Back from the IRCE 2009

Last week, we made our annual expedition to the IRCE Conference in Boston (Internet Retailer Conference and Expo) to learn about all the latest and newest tools to enhance our web site and shopping cart. After all, Gloves-Online, is the oldest and largest glove retailer on the Internet. It is always fun to meet and mingle with all the global internet czars and we hope that what we learned will make your glove shopping experience easier and rewarding.

Our major reward this year was finding ways to embed glove videos without overloading your connection (bandwidth) to our web site.

That’s me standing outside the networking dinner on cold June evening in Boston. The food (and drinks) was great and we met some really neat internet gurus.

Glove Guru starting biodegradable packaging initiative

I need your help!

Gloves are a huge business and nearly all gloves are packaged in film produced with petro-chemicals which we know is bad for the environment and worse when disposed and not recycled.

We also know that industrial glove consumers rarely recycle product packaging which adds to the problem since they are the largest end user.

Effective immediately, my company, GO Gloves™ (Gloves-Online.com) will begin converting to 100% biodegradable (compostable) packaging for our own brands which is expected to be completed in 6 months. We will begin to encourage our suppliers (you know who you are) to switch to biodegradable packaging. Notably: We are even switching to biodegradable packaging for sending glove samples.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a consumer or an industrial user. I need your help to support this initiative by making a comment to this post. It would also help if you send a link to this post to other individuals who may share the same concern. I want our suppliers and even our competitors to see your support to this initiative.

You can also contact the IGA (International Glove Association) at gloves@windstream.net to let them know you support biodegradable packaging. The IGA is the watchdog and voice of the glove industry.

Together, we can make this happen. I appreciate your help and support in improving our environment.

Footnote: If anyone needs assistance on PLA (polylactide) Film biodegradable packaging made from annually renewable plants, please let me know. Since most all gloves are manufactured in Asia, a conversion to PLA film packaging will be easy. PLA films and labels are readily available in Asia.

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Micro-Dot Gloves resolve parts handling problems

This is a recent case study which I wrote for Assembly Magazine. Its a long post but it seemed easier to post it as is rather than provide a link.

A prominent automotive parts manufacturer that powder coats parts for a hard, tougher finish needed better gloves that provided day-long comfort, good grip with high dexterity; eliminated deposit of body oils and lint on parts; and offer cost savings.

The manufacturer tried various gloves for this new production line but workers found these gloves uncomfortable to wear for long-shift work; increased hand fatigue and perspiration; or left lint on parts. Other less expensive gloves also wore out quickly since workers had to load 25,000 parts per day onto the production conveyor hangers.

The manufacturer turned to GO Gloves™ (Gloves-Online, Inc.) for a solution since they were experienced glove specialists and handled a broad range of gloves for industrial applications. Once GO Gloves identified the production requirements and problems together with worker’s concerns, they offered 3 coated glove options based on performance, comfort, and price.

After weeks of testing the finished parts and reviewing worker evaluations, the manufacturer selected the All-Day® Micro-Dot Gloves since this model addressed each production problem and increased worker acceptance.

The solutions that the Micro-Dot Gloves provided were thinness, close fit, dust and lint free, great tactile and grip properties, breathablity, and worker comfort. Besides being very cost effective, the manufacturer only had to stock 2 sizes; one universal stretch size and one extra small size for women with small hands since more sizes would have been required with conventional coated gloves.

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Pesticide Gloves

It’s that time of year for gardening and more people are planting vegetable gardens to save money. However, I was reminded to post this information while I was on vacation recently and watched the landscaper at the resort where I stayed. He was spraying dangerous pesticides (I saw the poison label on the metal container) and he wasn’t wearing protective garments including, you guessed, gloves.

You should note that dangerous liquid and dust fertilizers and pesticides WILL absorb into your skin (cutaneous absorption). Example: You may recall the Anthrax bioterrorism scare in 2001.

When using pesticides, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding suitable glove material. The most functional models will be Nitrile Coated Gloves or PVC Coated Gloves which provide a broad range of chemical resistance.

The Do Not’s:

Do NOT use latex gloves for chemical protection. They will not provide the required protection.

