That code on a work glove label, something like 4X43EP, is EN388. This post reads each of the six slots and shows exactly which test, machine, and conditions produced each number. (Continued from Work Glove Certifications Explained.)
TL;DR
The EN388 code has six slots, read left to right: abrasion, old cut test (Coupe), tear, puncture, new cut test (ISO 13997), and impact. Abrasion is rub-cycles, the cut tests use blades, tear and puncture are in newtons, the new cut test uses A to F, and impact is marked P on pass. Higher numbers or later letters mean stronger, and X means that test could not measure it.
What one EN388 line tells you
EN388 shows, in one code, how well a glove resists mechanical hazards: abrasion, cut, tear, puncture, and impact. Cut alone gets two slots, an old method and a new one.
| Slot | Test | Unit / mark | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abrasion | 1 to 4 (cycles) | Rubbed with sandpaper until a hole forms |
| 2 | Cut (old, Coupe) | 1 to 5 or X | Rotating circular blade |
| 3 | Tear | 1 to 4 (N) | Force to tear |
| 4 | Puncture | 1 to 4 (N) | Force from a blunt probe |
| 5 | Cut (new, ISO 13997) | A to F (N) | Force of one straight-blade stroke |
| 6 | Impact | P or blank | Back-of-hand shock absorbed |
Slot 1, abrasion: which sandpaper, and how hard
Abrasion rubs the glove against a rough surface and counts cycles until a hole forms. The key point is that it is not just any sandpaper. Only an abrasive whose grit is fixed by the standard is allowed.
The machine is a Martindale abrasion tester (ISO 12947), and the abrasive is Klingspor PL31B, grit 180 sandpaper. The specimen is pressed at 9 kPa (a light, steady pressure) and rubbed in a figure-eight (Lissajous) path. When EN388 was revised from the 2003 to the 2016 edition, the consistency requirements for this abrasive paper were tightened.
| Abrasion grade | Cycles withstood |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 500 |
| 3 | 2,000 |
| 4 | 8,000 |
If you handle concrete or brick all day, this number drives how long the glove lasts.
Slot 2, the old cut test (Coupe): the rotating blade and the “index”
The second slot is the old Coupe cut test. A circular blade moves back and forth over the specimen under a 5 N load, and the machine counts rotations until it cuts through. The instrument is the SATRA STM 611.
Here the “level” is not an absolute count but a ratio. A reference fabric (cotton canvas, 540 g/m²) is cut alongside, and the cut index is “cycles the sample survived divided by cycles the reference survived.” If the reference is cut in 2 cycles and the sample in 10, the cut index is 5.
| Cut index | Level |
|---|---|
| Over 1.2 | 1 |
| Over 2.5 | 2 |
| Over 5.0 | 3 |
| Over 10.0 | 4 |
| Over 20.0 | 5 |
The problem is strong yarn like aramid. It is so tough that the test blade dulls mid-test, which distorts the result. The mark then becomes X. X does not mean “no protection.” It means “this test cannot measure it accurately,” so you read the fifth slot instead.
Slot 3, tear: the force to rip, in newtons
The third slot is tear, the force needed to rip the fabric. A rectangular specimen taken from the palm is pre-slit, clamped in a tensile tester, and pulled apart at 100 mm per minute.
Four specimens are tested, and the weakest result sets the grade. The unit is the newton (N).
| Tear grade | Force withstood |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10 N |
| 2 | 25 N |
| 3 | 50 N |
| 4 | 75 N |
Slot 4, puncture: stabbing with a blunt probe
The fourth slot is puncture, the nail-or-wire scenario. Contrary to a common belief, EN388 puncture does not use ISO 13996 (a sharp-spike test for protective clothing). It uses EN388’s own method.
