Chromium VI in leather gloves
Rawhides – or leather – are natural products that will quickly degrade without preservation. At least 80% of all hides are chromium tanned because it produces the best results – in terms of strength, durability and price.
Tanning is required in order to preserve leather, and almost all tanning is done using chromium III. Chromium III is not considered dangerous, but during a chemical process, chromium III can change to chromium VI, which is suspected of being harmful to health. The process can occur long after the glove is produced, and may be due to effects of light, temperature changes or changed humidity.
Chromium VI is prohibited
In 2015, the Danish Parliament banned the use of chromium VI. But the ban is based on the fact that in the tanning process it is possible to prevent the development of chromium VI. However, it is a prerequisite that the entire tanning process takes place in a closed and controlled environment, and this is not the case for most of the leather on the world market. Therefore, no guarantees can be made that chromium VI will never appear in a leather product - including gloves.
Chromium allergy
Chromium is not considered to be dangerous, but some people are allergic to chromium and do not tolerate any form of chromium. Therefore, they should completely avoid chromium-tanned leather gloves. If you want to be sure that you get a chromium-free glove, look for this label
Lanolin tanning - Environmentally and allergy friendly
Lanolin is a fat that is extracted from sheep's wool and is a natural product. The use of lanolin for tanning is a good alternative for tanning because only vegetable oils are included in the tanning process. This way, you avoid the chromium problem and at the same time consider the environment.
OX-ON's ECO series includes five types of leather gloves that are lanolin tanned.
To completely avoid leather gloves, look for gloves made of artificial leather or other synthetic materials.
