Stretchy “DUGS” Glove Liners for the Workplace
Q1. What’s the difference between the Cotton and Wool Blend glove liners?
A1. The stretchy cotton gloves are made from a bicomponent yarn where Spandex Elastic is covered by cotton fibers. Cotton fibers are natural fibers with a capacity to absorb moisture into themselves.
The stretchy Wool Blend gloves are made from a multicompent yarn where Spandex Elastic is covered by a blend of superwashed wool fibers and chlorofiber ones.
By providing cotton glove liners and wool blend ones we are allowing glove wearers a choice through which to protect their hands and manage hand sweat: absorbent cotton and blended wool with the capacity to both absorb and wick moisture.
Q2. Can these gloves be washed and worn repeatedly?
A2. These seamless knit gloves most certainly can be washed and worn repeatedly. For the cotton gloves we recommend a warm water wash with mild detergent and allowing the gloves to air dry (no heat).
For the wool blend gloves we recommend hand washing in cold water with mild detergent and allowing the gloves to air dry.
Washing not only cleans the gloves but causes the knit structure to “tighten up” back to its ‘just-out-of-the-package’ form—the effect very similar to what happens when you wash a well worn (nicely broken in ) pair of jeans. If you desire your cotton gloves to experience additional shrink, simply dry them for just a few minutes using your dryer’s High Heat Cycle. If you desire your wool blend ones to experience addional shrink, simply dry them for just a few minutes using your dryer’s Low Heat Cycle.
Q3. The gloves are called ‘Disposable’. Are they really disposable?
A3. They may be depending upon how soiled they become while being worn on the job. They may also be washed and reused.
When we first launched the business with the introduction of our stretchy cotton gloves to the professional / electrician marketplace, identifying the gloves as ‘disposable’ was one way to differentiate these glove liners as being thin and lightweight; particularly in comparison to [multi-use] standard-weight seamless knit gloves.
We’re also trying to promote the idea that as a ‘disposable’ glove they are, in fact, interchangeable. When these gloves feel damp from moisture or become especially dirty, the wearer simply changes out of the used gloves and puts on fresh ones—as needed. Depending on the condition of the used gloves, the wearer may simply discard them after use because they are not worth hanging onto or making the effort of washing them.
Q4. How durable are these gloves?
A4. The short answer is “it depends” — it depends on how the gloves are used and when the gloves are used. These gloves were designed primarily to be worn as glove or mitten liners worn underneath other, “outer” gloves. For outdoor enthusiasts, “outer” gloves may be heavy winter ski gloves. Feedback to date has indicated that these gloves when worn as liners can last for several seasons—or until the gloves are lost. Wear and tear from use shows up first in the fingertips.
These gloves may be worn alone as lightweight hand coverage. Feedback to date regarding their durability as liners worn alone again depends upon what a person was doing while wearing the gloves. As lightweight knit gloves, these do not last long if the fabric becomes compromised in any way i.e. caught on an edge or sharp corner, “pricked” by a rough surface. One party indicated that these gloveslasted only 3-4 days while being worn alone as light hand protection while handling boxes and packages in a shipping department.
These gloves were not intended to be worn in lieu of mechanics gloves while doing physically-intensive tasks. They may be worn alone to help keep hands clean, provide light coverage for added warmth or keep surfaces finger-print free.
From a design engineering point of view we recognized early on that no one glove can “do it all”: in this instance, be lightweight, have a thin cross-section, snug-fitting, soft to the touch and especially durable. We chose to develop a glove and a manufacturing practice that would allow us to bring to market a glove with the first four qualities.
Q5. Do these gloves come in any colors?
A5. At this time the cotton gloves come (only) in Natural White and the wool blend gloves in black.
Our glove colors are limited in colors because the package dye process that’s commonly used in the industry involves high temperatures and pressure—two attributes that would adversely affect the Spandex Elastic that is a part of the yarns used here.
Q6. Is it possible to buy these stretchy knit gloves by the pair? Are they available at the local “big box” stores?
A6. It is possible to buy our gloves by the pair under our No Limits! brand. A “sister” website has been set up at www.nolimitstextiles.com where our cotton- and woolblend gloves (along with our Coolmax(R) polyester ones) are available for purchase for use in the home and for recreational purposes. Gloves may be purchased from a growing list of Milwaukee, Wisconsin-area retailers or through Amazon.com.
For the industrial marketplace we offer our stretchy cotton gloves:
- Unpackaged for distribution in the workplace through a bulk dispenser,
- Packaged by pairs for sale through an on-site vending machine, or
- Packaged in 6-pair packs / 6-pairs in a cinch-drawn poly bag.
Our research has found that when personal protection equipment such as gloves are handy, people will use them. Having mutliple pairs available for use (along with packaging that enables them to be “hung on to”) supports this.
Q7. Can these gloves be worn alone or are they strictly glove liners worn underneath other gloves?
A7. “DUGS” gloves available for sale for the industrial markets were designed to be worn as part of a hand protection system comprising of our glove liners and an “outer” glove or two as a job requires. “DUGS” was coined as the shortened version of Disposable UnderGlove System.
Q8. Are the wool blend gloves made of superwashed wool?
A8. Yes, which means the wool has been treated to allow these gloves to be washed at home vs. dry cleaned. We recommend these gloves be handwashed in cold water, however, and not simply thrown in the color load for your washing machine. The warm, soft feel of these gloves are worth the effort!
Q9. What’s Chlorofibre?
A9. Its a type of synthetic yarn. We had it blended with superwashed wool to add strength to the yarn. We like it especially because it wicks moisture along the fiber surfaces—a good complement to the wool’s capacity to absorb moisture into itself. Also, chlorofibre has a warm feel about it when it first contacts your skin; some yarns feel cool, cold.