection devices and to new hand protection devices such as mittens, potholders, oven gloves, barbecue gloves and so on. A new pictogram has been introduced to be used in case of gloves that are not flame resistant (i.e. not tested to the first parameter of the Standard, see fig.2). In the case of a flame-tested glove reaching at least level 1, - it is still marked with the usual pictogram used until now, see fig.1. The two pictograms can never be used at the same time. Other improvements have been made to test methods for flame resistance (now limited flame spread) contact heat, convective heat and for large quantities of molten metal. For protective gloves tested against small splashes and large quantities of molten metal, a minimum glove length is required according to the selected size. If the test of limited flame spread does not reach at least level 3 and the gloves do not pass the rapid removal test, all other thermal tests cannot mention a value higher than level 2. All areas of the glove that are exposed to contact heat must be tested.

		LEVEL
MARKING		1	2	3	4
Limited flame spread	After flame time (s)	≤ 15	≤ 10	≤ 3	≤ 2
Limited flame spread	After glow time (s)	no requirement	≤ 120	≤ 25	≤ 5
Contact Heat	Contact temperature T_c (°C)	100	250	350	500
Contact Heat	Threshold time t_t (s)	≥ 15	≥ 15	≥ 15	≥ 15
Convective heat	Heat transfer index HTI (s)	≥ 4	≥ 7	≥ 10	≥ 18
Radiant heat	Heat transfer t₂₄ (s)	≥ 7	≥ 20	≥ 50	≥ 95
Small splashes of molten metal	Number of droplets	≥ 10	≥ 15	≥ 25	≥ 35
Large quantities of molten metal	Cast iron (g)	30	60	120	200

EN 12477:2001+A1:2005 - Protective gloves for welders
It defines the welding performances and distinguishes them between TYPE A and TYPE B, where TYPE A refers to high performance gloves but, consequently, with low dexterity, whereas TYPE B refers to gloves with high dexterity but with lower performances.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS	Minimum performance required			Glove size	Suitable for	Minimum glove length
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS	EN number	TYPE A	TYPE B	Glove size	Suitable for	Minimum glove length
Abrasion resistance	EN 388	2 (500 cycles)	1 (100 cycles)	6 (XS)	6	300 / 11,8”
Blade cut resistance	EN 388	1 (index 1,2)	1 (index 1,2)	6 (XS)	6	300 / 11,8”
Tear resistance	EN 388	2 (25 N)	1 (10 N)	7 (S)	7	310 / 12,2”
Puncture resistance	EN 388	2 (60 N)	1 (20 N)	7 (S)	7	310 / 12,2”
Burning behaviour	EN 407	3	2	8 (M)	8	320 / 12,6”
Contact heat resistance	EN 407	1 (contact temperature 100 °C)	1 (contact temperature 100 °C)	8 (M)	8	320 / 12,6”
Convective heat resistance	EN 407	2 (HTI ≥ 7)	-	9 (L)	9	330 / 13”
Resistance to small splashes of molten metal	EN 407	3 (25 drops)	2 (15 drops)	9 (L)	9	330 / 13”
Dexterity	EN 420	1 (minimum diameter 11 mm)	4 (minimum diameter 6,5 mm)	10 (XL)	10	340 / 13,4”
Gloves type B are reccomended for welding which requires high dexterity, as for TIG welding. Gloves type A are reccomended for other welding processes.				11 (XXL)	11	350 / 13,8”

EN 511:2006 - Protective gloves against cold
It defines the protection from at least one kind of cold, convective and contact cold, while waterproofness is optional:
		LEVELS
	MARKING		1	2	3	4
	A. Convective cold	Thermal insulation value I_TR (m^₂ K/W)	0,10 ≤ I_TR < 0,15	0,15 ≤ I_TR < 0,22	0,22 ≤ I_TR < 0,30	0,30 ≤ I_TR
	B. Cold contact	Thermal resistance R (m² K/W)	0,025 ≤ R < 0,050	0,050 ≤ R < 0,100	0,100 ≤ R < 0,150	0,150 ≤ R
	C. Water resistance *		1 Achieved		0 Not achieved
	*The performance level 1 indicates that no water transit occurred at the end of the trial period. When this requirement is not fulfilled, it is indicated with performance level 0 and the gloves if they are wet can lose their insulating capacities. If one of the marking indexes is marked with: • letter “X” means that the test wasn’t executed or not applicable; • number “0” means that the test was executed but the minimum performance level hasn’t been achieved.

