Factory guide to postal sorting gloves for letters, flats, trays and conveyor belts, covering 15 gauge liners, PU or nitrile grip, EN 388 targets, packing formats, MOQ, lead time, AQL and China export realities.
The Glove Must Survive Paper, Plastic Trays and Belt Edges
Postal sorting gloves fail in small ways before they fail visibly. On letter and flat sorting lines, the first wear points are usually the index fingertip, thumb crotch and the PU film over the middle finger. Operators handle DL and C5 envelopes, glossy catalogues, poly mailers, kraft packets, plastic trays, sack ties, cage handles, roller tables and moving belt edges in one shift. A glove that looks fine in a showroom can lose fingertip grip after 3 to 5 heavy sorting days if the coating is too thin or badly cured. For dry letter sorting, our normal starting construction is a 15 gauge nylon-spandex liner with a thin polyurethane palm dip. The 15 gauge knit gives enough tactility to separate one envelope from a stack without dragging five pieces together. Nylon gives a smooth hand feel, spandex keeps the liner snug after repeated flexing, and PU keeps the palm profile low. For parcel induction, returns or cage unloading, we usually move to 13 gauge polyester or nylon with foam nitrile because cartons, dusty labels and conveyor contact need more coating body. We do not recommend one universal glove for every postal task unless the buyer accepts compromise. A 15 gauge PU glove is good for letters, flats and trays. A 13 gauge foam nitrile glove is better for cartons and rough belt contact. If a tender covers OCR feeding, tray handling and parcel cages, the cleaner sourcing decision is often two SKUs with shared cuff colours and carton labelling, not one overbuilt glove that operators remove during fine sorting.
Liner Choice Controls Dexterity More Than Coating
The liner decides most of the dexterity. For manual postal sorting gloves, 15 gauge nylon-spandex is the safest base because it is thin, elastic and stable enough for long repetitive picking. A common yarn set is nylon filament with 3 to 5 percent spandex, knitted on 15 gauge machines, then heat-set before dipping. If the liner is loose at the fingertips, even the best PU coating will feel clumsy when feeding flats into OCR, barcode or culling equipment. A 13 gauge polyester liner is cheaper and stronger in rough use, but it creates a thicker fingertip and more drag on paper edges. It suits tray loading, depot handling and parcel induction better than fast letter casing. An 18 gauge nylon-spandex liner can feel excellent for fine handling, but the cost is higher, the knitting defect rate is less forgiving, and the glove has less tolerance for cracked trays, staples or sharp plastic edges. We quote 18 gauge only when the buyer values tactility over service life. Cut resistance needs a real risk assessment, not a slogan. HPPE, steel or glass-fibre blends can lift performance to EN 388 cut level B or ANSI ISEA 105 A2, but they add stiffness, heat and cost. For ordinary letters and flats, many buyers target EN 388:2016 plus A1:2018 results around 3131X or 4131X. If the workplace includes broken strapping, exposed staples, damaged roll cages or metal chute edges, we can build an HPPE blend. We do not push high cut liners for low-risk mailrooms because uncomfortable gloves become unused gloves.
PU Palm, Foam Nitrile and Dots Are Not Interchangeable
PU palm coating is the usual option for dry mail because it is clean, thin and predictable. It grips paper, kraft envelopes, poly mailers and smooth plastic trays without adding a bulky fingertip. The process detail is strike-through. If PU viscosity is too low, dip depth too deep, or the liner is not controlled, coating penetrates through the knit and hardens inside the fingers. In pre-production we cut or turn samples inside out after curing to check fingertip strike-through, not just palm appearance. Foam nitrile is a better tool for dusty cartons, parcel returns and conveyor feeding. It has more open texture and usually gives better grip on printed carton board or labels with light powder. The trade-off is thickness, less paper feel and a more industrial look. For mixed parcel belts, a 13 gauge liner with foam nitrile palm often outlasts 15 gauge PU, especially where operators touch belt edges and roller frames. For letter-only sorting, that same glove may feel too slow. PVC dots can add grip and abrasion life, but dot placement matters. Palm dots help on trays and cages. Fingertip dots can catch envelope corners, slow casing speed and leave a raised feel that some operators dislike. Sandy nitrile, crinkle latex and heavy double-dip coatings are normally wrong for postal letters unless the job is closer to freight handling. GloveMark makes coated knit handling gloves; we do not claim a coating is suitable for automated mail contact until the buyer has checked lint, silicone and marking requirements on their own equipment.
