1. Why gloves are made from different materials: warmth, movement, or protection
On a winter morning, when we slip our fingers into gloves, we often wish to feel warm. However, some gloves, like work gloves or rubber gloves, are chosen for wishes to protect hands or to be used even when wet. Materials have been selected as answers to these wishes. [1]
Dictionaries state that wool, cashmere, angora, and synthetic fiber fabrics or knits are used for cold-weather gloves. Soft tanned leather from sheep, goats, antelope, deer, or cows is also used. For work, cotton work gloves and rubber gloves are widely used. [1]
Acrylic, a synthetic fiber, has a feel similar to wool but is lighter and has good heat retention. It is also used in sweaters, socks, and blankets. [2] Wool has a natural curl called crimp, which allows it to trap air, so it is said to have excellent heat retention. [3] Sales pages explain that sheep leather is light, soft, and fits well in the hand. [4]
However, even these reliable materials have weaknesses.
2. Why some glove materials shrink or get damaged when washed
If you wash a favorite glove, it might shrink to a smaller size. Depending on the washing method and material, gloves may shrink or become damaged. [5]
Articles on care explain that genuine leather is weak against water. Synthetic leather can deteriorate through hydrolysis if it absorbs too much moisture. Products containing polyurethane have a lifespan of about 4 years from manufacturing, though this is a rough guide and changes with use. Cotton and wool can shrink easily. Wool fibers tangle and easily become felt-like. Nylon is weak against friction and heat. [5]
Labels on gloves show differences in materials. For gloves made of leather or synthetic leather, the type of leather is listed, such as cow, horse, pig, sheep, goat, or deer leather. Synthetic leather is labeled as "synthetic leather." For items using special non-woven fabrics, the term "artificial leather" may be used. If fibers are used in part of the glove, the mixing ratio is also listed. [10]
Can detailed finger work be done with thick protective gloves? Today, one answer is in your pocket.
3. Why some gloves let you use a smartphone touch screen
Many smartphone touch panels use a "capacitive method" that detects changes in electricity when a finger approaches. Ordinary gloves are insulators that do not conduct electricity, so they do not respond when worn. [6]
To solve this, gloves were made with conductive thread (thread that conducts electricity) woven into the fingertips. By placing conductive material at the fingertips, the screen can detect changes in capacitance, allowing operation while wearing gloves. [6] This explanation is based on articles about smartphone-compatible gloves.
The wish to "keep warm" and the wish to "move" were achieved by adding one material. So, when did people start covering their hands?
4. The 3,000-year history of gloves, from ancient Egypt to work gloves
According to dictionaries, the oldest gloves thought to be relics are those of King Tutankhamun from ancient Egypt, around 1360 BCE. They are described as exquisite gloves made of linen. This means people had developed ways to cover their hands more than 3,000 years ago. [1]
In Japan, "tekinu" (hand garments) worn by ancient workers for hand protection appear in Shosoin documents. However, widespread use is said to have begun when military uniforms were introduced at the end of the Edo period, bringing in cotton-knit work gloves, known as gunte (work gloves). [1]
Where are today's Japanese gloves made? Surprisingly, many are made in one specific city.
5. Why glove-making spread in Higashikagawa, where rice farming was difficult
The Higashisanuki region, which includes Higashikagawa City, had little rain and poor water access, making it unsuitable for rice farming. In the Edo period, salt and sugar production developed. After these industries declined, glove-making began in the late Meiji period. It developed rapidly due to special demand during World War I. At its peak, it is said that almost every household was involved in glove-making. [9]
Glove production is said to have started in Osaka in 1888 by a former monk. A factory was established in what is now Higashikagawa City in 1899. The founder's name is not written here because records vary. [7]
Looking at shipment values, the Kagawa Prefecture Economic Structure Survey (2023) shows that knit gloves for clothing were worth 3.449 billion yen, and leather gloves for sports were worth 4.839 billion yen. The national share was 85.6 percent and 91.2 percent, respectively. Leather gloves were about 1.4 times the value of knit gloves. The difference between the "about 90 percent" share and these numbers is due to different counting categories. [8]
It is safer to read that these figures do not show the same proportion of all gloves.
In a town where glove-making took root, how did the materials change?
6. How Higashikagawa's gloves grew from cotton to leather, rayon, and synthetic leather
Higashikagawa's gloves include cotton gloves, which were made from the start, as well as leather gloves, rayon gloves, and synthetic leather gloves. Bunka-zaisan Online notes that it is a feature of this industry that one can trace the changes in materials and shapes. [9]
Some tools used to make gloves were repurposed from tools used for cotton production. [9] Some cotton-production tools were reused for glove-making. In a land unsuited for rice, after salt and sugar declined, an industry began where the range of glove materials expanded while using tools at hand.
This flow overlaps with the wishes mentioned at the start: "keep warm," "move," and "protect." So, which wish is closest to the gloves in our hands?
7. What the tags on gloves tell us about materials and the makers' wishes
What you can do today: Line up the gloves at home and read the tag labels. They list materials and mixing ratios, such as wool, acrylic, leather, or cotton. Then, decide for each glove which wish it is closest to: "keep warm," "move," or "protect." You may see if the usual use matches the material's strengths.
What you can do when out: At glove shops, even for winter gloves, material labels vary greatly. Write down the material names of gloves that interest you and compare them with gloves at home to see the difference in how they are chosen. If you have a glove labeled "smartphone compatible" at home, compare the tag's material label with the thread at the fingertips.
Official Information: Kagawa Prefecture's statistical information corner lists glove shipment values. Bunka-zaisan Online introduces Higashikagawa's glove materials and the changes in production tools. It is most reliable to check numbers and names in original sources.