Technical Foundation
What Is a Antistatic Glove?
Antistatic (ESD-safe) gloves are worn to prevent the wearer's body from building up and discharging static electricity into electrostatic-discharge-sensitive components during handling, assembly, or testing. They're made from inherently dissipative fibers — typically nylon or polyester blended with carbon fiber or other conductive filament — that bleed static charge away gradually rather than allowing it to accumulate and release in a sudden discharge event.
Effectiveness is defined by surface resistivity, measured in ohms per square, which must fall within the dissipative range defined by ANSI/ESD S20.20 — too low (approaching conductive) risks the glove itself becoming a shock or short-circuit path in a live-circuit environment, while too high provides no meaningful ESD protection. Coated fingertip styles (PU or nitrile dip) add grip and durability for handling small components without sacrificing the base fabric's dissipative property.
Prefer a quick quote?
Get Antistatic Gloves Pricing in Your Inbox
Skip the search — tell us the glove material, size and whether coated fingertips are needed and we will come back with pricing.
| Spec | What It Means | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Surface Resistivity | Measured in ohms/square, must fall in ESD dissipative range per ANSI/ESD S20.20 | Outside the specified range the glove either fails to dissipate charge or becomes a shock/short hazard |
| Material | Nylon/carbon fiber blend, polyester/carbon blend | Determines base dissipative property, breathability and durability under repeated use |
| Coating | None, PU-coated fingertips, nitrile-coated palm | Coatings add grip for small parts handling without compromising the fabric's ESD rating if properly formulated |
| Size | XS through XL, glove circumference and finger length | Poor fit reduces dexterity for fine assembly work and can cause premature wear at stress points |
| Cleanroom Compatibility | Low-lint construction, cleanroom-laundered options | Required in cleanroom electronics assembly where particulate generation must be minimized alongside ESD control |
Shop Antistatic Gloves
Browse Antistatic Gloves Sub-Categories
Organised by material and coating. Pick a sub-category, or describe the component sensitivity and handling task and let ChatMRO match the glove.
How it works
From Half-Remembered Part Number to PO, in Three Steps.
Ask
Type an MPN, paste a spec sheet, or describe the part in plain English. ChatMRO understands engineer-speak.
Compare
Side-by-side specs, cross-references, and equivalents from multiple sources — without the clutter of endless browser tabs.
Quote & Buy
Request a quote or add to cart. Volume discounts, VAT-aware pricing, and consolidated procurement — all in one place.
Applications
Where Antistatic Gloves Get Used
Antistatic gloves are specified anywhere ESD-sensitive components are handled by bare hands that could otherwise transfer a static discharge.
PCB Assembly & Rework
Handling populated circuit boards and individual ESD-sensitive components during assembly, inspection and rework.
Electronics Manufacturing & Testing
Worn throughout component handling, testing and packaging stations on electronics production lines.
Semiconductor & Cleanroom Environments
Low-lint ESD gloves meeting both static control and particulate contamination requirements in cleanroom assembly.
Data Center & Server Maintenance
Protecting sensitive server components and expansion cards during installation and maintenance work.
Aerospace Electronics
ESD-safe handling of avionics components and circuit assemblies during manufacturing and field service.
Electronics Repair & Field Service
Field technicians handling ESD-sensitive replacement parts during on-site equipment repair.
FAQ
Antistatic Gloves Questions, Answered
What surface resistivity should ESD-safe gloves have?
ANSI/ESD S20.20 defines the dissipative range that ESD garments and gloves should fall within, generally between 1x10^5 and 1x10^11 ohms per square. This range allows static charge to bleed off gradually rather than either accumulating for a sudden discharge (too high resistivity) or creating a shock/short-circuit path in a live-circuit environment (too low, approaching conductive). Check the manufacturer's data sheet for the specific glove's tested resistivity rather than assuming from material description alone.
Do antistatic gloves need to be paired with a wrist strap or grounding cord?
Antistatic gloves alone dissipate charge but don't necessarily ground the wearer to a known reference point the way a wrist strap connected to a common ground does. Many facilities use gloves as one layer of a broader ESD control program that also includes grounded workstations, floor mats, and wrist straps — check your facility's ESD control plan rather than treating gloves as a complete standalone solution.
What's the benefit of coated fingertips on ESD gloves?
PU or nitrile coating on the fingertips or palm improves grip when handling small components like connectors, chips, or fasteners, reducing the chance of dropping a part during fine assembly work. Properly formulated coatings don't compromise the base fabric's ESD dissipative rating, but always confirm the coated glove is still tested and rated to ANSI/ESD S20.20 rather than assuming coating has no electrical effect.
Are antistatic gloves reusable, and how should they be cared for?
Most fabric ESD gloves are reusable and machine washable a limited number of times before the conductive fiber's performance degrades — check the manufacturer's guidance on wash cycle limits. Avoid fabric softener, which can coat the conductive fibers and reduce dissipative performance. Cleanroom-rated gloves may require cleanroom-specific laundering to maintain both ESD and particulate control ratings.
How do I choose the right glove size for fine assembly work?
Fit matters more for ESD gloves than general work gloves because dexterity loss directly affects handling precision on small components. Measure hand circumference at the widest point and finger length against the manufacturer's size chart rather than ordering by generic S/M/L, since sizing varies between brands and a glove that's too loose reduces both dexterity and glove life at stress points.
Keep browsing
Related Categories
Explore More
Find Your Next Part Now.
Describe a part number, spec or what it does.