EN ISO 374-1:2016+A1:2018 (replace EN 374-1:2003) - Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms
	Part 1: Terminology and performance requirements for chemical risks Specifies the requirements for protective gloves intended to protect the user against dangerous chemicals and defines terms to be used.
EN 374-2:2014 (replace EN 374-2:2003) - Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms
	Part 2: Determination of resistance to penetration Specifies a test method for the penetration resistance of gloves that protect against dangerous chemicals and/or micro-organisms. The tested gloves must pass the air leakage test (verifying the absence of holes on the surface after the pressurization with air of the inner part of the glove) and / or the water leakage test (verifying the absence of drops on the external surface after filling the glove with water). Such tests must be carried out in compliance with requirements and acceptable quality levels (AQL) of ISO 2859 standard, provided and / or established for quality assurance during production. The AQL (Accepted Quality Level) evaluates the quality of each production batch determining the probability of finding holes. For this reason a lower AQL (for example 0.65 rather than 1.5) will correspond to a lower statistical probability of finding defects / holes.
	PERFORMANCE LEVEL	ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL UNIT (AQL)	TEST LEVEL
	Level 3	< 0,65	G1
	Level 2	< 1,5	G1
	Level 1	< 4,0	S4
EN 16523-1:2015 (replace EN 374-3:2003) - Determination of material resistance to permeation by chemicals
	Part 1: Permeation by potentially hazardous liquid chemicals under conditions of continuous contact Specifies a test method for the determination of the resistance of gloves to permeation by potential hazardous liquid chemicals under the condition of continuous contact (this test method is not adapted for the assessment of chemical mixtures, except for aqueous solutions). The permeation resistance of these chemical products is evaluated by measuring their relative crossing time from the outer surface of the glove to the internal surface in contact with the skin . Based on this measurement, the glove resistance is established by the reference permeation performance level by a range of value from 1 to 6, as quoted here below:
	TIME MEASURED TO PENETRATION (min)		PERMEATION PERFORMANCE LEVEL
	> 10		1
	> 30		2
	> 60		3
	> 120		4
	> 240		5
	> 480		6
	The list of chemical products that can be tested according to EN 16523-1 standard: 2015 includes, in addition to 12 chemical products already mentioned in the previous EN 374-3:2003 standard (concerning the letters from A to L), further 6 chemical products (concerning the letters from M to T) for a total of 18 chemical products listed here below.
	CODE LETTER	CHEMICALS	CAS NUMBER	CLASS
	A	Methanol	67-56-1	Primary alcohol
	B	Acetone	67-64-1	Ketone
	C	Acetonitrile	75-05-8	Nitrile compound
	D	Dichloromethane	75-09-2	Chlorinated hydrocarbon
	E	Carbon disulphide	75-15-0	Sulphur containing organic
	F	Toluene	108-88-3	Aromatic hydrocarbon
	G	Diethylamine	109-89-7	Amine
	H	Tetrahydrofuran	109-99-9	Heterocyclic and ether compound
	I	Ethyl acetate	141-78-6	Ester
	J	N-heptane	142-82-5	Saturated hydrocarbon
	K	40% Sodium hydroxide	1310-73-2	Inorganic base
	L	96% Sulphuric acid	7664-93-9	Inorganic mineral acid, oxidant
	M	65% Nitric acid	7697-37-2	Inorganic mineral acid, oxidant
	N	99% Acetic acid	64-19-7	Organic acid
	O	25% Ammonium hydroxide	1336-21-6	Inorganic base
	P	30% Hydrogen peroxide	7722-84-1	Peroxide
	S	40% Hydrofluoric acid	7664-39-3	Inorganic mineral acid
	T	37% Formaldehyde	50-00-0	Aldehyde
	According to their permeation performances, chemical protective gloves are classified into three types (starting from 21/04/2018 according to EN 16523-1:2015 standard):
	GLOVE TYPE	MARKING	REQUIREMENTS
	GLOVE TYPE	MARKING	Penetration	Permeation
	Type A		Protective gloves must not show any leak when subjected to air leakage and water leakage tests.	Permeation performance must be at least level 2 for a minimum of six test chemical products.
	Type B		Protective gloves must not show any leak when subjected to air leakage and water leakage tests.	Permeation performance must be at least level 2 for a minimum of three test chemical products.
	Type C		Protective gloves must not show any leak when subjected to air leakage and water leakage tests.	Permeation performance must be at least level 1 for a minimum of one test chemical product.
	Protection against chemicals The glove marked with the pictogram on the side achieves a minimum permeation performance level of 2 for at least three chemicals.

