Manufacturing

Glove makers since 1847, Southcombe own and operate a factory in Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset where they have their head office, a full working tannery, glove production and warehouse facilities. Concentrating only on one type of product may seem unusual in today's world but Southcombe are specialists and enjoy the focus that comes with the design, manufacture and supply of gloves. Whether it's hand protection for the fire services, uniform gloves for police officers, ceremonial gloves for military personnel or fine fashion gloves for men and women; Southcombe has it all and after 175 years of trading we have a wealth of knowledge and product expertise behind us.  

LEATHER PRODUCTION

Located at the Stoke-sub-Hamdon site and unique amongst glove manufacturers in the UK, Southcombe run their own tannery from where much of the leather for their technical glove production originates. By far the most advanced leather in the company's portfolio and exclusive to Southcombe is a revolutionary leather known as PYROHIDE®. This leather, supplied to Fire Fighters and Police alike, offers protection against fire, heat, water, common chemicals and man made mineral fibres, it also dries soft following normal use. Hides are purchased as wet blues from domestic sources and processed through a variety of stages including shaving to ensure the correct thickness (substance), dying in computer controlled drums where the protective properties of the leather are also added and drying. A final dry drumming stage ensures softness and suppleness is retuned to the skin before they are measured and stored in preparation for production into gloves.

CUTTING & MAKING

The skins are all cut individually by experienced and skilled craftsmen who ensure the best part of the leather is selected. These leather pieces or tranks are sewn together to form the outer shells of gloves. In the making room a variety of specialised sewing machines unique to the glove trade are used including pique, prixseam, brosser and flatbed. Linings are either cut from rolls of fabric and stitched together or supplied as a full seamless knitted inners using specialist automatic Shima knitting machines. These machines knit a mix of Kevlar and glass-fibre yarn to produce a level of cut resistance unrivalled in the protective glove market. Cashmere and silk linigs offer understated luxury for fashion customers that will last season afetr season.  

EXAMINATION & DISPATCH

Once complete, the gloves are ironed and examined before they are finally stored in the company's warehouse ready for despatch to customers. With many styles available from stock, Southcombe are able to supply most fire, police, military and whole fashion glove requirements within 24 hours. Southcombe are also able to supply an excellent range of competitively priced gloves for use across a wide number of industries from industrial work wear right through to contemporary corporate wear. Please contact us for further details.