Standards Must Match Real Postal Hazards
For EU and UK programmes, most postal sorting gloves sold as mechanical protection sit under Category II PPE. The main standard is EN 388:2016 plus A1:2018, reported as abrasion, blade cut, tear, puncture and optional ISO 13997 cut, for example 3131X. Buyers should not write only CE marked glove in a tender. A useful line is closer to 15 gauge nylon-spandex PU palm, EN 388 minimum 3131X, no coating strike-through at fingertips, suitable for dry letter and flat sorting. Abrasion is often more relevant than high cut score. Plastic trays, metal cage handles and belt edges polish the palm faster than paper cuts through the liner. If the glove is used near powered conveyors, the buyer also needs an internal safety review for entanglement risk. A snug knit wrist is normal, but loose cuffs, long pull tabs or dangling labels should be avoided around moving belts. Gloves do not replace machine guarding, lockout procedures or operator training. For the US, ANSI ISEA 105 can be added when a distributor needs cut-level language. ANSI A1 or A2 is usually enough for low-risk mailrooms; A4 or A5 belongs to sharper hazards and will make the glove more expensive and less flexible. We can arrange third-party testing through recognised laboratories for confirmed constructions. We do not print EN 388 pictograms, CE marks or UKCA marks on a glove, bag or carton until the test report and technical file match the production materials, coating and size range.
Branding and Packing Must Fit Shift Issue
Postal glove branding is usually practical, not decorative. A heat transfer logo on the back of hand is possible, but it adds cost, can crack after washing or heavy flexing, and may be unnecessary for depot issue. Size identification is more useful. Common cuff overlock colours are S yellow, M green, L blue and XL black, with XXL red if needed. This helps supervisors issue gloves quickly from a storeroom carton without opening every polybag. Standard export packing for coated knit gloves is 12 pairs per inner polybag and 120 pairs per master carton for thicker nitrile styles, or 240 pairs per carton for lighter PU styles if compression and carton strength allow. Final carton size depends on cuff length, coating thickness and individual packing. A typical master carton may be around 55 by 28 by 42 cm, but we confirm after pilot packing, not from a catalogue estimate. If the buyer needs depot vending, we can pack 1 pair per printed polybag with EAN or Code 128 barcode labels, but labour and film cost rise. Inspection should be written into the purchase order. For repeat B2B orders we usually suggest AQL 2.5 for major defects and AQL 4.0 for minor defects unless the buyer has a stricter manual. Checks should include size ratio, palm coating coverage, cuff elasticity, broken yarns, needle holes, odour, tacky coating, barcode scan, carton marks and pair count. Randomly weighing cartons is also useful because a low carton weight can reveal missing pairs or a coating-weight change before shipment.
MOQ, Sampling and What We Will Not Promise
For a standard 15 gauge PU palm postal sorting glove using available yarn and coating colours, realistic MOQ is usually 3,000 to 5,000 pairs per colourway. If the buyer needs custom liner colour, non-standard cuff colours, printed individual bags or a private carton mark, MOQ may move to 10,000 pairs or more because yarn, film and printing suppliers also have minimums. Size ratio matters: a balanced S to XL ratio is easier than a run dominated by XXL. Sampling is not instant if it must represent production. Lab dips or first fit samples usually take 7 to 12 days after artwork, size ratio and coating choice are confirmed. A tested pre-production sample takes longer because the EN 388 lab schedule is outside the knitting line. Bulk lead time is commonly 30 to 45 days after sample approval and deposit, depending on knitting capacity, dipping line schedule, curing time, packing format and inspection booking. Peak season before large public tenders can add 1 to 2 weeks. Price is driven by yarn, gauge, coating weight, test requirements, packing labour and order volume. As a China factory, we can quote FOB Ningbo or FOB Shanghai for export orders; EXW is possible but less convenient for overseas buyers without a forwarder. DDP sounds simple, but duties, VAT and local delivery rules make it risky unless the buyer has agreed every cost line. Gloves are bulky but light. Container loading must be calculated from approved carton dimensions and gross weight; we will not promise a 20 foot or 40 foot quantity from a photo. GloveMark makes knit and dipped handling gloves, light sewn work gloves and private label packing for distributors and brands. We do not manufacture postal sorting machines, mail sacks, disposable medical gloves or certified electrical insulating gloves. We also do not borrow a test report from a similar glove. If the yarn, gauge, coating or liner colour changes, the compliance position may change too, and we say that before production rather than after a buyer has a customs or tender problem.
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This guide is updated when industry conditions change - the last revision was based on Q1 2026 fabric pricing and CN-EU freight rates.