Are there breathable and waterproof work gloves?

Yes, breathable and waterproof work gloves do exist, thanks to breakthroughs in materials science. These work gloves aren't simply "waterproof," but rather achieve "waterproof & breathable" effect through coating treatment.

 

The core technology of these "waterproof & breathable" gloves lies in the physical principle of "water-repellent and vapor-permeable." A porous coating is formed on the knitted lining of gloves through the special foaming process. The coating is hydrophobic because the foaming process creates numerous tiny, open pores on the surface of coating. These pores allow air and moisture to pass through, at the same time, hydrophobic properties of gloves material repel liquid water.

 

The representative materials include micro-porous foam coatings made of waterborne polyurethane (PU) and nitrile rubber (NBR). Waterborne polyurethane coating is softer and offer excellent breathability, while micro-porous foamed nitrile coatings provide stronger abrasion resistance and slip resistance.