The probe is blunt: a steel rod 4.5 mm in diameter with a rounded tip (about 1 mm radius), pushed about 50 mm into the specimen at 100 mm per minute while the peak resistance is recorded. Because it is a ballpoint-blunt probe, this grade means little against very fine points like a hypodermic needle, which is the domain of ISO 13996.
| Puncture grade | Force withstood |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 N |
| 2 | 60 N |
| 3 | 100 N |
| 4 | 150 N |
Slot 5, the new cut test (ISO 13997), A to F
The fifth slot is the new cut test (EN ISO 13997, TDM). Where Coupe runs one blade back and forth, this draws a fresh blade once. A straight blade cuts the specimen at about 2.5 mm/s while weight is added gradually, and the force to cut through over 20 mm is measured in newtons.
Because a new blade is used every time, there is no blade-dulling problem, so even strong yarn like aramid is measured accurately. Grades run A to F, with F the strongest.
| Grade | A | B | C | D | E | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Force (N) | 2 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 22 | 30 |
This is why both Coupe and TDM live in one code. Strong yarn returns X on Coupe, and its real strength shows up in the A to F of TDM. To judge cut resistance properly, read the fifth slot.
Slot 6, impact: the weight of a single P
The last slot is back-of-hand impact protection. The method is borrowed from a motorcycle-glove standard (EN 13594:2015). The knuckle protector is placed over a domed anvil, a 2.5 kg striker delivers a 5 J impact, and the force transmitted below the anvil is measured.
To pass, the mean transmitted force must be 7.0 kN or less and no single hit may exceed 9.0 kN. Pass earns a P, no test leaves it blank. P is a pass/fail flag, not a grade, and shows up mostly on gloves with reinforced knuckles.
Why some yarns resist cuts (the materials story)
At the same thickness, some yarns simply cut less. The key is the strength of the fiber itself. Para-aramid (Kevlar), ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (HPPE / Dyneema), and yarns with a steel or glass-fiber core resist cutting best. The analogy: soft clay slices easily, but a tough rubber band makes the blade slip.
Textile-engineering research backs this up. Ertekin and Kirtay (2016) found that the cut resistance of hybrid para-aramid fabrics rises with fabric thickness and weight, and that combining para-aramid with an HPPE core improved cut, abrasion, and puncture together. In short, there is a materials-science reason a pricier glove protects more.
How Korea sees it: KS K ISO 23388
The Korean standard uses essentially the same tests. KS K ISO 23388 covers gloves against mechanical hazards and adopts the same international (ISO) methods that EN388 follows.
One difference: mechanical gloves (for cut and abrasion) are not under mandatory safety certification in Korea, but are a voluntary area. The state only mandates testing for two glove types, chemical and electrical. So for ordinary work gloves, the practical move is to check the EN388 or KS grade the maker prints.
What grade is enough for home repair and interiors
For general work like home repair or interiors, abrasion 3 to 4 and cut around Coupe 2 to 3 (new-test B to C, about ANSI A2 to A3) is usually enough. That handles moving materials and gripping tools without trouble.
Handling sheet glass or sharp metal calls for new-test cut D to F (ANSI A4 and up). The simple rule: as the hazard rises, raise the grade with it.
Sources and further reading
Primary standards
– EN 388:2016+A1:2018 — protective gloves against mechanical risks
– EN ISO 13997 — cut (TDM) test method
– ISO 12947 — Martindale abrasion test method
– EN 13594:2015 — impact method (from motorcycle gloves)
– KS K ISO 23388 — Korean counterpart standard (KSSN)
Academic paper
– Ertekin & Kirtay (2016), “Cut resistance of hybrid para-aramid fabrics for protective gloves,” Journal of the Textile Institute 107(10)
Accredited test-house references
– EN 388 test breakdown (SATRA Technology)
– EN 388:2016 cut and puncture testing (Bob Dale Gloves)
– Work Glove Certifications Explained (Byeolgorae)
Figures were cross-checked against EN/ISO standards and accredited test-house (SATRA) material. The full paid standard text was not read directly, so a few fine conditions (blade speed, probe tip radius) should be confirmed against a maker’s test report. (Claude Opus, 2026-06-28)
Leave a Reply