Do NOT use cloth or leather gloves since they will absorb the pesticide liquids and dusts like your skin or become a serious source of exposure.

The Do’s:

Wear waterproof, washable gloves.

Wear durable, chemical protective gauntlet gloves which extend up the forearm.

Glove recommendations:

GO Greens LP (Liquid Proof)

GO Blues PVC

MAPA Kronit-Proof (for cut resistance)

If anyone has a question about selecting a glove using a particular chemical, send me an e-mail or give me a call and I will cross reference our reference data.

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Wash your hands

H1N1 virus up-date: Unless you’re employed in the healthcare or food industries you most likely don’t have access to disposable gloves, one of the best defense items to prevent direct contact to flu viruses.

However, you have likely seen the copious news reports promoting proper hand hygiene. To help, I’m posting a helpful educational video produced by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) regarding proper hand hygiene. You can link to the video by clicking on the title of this post.

For those of you who need help regarding disposable gloves for flu prevention feel free to contact me.

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JFK Jr.’s white gloves, worn by the toddler the day of his dad’s funeral

This is a poignant story sent to me this week about gloves, of course. This has nothing to do with the children’s white gloves which we sell but it just goes to show you how a 46 year old pair of children’s gloves can bring back to memory one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century.

For more about this interesting story click on the title of this post and follow the links.

It makes me wonder where the thousands of children’s gloves we sell each year end up. I only hope they serve for a more jovial function.

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HAVS still a Threat

I was recently contacted by Jerry Laws, the Editor of OH&S (Occupational Health and Safety Magazine) regarding the persistent problem of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome since we offer certified AV Gloves for workers with this chronic problem.

It’s the same problem I discussed back in a February post. To see my discussion with Jerry click on the title of this post. It’s an important and often overlooked issue.

I’m curious how many of you workers out there know about HAVS?

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Glove Cut Resistant Symbol – EN388

Work glove hand protection standards have existed for years but most users fail to pay attention to the ratings. Specifically cut resistance. Both the ANSI (American National Standard Institute) and the EU (European Union) have hand protection selection criteria.

Although the criteria between both is very complex, I prefer seeing the EU – EN388 symbol since it rates the gloves for abrasion, blade cut, tear, and puncture resistance. ANSI doesn’t have a single symbol covering these categories. However, in situations requiring a very high level of cut resistance, you should look for gloves tested and rated under both standards since they vary on the high end in the cut resistant category.

In the EN-388 symbol (shown) you will see a number for each category. All tests are ranked 1-4 (4 being the highest level) except for the blade cut category ranking of 1-5.

I’m preparing a paper which will discuss this in detail but in the meantime, I think this symbol and simple explanation will help on the fly. You can always contact me if you have any questions or need any assistance on work glove and cut resistant glove selections.

FYI: Since the CE (EU) glove standards are mandatory in Europe and most gloves sold in North America are imported, you will see this symbol more often. You can click on the image to enlarge it and print it.

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Be wary of eco-friendly glove claims

I saw this recent post with a title (Recycled Gloves) about gloves made from recycled materials. The post itself is a bit misleading since these gloves are also made using Kevlar, Polyester, and Neoprene. Not the kind of stuff you recycle; or “can be” recycled.

I investigated this claim further by going to the company’s web site and they clearly refer to gloves made from a “fabric” using recycled materials. Lame but maybe true. You see, I was weaned in the healthcare industry where you must substantiate such claims or references.

Don’t you think when a company refers to a recycled glove; it should be made from 100% recycled material? I welcome our comments.

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Geisinger Study shows costs decrease, safety enhanced when hospitals, health clinics switch to powder-free latex gloves

Problems caused by latex gloves got me into the glove business 19 years ago. At that time, I developed special glove liners to protect healthcare professionals from latex allergies which we still sell today.

The conclusion to this study is not new information to us on the front lines of hand protection but we know many of you must be reminded that latex issues still exist. However, latex gloves have come along way since my Glovenaut days and the OSHA regulations regarding glove use in healthcare.

Also coincidental is that I worked with Geisinger Health Services and Hospital during my early years in the healthcare industry. To read a synopsis of the study, click on the title.