EN 374-4:2013 - Protective gloves against chemicals and micro-organisms
	Impermeability to water and low chemical protection A glove marked with this pictogram (“Low chemical protection and impermeability to water”) complies with the penetration test and reaches a permeation performance level of at least 2 (a breakthrough time of at least 30 minutes) for less than three chemicals on the list.
	Part 4: Determination of resistance to degradation by chemicals It specifies the test method for the determination of the resistance of protective glove materials to degradation by dangerous chemicals with continuous contact. The deterioration due to the contact with chemical product is a damaging change of one or more characteristics of the protective glove material. Among these changes it is possible include: break-up, swelling, disintegration, embrittlement, color variations, dimension variations, look, hardening and softening. This resistance to deterioration is determined by measuring the percentage of perforation resistance of glove material due to continuous contact ( for an hour) of glove external surface with the tested chemical product.
EN ISO 374-5:2016 - Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms
	Part 5: Terminology and performance requirements for micro-organisms risks It specifies the requirements and test methods for protective gloves intended to protect the user against micro-organisms, that means against those microbiological agents such as bacteria, virus or fungi. The gloves that have not leakage when they are tested to penetration resistance defined by EN 374-2:2014 standard are considered as resistant to bacteria and fungi, so they pass both air and water leakage test. On the other hand, gloves that are tested according to ISO 16604:2004 standard (procedure B) that do not show any detectable transfer ( < 1 PFU/ml) of ) PHI- X174 bacteriophage are considered as resistant to viruses (as well as bacteria and fungi).
	GLOVE TYPE	MARKING	REQUIREMENTS
	GLOVE TYPE	MARKING	Penetration	Protection against viruses
	Protective gloves against bacteria and fungi			-
	Protective gloves against viruses, bacteria and fungi

EN 455 - Medical gloves for single use
	EN 455-1:2020 - Requirements and testing for freedom from holes It specifies requirements for medical gloves for single use and specifies the requirements and testing for freedom from holes (water leakage test to assure freedom from holes, sampling, control level and AQL). EN 455-2:2015 - Requirements and testing for physical properties It specifies requirements and gives test methods for physical properties of single use medical gloves (dimensions and resistance) in order to ensure that they provide and maintain in use an adequate level of protection from cross contamination for both patient and user. EN 455-3:2015 - Requirements and testing for biological evaluation It specifies requirements and testing for biological evaluation. It provides for requirements for labelling and packaging of gloves, as well as information issuing referring to used test methods. EN 455-4:2009 - Requirements and testing for shelf life determination It specifies requirements for shelf life for medical gloves for single use. It also specifies the requirements for labelling and the disclosure of information relevant to the test methods used.
EN 16350:2014 – Protective gloves - Electrostatic properties
	This European Standard provides additional requirements for protective gloves that are worn in areas where flammable or explosive areas exist or might be present. It specifies a test method and requirements for performance, marking and information for electrostatic dissipative protective gloves to minimize explosion risks. This European Standard does not cover protection of electronic devices, protection against mains voltages, insulative protective gloves for live working (EN 60903), protective gloves for welders (EN 12477).
EN 1149-2:1997 - Protective clothing - Electrostatic properties
Part 2: Test method for measurement of the electrical resistance through a material (vertical resistance)
	This European Standard specifies a test method for measuring the electrical vertical resistance of protective clothing materials. This European Standard is not applicable for specifying protection against mains voltages.
EN 1149-1:2006 - Protective clothing - Electrostatic properties
Part 1: Test method for measurement of surface resistivity
	This standard specifies a test method for materials used in the production of electrostatic dissipative protective clothing (or gloves), to avoid incendiary charges.

