High-quality winter gloves

A high-quality winter glove can be recognized by good quality leather, durable craftsmanship, and well-finished details. High-quality gloves use sheep or deer leather as the material, while the lining is warmed by one hundred percent wool fabric. Sometimes, you also find wool in winter gloves.  The outer surface of the glove is often combined with leather, but different types of leather are generally not combined.

In this writing, Chester Jefferies gloves found on the Boutique side are used as an example. 

Chester Jefferies is a traditional English glove manufacturer that has been operating since 1936, with size production taking place entirely in England. Some of CJ's gloves are even adorned with hand-stitched details. You can distinguish hand-stitched gloves by the larger stitch spacing and very slight asymmetry, which is referred to as the maker's signature. Handcraftsmanship should be heard and seen! 

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

The leather of the glove matters

In a high-quality winter glove, leather naturally plays a significant role. Classic winter gloves often use either sheepskin or deerskin. So, what distinguishes these leathers from each other? Deerskin is slightly thicker and has a more lively texture and appearance. Sheepskin is almost buttery soft, with a very smooth and even surface.

Due to the thickness of deer leather, there is often a noticeable stylistic difference in the finishing of gloves. Namely, gloves made from deer leather often have a slightly rougher appearance because the stitching on the fingers is done by hand on the outside of the glove, whereas in lighter lambskin gloves, the stitching is turned inward and not visible. Thanks to this stylistic difference, deer leather gloves also leave a bit more room for the fingers, making them an excellent choice for those with long fingers!

There is also a slight price difference in the leathers, which of course is reflected in the price difference of the finished gloves, and thus a deerskin glove is slightly more expensive than a similar glove made from sheepskin.

In the picture, light brown, slightly thicker deer leather winter gloves from Chester Jefferies. Note the stronger surface texture of the leather compared to lambskin and the outwardly stitched seams. This pair of gloves also features the previously mentioned hand-stitched seams.

The wool lining of the leather glove keeps you warm

Winter gloves need to have a proper lining to keep warm enough even in freezing temperatures. Mainly, leather gloves use wool linings, but silk linings are also occasionally encountered. In high-quality gloves, it is recommended to use only breathable and comfortable materials.  natural materials, as they prevent sweating and keep hands warm and dry. In premium gloves, the lining is never glued to the glove but is separate from the leather and only sewn at the seams. This way, the lining can mold to the hand, and it does not tear at the joints but moves more freely with the hand.

Hanskan's diamond piece is a guarantee of quality

In first-class, handcrafted gloves, there is a detail that is often completely omitted in mass production. This particular detail is the so-called diamond or lozenge-shaped piece that is sewn between the fingers. This small piece of leather, which may not seem like a big deal, significantly improves the fit of the glove and extends its lifespan considerably. 

It is definitely worth paying attention to other smaller details when purchasing a quality glove, such as the possible button fastening on the cuff of the glove. 

In Chester Jefferies gloves, an additional piece of leather is added on the inside at the buttons to provide super important durability for the button fastening. When the button is opened and closed every time the glove is put on and taken off,  In the end, its fastening must withstand thousands of opening and closing cycles. This small piece of leather provides support precisely to enhance this durability!

In the attached picture, you can clearly see a small diamond-shaped leather piece sewn between the fingers of the glove, which enhances the fit of the glove and extends its lifespan.

Choosing the right glove size

When trying on gloves, finding the right size is easy. When a winter glove is made entirely of leather (except for the lining), you should always choose the size that initially feels slightly snug. By slightly snug, we mean that the fingers of the glove are long enough but the leather feels tight all around your hand. Leather is a wonderful material that molds to the shape of your hand with use and 'fits like a glove.'

If the glove you choose is only partially leather, for example, leather on the palm side and wool on the back of the hand, it is advisable to choose a perfectly fitting glove right from the start. Of course, a partially woolen glove will also adapt slightly with use, but not as much as a fully leather glove.

Maintenance and care of leather gloves

The care of leather gloves is very important, as it makes the gloves practically almost eternal. The maintenance of gloves follows the same principles as the care of any other leather product.

The leather should be cleaned either with water or mild soapy water, but soaking it through should be avoided. If this happens for some reason, the leather should be dried slowly at room temperature, meaning do not place the leather gloves on a radiator to dry. 

Leather winter gloves should also be treated in the same way as leather shoes or bags. Lightly go over the gloves with a colorless leather conditioner using a cloth or sponge meant for applying leather care products. It is good to let the conditioned leather glove dry for about a day at room temperature before using them again.