Let me know if you have a question about latex gloves. I have a file cabinet full of research information.

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Coated Gloves – Determine function, fiber, and fit first

Coated gloves are my favorite industrial and work glove to talk about because they have become very comfortable, functional and versatile. In many cases they are replacing traditional leather work gloves. And, since it’s that time of year you might like to know that they also make great garden gloves, too.

Due to the introduction of new fibers and a vast selection of coating options many users became confused to find the right glove. So confused, that I found myself on the phone all day fielding their questions to lend a hand (pun intended) in selecting the correct glove for their situation.

That’s when I decided to write a primer on coated gloves which could be e-mailed to them as a reference and save some of their time and mine. That primer turned into an article which was published last year in Industrial Safety & Hygiene News. You can link to the primer here or go to the article by clicking on the title of this post.

As a matter of fact, coated gloves look good, too. I even used one model as the featured image on my Blog. Let me know if you found the primer or article helpful.

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Online Matchmaking and Gloves

I call it High-Tech Glove Marketing

When I was asked late last year by the IGA (International Glove Association) to write an article (about gloves of course) for the annual IGA feature in Occupational Health & Safety magazine, I knew immediately that it would be helpful to enlighten OH&S subscribers about gloves and the internet. After all, we are (GO Gloves™) the oldest glove company on the net.

(Click on the Title to see the article or you can find it under our Media Tab on our web sites)

Death Row Glove’s Life Spared

Although I wouldn’t exactly call Sue Whitney a Glove Guru, she certainly has a talent for extending the life of Electrician’s Gloves. See her Blog and her glove project. (Pictured)

For those of you in the know, Electrician’s gloves become obsolete after 6 months unless retested and recertified. It’s the law and it’s a good one.

If you want to see more about these gloves before they fall into Sue’s hands (click here)

If your looking for other gloves to turn into projects (click here)

From the Halls of Montezuma to the shelves at Gloves-Online

Part of the initial verse from the oldest official song in the United States military seemed fitting to announce the arrival of the official white Military Dress Gloves of the US Military to our “hard to find” glove stock.

These military dress gloves are the official gloves purchased by DSCP (Department of Defense clothing supply unit) and made exclusively for the DOD in the USA. .

It took a little stiff arming to get my hands on these gloves even though I serve on the DOD Glove Technical Sub-Committee. Now they are an exclusive at GO Gloves and our military customers no longer have to settle for a second class dress glove. Even you die hard Dress Blue men and women warriors!

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Good Good Good Good Vibrations

I thought of this classic Beach Boys song when I was drafting an article for “Modern Contractor” about anti-vibration gloves and (HAVS) Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome. It’s a worthwhile read for those of you who work with any type of vibrating tools in your work.

You can also see our newest glove to prevent HAVS. See the new Ergodyne ProFlex Anti-Vibration Gloves. (Shown) Click on image to enlarge.

I’m not sure these gloves will keep giving you excitations but they are the only ANSI certified glove for this problem.

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We have a Winner!

The glove auction for Santonio Holmes' gloves wrapped up last weekend. The winning bid for these historical sport gloves was $70,200.00. I wonder if the marketing gurus at Reebok ever realized that they made gloves worth that much money. I guess we’ll see what they sell for next season.

To help you resolve your curiosity, I was not the winner. The winning bidders name is not yet known.

Own the Gloves that Won Super Bowl XLIII

It seems that auctioning off celebrity gloves is becoming vogue this year. However, this one is worth mentioning.

You can own a pair of historical gloves by going to the auction (click the Title). The auction ends Feb. 15^th at 9:59pm EST – 14 days from the exact moment Santonio Holmes made his historical catch to win the Super Bowl for the Pittsburg Steelers. (Click on image to enlarge the photo)

All proceeds go to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

The last I looked the bidding was up to $7,400.00. That’s sure one hot pair of gloves I’d love to get my hands on.

Too Hot to Handle

This January 28th release by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission regards a voluntary recall of Primovolta Warming Gloves made by Outdoor Research of Seattle, Washington. Apparently, the electric heating pad can short circuit and overheat.

