Turtleskin Gloves: Space Age Protection

17 July 2015

Time to shine the spotlight on the misleadingly named Turtleskin Gloves - they’re not actually made of turtle skin, but they are exceedingly well made PPE gloves. Named for the resistance it shares with a turtle’s tough skin, it has proven to live up to name again and again, most notably when it was used by NASA to protect their Mars landing vehicle from the Martian surface. Highly resistant to needles, cuts and abrasion, Turtleskin gloves are fast gaining a reputation as a super-glove, they may have gone into space, but these gloves won't cost you the earth. While they meet exacting standards for your safety, they don't need anything so precise for their maintenance, just throw them in the wash! 

Turtleskin Begins

Turtleskin is a patented fabric woven by Warwick Mills Inc, an American company which can count itself as one of the few dedicated technical weaving companies in the world. A family run business since 1870, Warwick Mills original vision for innovative work wear continues to this day and the company’s relatively small scale when compared to their international impact proves that passion for making this vision a reality has not dulled over the decades.

Today, Warwick Mills has become renowned for its commitment to new technologies in the creation of fabric and it’s depth of research when it comes to bringing innovative new products to the international market.

Turtle Power

Turtleskin fabric is a light, breathable fabric that is at the same time, almost impenetrable. Its versatility is proof of how strong this durable material really is. From bicycle tyres to yacht sails to protecting space crafts, the fabric has found applications in industries such as law enforcement, police, anti-ballistics and even snake handling. 

Especially designed to allow for excellent grip and dexterity, our Turtleskin Insider Safety Gloves are strong enough to be used on their own, but thin enough to be worn as a liner to a thicker glove, perhaps the Turtleskin Utility Safety Glove if you're looking to really max-out your turtle power.

Able to protect against even the finest hazards, Turtleskin has over 400 grams of hypodermic needle resistance so you can rest assured that your hands are safe from scratches and punctures.

pin point precision protection

The rigorous testing that Turtleskin Gloves has undergone means you can be certain that your hands are safe in any of their gloves. 

Having passed the European Standard for Protection From Mechanical Risks, you can be certain that your Turtleskin gloves are more than ready to tackle the task at hand. To see the serious challenges EN388 puts its gloves through before awarding its accreditation to the survivors, check out the video below - there's an awful lot your new Turtleskin gloves will have to go through before letting you down!

But Turtleskin Gloves go one step further. Knowing that EN3888 testing is not adequate for protection against hypodermic needles and other fine sharps, Turtleskin also ensure that their gloves adhere to the much more precise ASTM F2878 tests - the American equivalent of glove safety which requires more precision protection from its test subjects. The exact manner of the test is outlined below:

  • A 28 gauge needle is aimed at the glove at a 90 degree angle
  • At the velocity of 500mm/min the needle attempts to puncture the glove 12 times in total
  • The rate of puncture is then recorded

Notably, the ASTM tests take dexterity into account, the test of which goes as follows:

  • The glove is forced through a circular ring
  • Measurements of the force required to pass the glove through the ring reflects it's dexterity
  • The greater the force, the lower the dexterity and vice versa

Thanks to this high standard Turtleskin Gloves uphold, their gloves are able to stand up to a range of hazards that other gloves fail to properly protect you from.

Pick a Turtle

All Turtleskin Gloves are abrasion and cut resistant, with their degree of dexterity and needle resistance varying throughout the range to best suit your needs.

See the table below to identify which glove will be best for you and the requirements of your intended application.

 

Safe from Splinters or Shredders

So whether you’re typing or handling heavy machinery, taking on timber handling or fixing office equipment, Turtleskin gloves are light and thin enough to ensure that they don’t get in the way of any task, protect you from all of them and seek to enhance your performance in whatever you do.

Meeting not one but two international standards of protection means that these gloves are rigorously tested for rigorous performance, and if that doesn’t convince you, maybe the endorsement of NASA - or even of the presidents who have worn Turtleskin bulletproof vests - will. 

Visit Safety Gloves for a range of Turtleskin Gloves.