If you buy gloves by the case, the thickness you pick decides two things: how many gloves your crew burns through in a day, and how often a glove tears in the middle of a job. Go too thin and you double up or change gloves every few minutes. Go too thick for light work and you pay for protection you don't use. Here is a plain guide to picking the right one.
What "mil" means
A mil is one thousandth of an inch. It measures how thick the glove wall is, usually at the fingertip. A 4 mil glove is thin and gives you the most feel. An 8 mil glove is about twice as thick and is built to take abuse. Thicker is not always better, it just has to match the work.
Quick guide by job
| Thickness | Best for | Think of it as |
|---|---|---|
| 4 mil | Tattoo, salon, food prep, cleaning, exam-style tasks | Feel first, changed often |
| 5 mil | Restaurants, janitorial, light auto and general shop work | The everyday glove |
| 6 mil | Chemicals, degreasers, paint prep, heavier cleaning | Tougher, chemical resistant |
| 8 mil | Auto repair, mechanics, construction, plumbing, industrial cleaning | Heavy duty, lasts longer per pair |
4 mil: when you need feel
Thin gloves give you the best touch and grip on small things like needles, tools and food. They are made to be changed often, so they make sense when you swap gloves between clients or tasks anyway. Our Black Pearl nitrile comes in black, rose and violet and is popular with tattoo artists and salons. Shop Black Pearl Nitrile
5 mil: the everyday glove
Five mil is the middle of the road. It is thick enough for most kitchen, cleaning and light shop work and still thin enough to work fast. If you are not sure where to start, start here. Shop 5 Mil Nitrile
6 mil: chemicals and harder cleaning
When the job involves degreasers, solvents or strong cleaners, step up to 6 mil. Our Carbonite 6 Mil is made to hold up to chemicals better than a standard glove. Shop Carbonite 6 Mil
8 mil: heavy duty work
Mechanics, construction crews, plumbers and anyone working around sharp edges, grease and heat go through thin gloves fast. An 8 mil glove holds up through the job, so one pair can replace two or three thin ones. Our 8 Mil Diamond Textured adds a raised diamond grip so wrenches and wet parts don't slip. Shop 8 Mil Diamond Textured
The math most shops miss
A thicker glove costs more per box, but if a thin glove tears and your tech grabs a second pair, you just paid for two gloves for one job. For heavy work, the real number to watch is cost per job, not cost per glove. That is why most auto shops and contractors that try 8 mil stay on it.
Still not sure?
Text our team at 213-418-1897 and tell us what you do. We will tell you which glove fits and what size case makes sense. Glove orders ship free anywhere in the US.