Gloves and Apparel
Are Leather Gloves Heat Resistant? What Leather Handles and How Ratings Work
Leather gloves resist heat but are not heat-proof. Which leather gloves handle heat, how to read the EN 407 contact-heat level, and what weakens it.
Leather gloves resist heat to a point, but they are not heat-proof. Welders wear heavy leather gloves against extreme heat and flames, and leather is slow to ignite and chars rather than melting. How much heat a given pair can take is only known if it carries a heat rating, such as the contact-heat level under EN 407.
Part of the leather gloves and apparel guide. For leather in general, see is leather heat resistant?
Leather glove types and heat
| Glove | What sources say about heat | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Welding gloves (heavy leather) | Worn by welders against extreme heat and flames | – |
| Elkskin work gloves | One maker calls elkskin its most heat-, flame- and abrasion-resistant glove leather | – |
| Cowhide work gloves | The most common glove leather, and one of the heaviest | – |
| Heavy leather work gloves (US power work) | OSHA accepts gloves of at least 12 oz/yd² (407 g/m²) in place of arc-rated hand protection up to 14 cal/cm² | – |
| Dress, driving and winter gloves | Thin 0.8-0.9 mm lambskin or cowhide; the store names no heat rating for them | – |
How to tell if a glove is heat rated
Look for the EN 407 symbol, a shield with a flame, followed by six digits. In order, they rate flame spread, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, and small and large splashes of molten metal. A 0 means the glove failed that test, and an X means it was not tested.
For hot objects, the second digit (contact heat) matters most:
To pass a level, the inside of the glove must warm by no more than 18 °F (10 °C) for at least 15 seconds at that temperature, a span called the threshold time. That is a short test window, not an all-day limit. Level 3 or 4 can only be claimed if the glove also reaches at least level 3 for flame spread. Sources: Unigloves' EN 407 guide and ATG's EN 407:2020 summary.
In this video from Gregg Distributors, a safety-supply company, a staff member walks through the six EN 407 tests and how to match a glove to the temperature of the job. It also covers the North American ASTM F1060 rating, which this page does not, and its examples are Kevlar, terry and neoprene gloves rather than leather. For the fiber itself, see what Kevlar gloves are.
| Contact heat level | Test temperature |
|---|---|
| 1 | 212 °F (100 °C) |
| 2 | 482 °F (250 °C) |
| 3 | 662 °F (350 °C) |
| 4 | 932 °F (500 °C) |
What wears down leather's heat resistance
- Moisture: wet leather conducts heat more, because water is a good conductor. Handling wet surfaces can also stiffen any leather glove. See are cowhide gloves waterproof?
- Heat on damp leather: damp leather shrinks once it passes its shrinkage temperature, about 158 to 185 °F (70 to 85 °C) for vegetable-tanned leather and over 212 °F (100 °C) for chrome-tanned.
- Direct flame: leather is slow to ignite, but untreated leather does burn. For whether leather carries a flame-resistant rating, see is leather flame resistant?
At work, OSHA's hand-protection rule says US employers must pick hand protection for hazards such as thermal burns based on the task, conditions and how long the glove is used.
Leather gloves for everyday wear
Leather Collection men's leather gloves are dress, driving, woven and lined winter gloves in 0.8-0.9 mm lambskin and cowhide, hand-stitched and made to order. The store's own care advice is to dry wet gloves at room temperature, away from heaters, because heat can stiffen and crack leather. These are everyday styles; for hot work, choose a glove marked with an EN 407 contact-heat level.
FAQ
Can I use welding gloves as oven mitts?
Check the label first. Welding gloves are made for heat and sparks, but only the contact-heat digit tells you how hot a surface the glove has passed for 15 seconds. Keep them dry, since wet leather passes heat more easily.
What are cowhide gloves good for?
General work. Cowhide is the most common glove leather and one of the heaviest, though it is thought too bulky for fine dress gloves.
Are leather gloves fireproof?
No. Leather is slow to ignite and chars, but it burns.
HitKB Editorial Team
HitKB articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.