High-quality winter gloves

A high-quality winter glove can be recognized by good quality leather, durable craftsmanship and careful details. Good quality gloves use sheep or deer leather as material, while the inner lining is warmed by 100% wool fabric. Sometimes wool is also found in winter gloves on the outer lining of the glove, often combined with leather, but different types of leather are not usually combined.

This article uses Chester Jefferies gloves from the boutique as an example. 

Chester Jefferies is an English glove manufacturer that respects tradition and has been operating since 1936, whose entire production takes place purely in England. Some of CJ's gloves are even decorated with hand-sewn stitching. Hand-stitched gloves are distinguished from machine-stitched by a larger stitch spacing and a very, very small asymmetry, which is called the maker's handwriting. Craftsmanship belongs and can be seen!

Chester Jefferies uses handmade stitching on some gloves, such as the red stitching on the black deerskin glove shown in the photo.

The leather of the glove matters

In a high-quality winter glove, leather is of course of great importance. Classic winter gloves often use either sheepskin or deerskin. So what separates the skins from each other? Deer leather is slightly thicker and more lively in its surface feel and appearance. The sheepskin is almost buttery soft and the surface of the leather is really flat and smooth.

Due to the thickness of the deerskin, there is often a stylistic difference between the finishing of the gloves. Namely, gloves made of deerskin often have a slightly rougher look because the stitching on the fingers is done by hand on the outside of the glove, while in a lighter sheepskin glove, they are turned inward and the stitching is not visible. Thanks to this stylistic difference, the deerskin glove also has a slightly larger space for the fingers, so for example, a deerskin glove is the most excellent choice for long fingers!

There is also a slight price difference between the skins, which of course is also reflected in the price of the finished gloves, and a deerskin glove is a little more expensive than a similar glove made of sheepskin.

The photo shows light brown, slightly thicker deerskin winter gloves from Chester Jefferies. Note the stronger texture of the leather compared to sheepskin and the seams sewn to the outside. In this pair of gloves, you can also see the previously mentioned hand stitched seams.

The wool lining of the leather glove warms

Winter gloves must have a decent lining so that they warm you sufficiently even in freezing temperatures. Wool lining is mainly used in leather gloves, but silk lining is also sometimes encountered. In high-quality gloves, it is not recommended to use anything other than breathable and pleasant-feeling  natural materials, as they prevent sweating and keep the hands warm and dry. In first-class gloves, the lining is never glued to the glove, but is detached from the leather and sewn on only at the seams. This allows the lining to take shape in the hand. and it does not tear from its joints but moves more freely with the hand.

The glove's diamond piece is a guarantee of quality

First-class, handmade gloves have a detail that is often completely omitted in cheap production. This particular detail is the so-called a piece with a diamond or stud pattern that is sewn between the fingers. This small piece of leather, which may not seem like a big deal, improves the fit of the glove and extends its service life considerably.

Also, it is definitely worth paying attention to other smaller details when purchasing a high-quality glove, such as, for example, a possible button fastening on the handle of the glove 

Chester Jefferies gloves also have a piece of leather added to the inside of the buttons to give super important durability to the button attachment. When the button is opened and closed every time the glove is put on and taken off,  after all, its fastening must last thousands of times of opening and closing. With this small piece of leather that provides support, exactly this durability is promoted!

In the attached picture, you can clearly see a small piece of leather in the shape of a strait sewn between the fingers of the glove, which promotes the fit of the glove and extends its life.

Choosing the right glove size

When trying on gloves, finding the right size is easy. When the winter glove is fully leather (not forgetting the lining fabric), you should always choose the size that feels a bit tight at first. A little rough means that the fingers of the glove are long enough, but otherwise the leather feels rough all around the hand. Leather is a wonderful material that molds itself to the shape of your own hand and "fits like a glove."

If the glove you choose is only partially leather, i.e. for example leather on the palm side and wool on the back of the palm, you should immediately choose a glove that fits perfectly as it is. Of course, even a partially woolen glove adapts a little in use, but not as much as a similar glove made of full leather.

Leather glove maintenance and care

Leather glove care is very important, as it makes the gloves virtually eternal. The maintenance of gloves works on the same principles as the care of any other leather product.

The leather should be cleaned either with water or mild soapy water, but you should avoid soaking it through. However, if this happens for one reason or another, you should dry the leather slowly at room temperature, i.e. don't put the leather gloves on a radiator to dry. 

Winter gloves made of leather should also be greased in the same way as leather shoes or bags. Go through the gloves lightly with a colorless leather care agent, using a cloth or sponge intended for applying leather. It's a good idea to let greased leather gloves dry for a day at room temperature before putting them back into use.