Knowing Your ESD Gloves

In electronics manufacturing and assembly, your hands are the most direct path for electrostatic discharge to reach a sensitive component. Standard nitrile or latex gloves provide no static protection — and in some cases, they actively generate charge through triboelectric contact. ESD gloves close that gap by providing a controlled path to ground that protects both the operator and the product.

For a complete guide to cleanroom and ESD glove selection, see our Cleanroom Gloves Resource Hub and the broader ESD Program Essentials hub.

What Makes a Glove “ESD Safe”?

An ESD glove is designed to dissipate static charge at a controlled rate — fast enough to prevent damaging discharge events, but slow enough to avoid creating a shock hazard. The key metric is surface resistance, typically measured in ohms per square. ANSI/ESD S20.20 defines the acceptable resistance range for hand protection as 1 x 10⁵ to 1 x 10¹¹ ohms.

Gloves that fall below this range (too conductive) can create shock hazards. Gloves that fall above it (too resistive) provide no meaningful ESD protection. The goal is the middle ground: controlled dissipation.

The Main Types of ESD Gloves

Carbon fiber knit gloves

Carbon fiber is woven directly into the glove fabric, creating a conductive matrix across the entire glove surface. These are among the most reliable ESD gloves for consistent surface resistance and are commonly used in electronics assembly, PCB handling, and component inspection. They provide good dexterity and are reusable with proper care.

Conductive fiber gloves

Similar to carbon fiber construction but using other conductive yarns (copper, silver, or blended fibers). These offer a balance of conductivity, durability, and tactile sensitivity. Common in precision assembly and inspection tasks where fine motor control matters.

ESD-coated gloves

Standard glove materials (nitrile, latex, polyurethane) with a static-dissipative coating applied to the surface. The coating provides ESD protection without changing the base glove's chemical resistance or dexterity characteristics. Useful when you need both chemical resistance and static control — though coating durability should be verified over the glove's service life.

Finger cots

Not full gloves, but worth noting: ESD finger cots cover individual fingertips and are used for tasks where full glove coverage isn't needed. Common in component handling, rework, and inspection where operators need maximum tactile sensitivity on most of the hand.

When Are ESD Gloves Required?

ESD gloves are required any time an operator's hands are in direct contact with — or in close proximity to — ESD-sensitive devices (ESDs) outside of protective packaging. This includes:

• PCB handling and assembly
• Component insertion and removal
• Rework and repair operations
• Inspection of bare boards or unpackaged components
• Any task performed at an ESD-protected workstation where wrist straps alone don't provide adequate coverage

If your process involves chemical exposure — flux, IPA, cleaning agents — verify that your ESD glove material is compatible with those chemicals before use. ESD-coated nitrile gloves are often the best fit for combined chemical and static control requirements.

ESD Gloves vs. Standard Cleanroom Gloves

Standard cleanroom gloves (nitrile, latex, neoprene) are optimized for particle control and contamination prevention — not static dissipation. In many cleanroom environments, both requirements exist simultaneously: ISO classification demands low particulate generation, while the process demands ESD protection.

In these cases, look for gloves that are both cleanroom-rated (low NVR, low particle shedding, cleanroom-packaged) and ESD-safe. Some HandPRO and Transforming Technologies lines are designed specifically for this overlap. See our Exam Gloves vs. Cleanroom Gloves guide for a full breakdown of the differences.

Combining ESD Gloves with Other Grounding Equipment

ESD gloves work as part of a complete grounding system — not as a standalone solution. For full protection, operators should also use:

• A wrist strap connected to a common point ground
• An ESD-safe work surface (mat) bonded to the same ground
• ESD footwear or heel grounders if standing
• Ionization if the process involves insulative materials that can't be grounded

Gloves protect the product from hand contact. Wrist straps protect the product from body charge. Both are needed in most ESD-sensitive assembly environments. See our ESD Program Essentials hub for a complete overview of grounding system design.

Featured ESD Glove Products at MTE Solutions

MTE Solutions carries ESD gloves from leading brands including Transforming Technologies and ACL Staticide — two of the most trusted names in ESD control:

• Shop All ESD Gloves
• Transforming Technologies ESD Products
• ACL Staticide ESD Products

Not sure which ESD glove is right for your process? Contact our team with your ISO class, task type, and any chemical exposure requirements and we'll recommend the right SKU.