Glove Size Chart: How to Measure Your Hand for Disposable and Work Gloves
Published by Harmony Lab & Safety Supplies on Nov 03, 2026
Published November 2026
Measure around your dominant hand at the widest part of the palm, just below the knuckles, and leave the thumb out. That number in inches is close to your glove size: about 7 in. is a Small, 8 in. a Medium, 9 in. a Large and 10 in. an Extra-Large. Brands vary, so check the size chart on the product page before you order a case.
Glove Size Chart
| Size | Hand size | Palm circumference |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 6 | 6 in. (152 mm) |
| S | 7 | 7 in. (178 mm) |
| M | 8 | 8 in. (203 mm) |
| L | 9 | 9 in. (229 mm) |
| XL | 10 | 10 in. (254 mm) |
| XXL | 11 | 11 in. (279 mm) |
Based on Ansell's glove sizing chart. Inches are converted from Ansell's millimetres.
How to Measure Your Hand
- Use a soft tape measure, the kind used for sewing. No tape? Wrap a strip of paper around your hand, mark it, then measure the strip with a ruler.
- Measure your dominant hand, the one you write with. It's usually slightly larger.
- Wrap the tape around the palm at its widest point, just below the knuckles. Keep the thumb out and the fingers together.
- Round to the nearest half inch and match it to the chart.
- Between sizes? For disposable gloves, size down for dexterity, but up if the glove tears when you put it on. For work gloves, size up so they don't pinch.
Ansell suggests a second method if you have no tape: lay your hand flat on a printed size chart and read your size where the hand width meets the lines.
How Sizing Differs by Glove Type
- Disposable exam and industrial gloves: usually XS to XL, sometimes XXL. The fit should be snug with no loose fingertips; loose tips catch and tear. Thicker gloves feel tighter, so a heavy-duty 8 mil nitrile can need a size up from a 3 to 4 mil exam glove. See nitrile exam gloves, all nitrile gloves and our nitrile glove thickness guide.
- Sterile surgical gloves: sized by number, from 5.5 to 9, in half sizes. These are a different scale from S/M/L.
- Work and cut-resistant gloves: sized by hand size 6 to 11. Knit gloves often have a color-coded cuff by size. See cut resistant gloves.
- Glove liners: a liner adds bulk, so check that the outer disposable glove still fits over it.
Signs a Glove Is the Wrong Size
- Too small: it tears while you put it on, your hands tire quickly, or the cuff rolls down.
- Too large: the fingertips are loose, it wrinkles at the palm, or your grip slips.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size glove is a medium?
About an 8 in. palm circumference, or hand size 8.
Are glove sizes the same across brands?
No. Use the chart as a starting point and check the brand's chart on the product page.
Should I size up for nitrile?
Nitrile stretches less than latex. If you sit between sizes, a Medium in latex may be a Large in nitrile.
Do men's and women's gloves use different sizes?
Disposable gloves are unisex, and only the hand measurement matters.
Source: Ansell glove sizing chart (2019).