We sell a competing brand of Heated Gloves (shown) and Heated Mittens but these are not associated with the recall. My guess is that the heating elements are located around the palm of the recalled gloves which receive a great amount of strain and stress.

I know OR and they are a very respectable company and known for quality gloves.

Of interest, the heating elements in our Heated Gloves and Mittens are contained in the back side (non-palm side) of the gloves to avoid damage. But you can never win because people complain they don’t get hot enough. However, at $25 bucks verses $260.00, I think they work fine providing a safe and comfortable room temperature. What do you think?
(Click on the Title to go to the release)

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Heroes of the Inauguration? Hand Warmers.

This is a fun story from the ABC News Blog. After all, it’s about hands.

Oh, and just in case you don’t run into any vendors hawking hand warmers in your town, they’re only one convenient click away: GO Hand Warmers

Of course, ours are a bit more sophisticated than the ones mentioned in the story and cost less, too. FREE, when you purchase a pair of our Winter Gloves.

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Make your gloves energy efficient

In December, I wrote a post about selecting Winter Gloves. Today, a customer request reminded me that I forgot to mention that Thermal Liners can increase the effectiveness of any winter glove.

A decade ago, we developed a winter glove using a DuPont Thermax (hollow core) insulating fiber for use by Alpine Skiers and members from an Iditarod dog-sled racing team. These fibers retain heat and help wick away moisture. Simply put, they prevent heat loss by trapping a layer of warm air next to the skin.

Besides being very soft, they are also very form fitting and seamless. They can be worn alone or used as a liner under winter sport gloves and work gloves. Plus they are washable.

By the way: The gloves were so useful the dog-sled team wore them alone. I bet Olga, our #2 Glove Guru, may still have those chilling pictures. Click here to go to the GO Thermax Thermal Glove Liners. (Shown above)

January 23 Up-Date: Picture added of the GO Thermal Liners in action at the Iditarod with Alaskan Husky showing his gloved paw.

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Cut Resistant Gloves have come a long, long way

I had some fun talking about my glove friend, Doug Little, last week but MCR Safety has really thrown down the Gauntlet last year when they introduced their HexArmor Cut Resistant Gloves.

Our 5^th Century ancestors were very industrious and safety minded when they developed armored metal gauntlets (gloves) for combat (pictured). These gloves were not only cut resistant but puncture resistant. To my knowledge, no glove has ever equaled those medieval gloves. That is until MCR Safety created their own glove renaissance with the creation of their HexArmor line of gloves.

The HexArmor gloves are not only cut and puncture resistant but one model is even needle stick resistant, too. And my friend, Doug, will back me up on those claims. After all, he’s living proof.

You can check the HexArmor Glove Line out at my company’s web site and you can also see a “LIVE & UNCUT” video demonstration. What do you think MCR will come up with next in a glove?

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Meet MCR Safety’s Human Cannonball - Industrial

I had the rare pleasure of meeting another Glove Guru while attending the National Safety Council Conference last September. I liken my new glove friend to a human cannonball since here was this modest, intelligent looking guy right in the middle of the sprawling Anaheim Convention Center surrounded by thousands of dubious safety engineers subjecting his (gloved) hands to literal torture. Imagine a person jumping onto a bed of nail spikes and you get the picture. It was frightening to watch his bravery and the steadfast confidence he held in the gloves he wore.

Meet Doug Little, Innovations Manager, for MCR Safety. (Pictured) Doug is one of the brains behind an extraordinary new line of MCR gloves called HexArmor Gloves.

During his presentation, Doug was using all types of evil looking props to demonstrate these new cut and puncture resistant wonder gloves. Nasty sharp things like razor knifes, razor wire (think prison fence), barbed wire, hypodermic needles, nail spikes, the list goes on. If you want to see a much tamed down version of Doug’s glove presentation, click on this You Tube link.

I’ll be talking more about these new wonder gloves in a few days but I bet if P.T. Barnum was still alive, MCR Safety might be looking for a new glove guru and human cannonball. By the way, you get one guess to know if I tried to buy and monopolize all of MCR’s stock of HexArmor Gloves.

