If you source safety gloves, you have seen a small shield icon printed on the back of every pair, followed by a string of numbers and letters like 4X43D or 3X42CP. That code is the EN 388 rating — the European standard for mechanical protection. Most buyers glance at it, pick the “highest number”, and hope for the best. This guide explains exactly what each character means, what changed in the 2016 revision, and how to match a rating to a real job.
What is EN 388?
EN 388 is the European standard that measures a glove’s resistance to mechanical risks: abrasion, blade cut, tear, puncture and (since 2016) impact. The current version is EN 388:2016 + A1:2018. If a glove is sold in the EU/UK as PPE, this mark is mandatory under the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 — and it is also the de facto reference used by buyers in Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.
The six positions on the EN 388 mark
Read the code left to right. A short code (4 digits) is not “worse” — it simply means the later tests were not performed.
| Position | Test | Scale | What higher means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Abrasion resistance (sandpaper cycles) | 1–4 | Longer service life in high-friction handling |
| 2nd | Blade cut resistance (coup test) | 1–5 (X = not tested) | Resistance to a rotating circular blade |
| 3rd | Tear resistance | 1–4 | Harder to rip once snagged |
| 4th | Puncture resistance | 1–4 | Protection against nails, wire, splinters |
| 5th | Cut resistance (ISO 13997, TDM straight blade) | A–F | Force (newtons) needed to cut through |
| 6th | Impact protection (EN 13594) | P / F / blank | P = passed knuckle impact test |
Why cut levels changed to letters (A–F)
The old coup test uses a circular blade pressed against the material under a fixed load and counts rotations. On modern high-performance yarns — HPPE, glass fibre, steel fibre blends — the blade dulls during the test, which produces falsely low (or inconsistent) results. That is why the 2016 revision added the ISO 13997 (TDM-100) test: a straight blade drawn once across the material under a set force. The result is reported in newtons and expressed as a letter:
| EN 388:2016 level | Cut force (newtons) | Typical application |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2–5 N | Light assembly, packaging, warehousing |
| B | 5–10 N | General handling, light metal work |
| C | 10–15 N | Sheet metal, automotive assembly |
| D | 15–22 N | Glass handling, stamping, sharp components |
| E | 22–30 N | Heavy metal fabrication, recycling |
| F | 30 N and above | Highest-risk cutting, blade handling, abattoir work |
Buyer tip: if the second character is an X (for example 4X43D), the glove was evaluated with ISO 13997 instead of the coup test. That is normal and correct for high-cut yarns — it is not a missing result.
EN 388 vs ANSI/ISEA 105 — the approximate crosswalk
North American buyers usually quote ANSI/ISEA 105 levels A1–A9 instead. There is no official conversion between the two standards (different test machines, different units), but in practice the ranges line up roughly like this. Use it for orientation only — always confirm against the actual test report.
| EN 388:2016 (ISO 13997) | Approx. cut force | Comparable ANSI/ISEA 105 |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2–5 N | A1–A2 |
| B | 5–10 N | A2–A3 |
| C | 10–15 N | A3–A4 |
| D | 15–22 N | A4–A5 |
| E | 22–30 N | A6–A7 |
| F | 30 N+ | A8–A9 |
How to choose: match the rating to the job, not to the number
Over-specifying is one of the most expensive mistakes in glove sourcing. An F-rated glove costs far more and is often stiffer, which reduces dexterity — and a worker who takes the glove off gets zero protection. Start from the actual hazard:
- Warehousing, logistics, light assembly → abrasion 3–4, cut A–B, thin PU or nitrile coating for grip
- Construction, general maintenance → abrasion 4, tear 4, cut B–C, sandy nitrile for wet/oily grip
- Sheet metal, automotive, stamping → cut C–D with good tear and puncture resistance
- Glass handling, recycling, sharp scrap → cut D–E, puncture 3–4
- Blade work, abattoir, heavy fabrication → cut E–F, consider impact (P) for knuckle protection
- Oil and gas, mining, heavy impact → impact-rated (P) with high abrasion and tear
Four mistakes buyers make
1. Buying the highest cut level by default. Level F in a low-risk job wastes money and hurts compliance because workers remove uncomfortable gloves.
2. Ignoring abrasion. Cut level sells gloves; abrasion decides how long they last. A D-rated glove with abrasion 2 will wear out long before it is cut through.
3. Comparing codes across standard versions. A pre-2016 “cut 5” and a post-2016 “E” are not the same measurement. Always ask which version the test report used.
4. Accepting a mark without a test report. The printed code means nothing if the supplier cannot produce an accredited lab report (ISO 17025) for the exact model.
How Mesian tests and documents its gloves
Hunan Mesian Safety Technology has produced gloves in Hunan since 2009 — 8,000 m² of production space, 170 workers and an annual capacity of 8 million pairs. Our cut-resistant range covers ANSI/ISEA A1–A9 and the equivalent EN 388 A–F levels, and we spin our own yarn in-house, which keeps cut performance consistent batch after batch.
For every model we ship, we can provide the EN 388:2016+A1:2018 test report, the ANSI/ISEA 105 result, and — for tenders and retail programmes — the full PPE technical file. If you are building a private-label range, our OEM/ODM team can engineer a specified cut level on your target yarn and coating, then hold it across production runs.
Not sure which rating your workers actually need? Send us the task, the material they handle and your current glove — we will recommend a level, and send samples so your team can test them on the job before you commit. Request a quote and samples →
Hunan Mesian Safety Technology Co., Ltd. — nitrile sandy gloves, cut-resistant gloves (ANSI A1–A9 / EN 388 A–F) and industrial yarn. About our factory · Browse products