EU Directive 1999/92/EC - ATEX (ATmosphères EXplosibles)
	The EU Directive 1999/92/EC (Atex Directive) indicates the requirements for safety and health protection of workers potentially exposed to the risk of explosive atmospheres. COFRA gloves comply with all requirements about the materials and the designing required by the standard UNI EN 16350:2014 (electrostatic properties): they avoid that electrostatic discharges cause fires, thus making the glove suitable to be used in ATEX environments (CEN/CLC/TR 16832:2015).
EN ISO 14419:2010 – Textiles - Oil repellency - Hydrocarbon resistance test
	The resistance of a substrate to oil absorption is evaluated by testing the resistance to absorption of a selected series of liquid hydrocarbons of different surface tensions. The result can reach grades between 0 and 8.
European food contact regulations
	The products intended to be in direct contact with food must bear the symbol “glass and fork”, complying with EC no.1935/2004 regulation (“Materials and items intended to come in contact with food”) and especially the gloves have to comply with the more specific EU no.10/2011 Regulation (“Plastic materials and items intended to come in contact with food”). This means that all the materials used to manufacture gloves must not pose a danger to human health and they must not cause any change in the composition or a deterioration of foodstuffs. For this purpose the foodstuffs are classified into 5 groups and the compliance of gloves in contact with any of them is tested. Therefore a glove can be suitable for the contact with some groups of food and not suitable for others. For correct information about the kinds of food for any glove, the manufacturing companies must issue information through the Declaration of Conformity.
OEKO-TEX®
$OEKO-TEX$	OEKO-TEX® is a voluntary certification of product through which the certified company commits itself to keep in time the safeness of its own products. The OEKO-TEX® 100 mark guarantees that the textiles (or accessories of the textiles, metallic ones included) do not contain or release harmful substances for the consumer (pesticides, heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic amines, allergy inducing dyestuffs and so on). OEKO-TEX® certified gloves fully comply with the requirements of standard EN ISO 21420:2020 and they abide by the requirements of the attachment XVII of REACH (regulation 552:2009) having the textile product as area of pertinence.
GLOBAL RECYCLED STANDARD (GRS)
	GRS is recognised as the most relevant international standard for the sustainable production of garments and fabric products made from recycled materials. The standard acknowledges the relevance of recycling for the growth of a sustainable production and consumption model, aiming at reducing the consumption of resources (virgin raw materials, water and energy), and improving the quality of recycled products.  GRS stipulates the issuing of a third-party verified environmental declaration (T/C transaction certificate) ensuring: their products (both intermediate and finished) contain recycled materials; the traceability throughout the entire production process; restrictions on the use of chemical products, and compliance with environmental and social criteria at all stages of the production chain, to the subsequent manufacturing stages, and the labelling of the finished product. The stages not covered by the certification are collection, sorting, selection and grouping of waste materials.
REACH
	In order to safeguard the consumers’ health, the European Union issued the REACH regulation (come into force on 1st June 2007) which forbids the use of certain chemicals. COFRA guarantees that all its gloves comply with the REACH regulation; they do not contain forbidden or limited substances (Aromatic amines and 4-aminobenzoic acid deriving from azo dyes, heavy metals, phthalates, and so on) and, to guarantee it, all garments and accessories used during production are subjected to controls.
UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed)
	New product conformity marking, used for most of the products placed on the Great Britain market (England, Wales and Scotland) now covered by regulations and directives for EC marking.
TP TC 019/2011
	Technical regulation on the safety of Personal Protective Equipment distributed in the territory of the Eurasian Customs Union.