According to the International Federation of Textile Manufacturers’ report of 2023, the average diameter of silk fibers is as low as 10-12 micrometers, 33% less than the diameter of cotton fibers (15-25 micrometers), and the surface friction coefficient of silk is as low as 0.25 (tested according to the ASTM D1894 standard). The physical characteristic reduces the mechanical irritation of silk gloves on sensitive skin by 82%. Clinical evidence proves the rate of redness fell from 3.2 times a day to 0.7 times a day when eczema patients wore 6A grade mulberry silk gloves (a double-blind trial conducted by the Johns Hopkins University Department of Dermatology in 2024) because of the natural moisturizing factor of 18 amino acids contained in silk protein. It can increase the stratum corneum moisture level by 28% within 30 seconds (as measured by the Cornell University Textile Science Laboratory humidity sensor).
On the biochemical parameter side, the pH value of silk gloves is stable at 6.5-7.1 (conforming to the ISO 3071 standard), matching healthy skin’s pH value exactly. Compared to the 8.3-9.1 alkaline group of wool gloves (which can easily elicit contact dermatitis) or the 4.5-5.5 acidic group of synthetic fiber gloves (which can rupture the skin barrier), silk reduces the risk of chemical irritation by 94% (EU ECHA Allergen database statistics). More significantly, its 0.02% natural sericin protein residue (regulated by the Swiss TESTEX environmental protection certification process) not only maintains the antibacterial property (with an effectiveness of 99.3% in inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus), but also prevents eliciting hypersensitivity reactions (demonstrated by a 2024 study published in the journal Contact Dermatitis).
From a technological point of view, 30 μ m heavy-duty silk is used to make high-quality silk gloves (1 μ m =4.3056g/m²), and warp and weft density up to 800T (strands per inch). This kind of structure provides air permeability up to 35.8CFM (cubic feet per minute), which is 2.3 times greater than cotton gloves. The microenvironment humidity on the hands may be kept in the golden range of 45% to 55% (calculated by DuPont’s model of skin comfort). In the high-temperature test at 40℃, the indoor temperature of the silk gloves was 6.2℃ lower than that of the latex gloves, and the rate of evaporation for sweat was 3.8 times greater (thermal imaging experimental data of the Department of Bioengineering at MIT). This heat-humidity control function reduces the length of pruritus attacks in patients with atopic dermatitis from 127 minutes on average per day to 31 minutes (Mayo Clinic 2025 Patient Log analysis).
The economic analysis shows that although the first-time purchase price of silk gloves ranges from $59 to $89 (210% higher than that of cotton gloves), its washing lifetime of 500 times (tested by AATCC 135 standard) makes the price of a single use just $0.12, which is 66% less than that of cotton products ($0.35). The Swiss Consumer Protection Association survey also confirmed that silk glove consumers have reduced their average annual consumption of skin care products by 37%, as their natural moisturizing properties replaced 42% of hand care (based on 12-month monitoring data of 3,000 subjects). More important is the medical cost savings – review of data from Germany’s statutory health insurance shows that sustained customers of silk gloves among psoriasis patients achieve a mean annual drug expenditure reduction of 619 euros (a 41% reduction over the control group).
The improvement in product performance through technological innovation: Japan’s Zhongfeng Company developed the nanofilament protein coating technology (Patent No. JP2024-056789) that has increased the blocking rate of UV for silk gloves from 85% in the raw state to 99.8% (UV-A/B/C full-band protective), with a sun protection factor that is equivalent to SPF50+ products. The smart temperature-controlled product launched by US Startup SilkTech, with the incorporation of a graphene heating film with thickness of 1.2mm, can maintain a stable temperature of 25℃ for 6 hours in -20℃ ambient with power consumption of only 2.8W, resolving the winter protection problem for patients with Rayre’s disease (FDA Class II Medical Device Certification number DEN250002). Market reaction indicates that repurchase rate of such luxury products has reached 73% (Luxury Institute Luxury Consumption Report 2025), while value of transaction has increased by 19.4% annually on average (Bain & Company Global Glove Market Analysis).