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High Tech Gloves grasp High Tech Marketing

In this world of on-line dating, finding the perfect pair of gloves for safety, work or play is becoming easier than ever. Finally, high tech gloves are meeting its match in social marketing. Surely you’ve heard of YouTube, et al.

Two of our strategic partners are now utilizing video streams to show how their gloves perform. It sure saves time, e-mails, and gas to reach customers needing a quick hand protection solution. Not only do these streams help us demonstrate the gloves, they also help customers make a suitable choice.

See the MAPPA Kronit Gloves in action.

See the MCR Safety HexArmor Gloves in action This link is not for the faint of heart.

I sure wish this technology existed when I was pounding the pavement. What do you think about this concept?

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Everyone wants to sell Gloves – Even Apple

This morning, this news was all over the Internet; in my in-box; and the basis for numerous phone calls. As if I, the Glove Guru, knew about Apple’s patent application for a winter-friendly I-Phone glove? FYI, yours truly, already introduced a “line” of cold weather cell phone gloves in November.

I can confirm to you that an application published by the US Patent and Trademark office reveals that Apple may be exploring the idea of selling gloves which are friendlier to touch screens.

If you don’t want to wait for any “Glove System” from Apple, check out our friendly to touch screens Freehands Glove Line. We offer 3 models, in 5 Unisex sizes, and their inexpensive. Oh, and you don’t have to get any subscriptions.

I guess we’ll have to start working on more colors for next year. No way am I going to let Steve beat me at Gloves.

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Glove Czars gathering for State of the Union

If you want to meet and mingle with the worlds leading Glovers and Glovenauts (and "maybe" some other Glove Guru’s), you better mark your calendar to be in San Antonio on March 15-17, 2009.

You can’t afford not to attend the 2009 IGA (International Glove Association) Glove Symposium & Expo. Click on the Title for more information.

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One word about Winter Gloves…

WATERPROOF!

It amazes me that most shoppers looking for a real winter glove fail to purchase Waterproof gloves. I’m not talking about fine fashion lined leather gloves; I’m referring to the winter gloves you wear during outdoor activities such as shoveling snow, sledding, skiing, or hiking. The same applies to winter construction and work gloves.

Thermal lined gloves are a must have and will keep you warm but once the lining becomes wet, your hands will freeze. Regarding linings look for a branded lining like Gore-Tex or HeatKeep just to name a few. A branded lining on the label generally indicates that the manufacturer has made an extra effort to provide warmth. You should also look for a knit wrist or a wrist closure to keep out snow, rain and wind. Lastly, make sure the gloves are WATERPROOF or they will not be cold proof.

Tip: Check out the Youngstown Winter Waterproof Gloves (Pictured). These are by far our #1 selling winter gloves every year since they were first introduced.

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Happy Holidays

We’re taking a short break from the Holiday Glove Rush. But WOW, the snow storms this year certainly made our glove life interesting.

Additionally, based on customer calls & e-mails, I’ve been informed by our customer service department that it looks like the USPS (US Postal Service) has let us (along with our customers) down this year falling behind by days. Not fun after working so hard. Maybe some delays are snow related but not in LA, Miami or the South.

Next week, I’ll share our top sellers for ’08 (since we are a customer centric business) and begin to talk about real issues in the Industrial Glove markets.

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Astronaut glove wins $200,000 NASA prize

This is an interesting item for you high-tech Glovers out there like me.

High Fives go to Peter Homer, a Maine Engineer, who developed the new astronaut glove and he had no previous experience in glove R&D or manufacturing. He just may get my Glove Guru Award this year.

Following the money – NASA will be sponsoring another contest next year and raising the stakes. I guess I better buy a new lab notebook.

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More snowstorms loom across much of U.S.

Today’s headlines were in line with today’s on-line sales. Sales for our Winter Gloves reached an all-time high. Up 215%! Thanks

All that snow will sure make traveling for Santa easier Wednesday night. Also, don’t forget to get extra gloves for your snowman and snowman makers.

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For the Love of Gloves - Retail

What you wear to keep your hands warm can also be the punctuation point to an entire outfit.

This is a fashion article about trends in gloves this season for our female Glovers by Susan Martin, Style Editor at the Buffalo News. It’s that time of year and a quick read. Click on the Title to go to the article.


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