Why haven't I heard of graphene?

It was first isolated in 2004, and its discoverers won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. For years it was too difficult to produce at scale, and bonding it into a textile fiber is harder still. Kyorene® is one of the first glove fibers to do it, which is why graphene gloves are only now reaching jobsites.

Is graphene safe to wear?

Yes. Graphene is pure carbon, the same element as the graphite in a pencil. In Kyorene® it's bonded into the fiber itself, not sprayed on as a coating, so it doesn't shed or wash out. And because the liner uses zero fiberglass and zero steel, there's none of the skin irritation traditional cut gloves are known for.

What's the difference between Kyorene® Pro and Pro Max?

Both use the graphene liner. Kyorene® Pro is an 18-gauge knit for everyday cut protection; Kyorene® Pro Max is an ultra-thin 24-gauge knit, the thinnest ANSI A4 glove in the lineup, for precision work. If you want maximum feel, go Pro Max; for all-round work, Pro.

How does graphene compare to Kevlar or steel-core gloves?

Aramid and steel-core gloves earn their cut ratings through bulk: thicker yarns, more material, more heat. Graphene reinforces the yarn itself, so the same cut rating arrives in a much thinner, cooler glove - with thermal regulation and antibacterial properties those materials don't have.

Why don't these gloves smell?

Odor comes from bacteria building up in the liner. Graphene is naturally antibacterial, so the bacteria never take hold. Wear them all week, machine wash, air dry, repeat.

What does ANSI A4 actually mean?

ANSI/ISEA 105 rates cut resistance from A1 to A9 by the grams of blade force the material withstands. A4 (1,500 to 2,199 grams) is the level where real cut hazards like metal and glass are covered. Our ANSI guide walks the full scale.

Why graphene

The only thing other gloves can't copy.

Every Armor Guys glove is built on Kyorene®, a graphene-enhanced fiber. Here's what graphene actually is, what it does for your hands, and how to spot the brands only borrowing the word.

Verified Graphene Producer · The Graphene Council

What is Graphene?

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern - one atom thick, yet about 200x stronger than steel by weight. It's one of the world's best thermal conductors, naturally antibacterial, and incredibly flexible.

Scientists have known about it for decades. The hard part was bonding it permanently into a fiber that can be knit into a glove. That's what Kyorene® does: Graphene built into the yarn itself, not sprayed on top.

A superior material

Never heard of graphene? Its discoverers won the Nobel Prize.

Our gloves are made with graphene - one of the strongest materials on the planet by weight, so strong its discovery earned the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. Because the material itself is this strong, we can make our gloves thinner without giving up protection. Full strength, full comfort, full dexterity.

Nobel Prize

2010, Physics - for its discovery

200x stronger

than steel, by weight

Thinner glove

same strength, more feel

What graphene does in a glove

Stronger

About 200x stronger than steel by weight, woven into every strand.

Cooler

Conducts heat away from your hands and dissipates it through the glove.

Fresher

Naturally antibacterial. No bacteria means no worn-for-a-week smell.

Thinner

Reinforces the fiber at the molecular level, so a 24-gauge knit is possible.

Longer-lasting

Bonded into the yarn itself. It won't wash out, shed, or fade.

Peer-reviewed. Lab-tested.

4 out of 5 "graphene" gloves contain almost no graphene. Ours do.

When independent researchers characterized commercial "graphene" products, most turned out to be mostly graphite, not graphene (Advanced Materials, 2018). Armor Guys is a Verified Graphene Producer, certified by The Graphene Council, so what's on the label is what's in the glove.

Verified Graphene Producer

See the difference

Source: independent characterization study, Advanced Materials (2018).

Verified graphene vs. generic "graphene" gloves

Most "graphene" gloves can't prove there's any graphene inside. Every Kyorene liner is independently verified by The Graphene Council.

	Generic "graphene"	Kyorene® Pro
Graphene content	Unverified	Verified by The Graphene Council
Fiberglass	Often contains fiberglass	Zero fiberglass
Thickness	Bulky 13-18 gauge	Ultra-thin, down to 24 gauge
Touchscreen	Rarely	Touchscreen-ready
Heat	Traps heat	Graphene dissipates heat
Odor after use	Smells within days	Antibacterial, stays fresh
Cut rating	Varies, unclear	ANSI A1-A9, independently tested

Armor Guys is a Verified Graphene Producer, certified by The Graphene Council.

What is gauge, and why does it matter?

Gauge describes how finely a glove's liner is knit. Like thread count in sheets: the higher the number, the finer and thinner the weave.

Gauge	Feel	Typical use
10G	Very thick	Heavy-duty cut and impact shells
13G	Standard	Most work gloves on the market
15G	Thinner	Extraflex® Plus - metal and steel handling
18G	Thin and breathable	Kyorene® Pro - everyday cut protection
24G	Ultra-thin, second skin	Kyorene® Pro Max - the thinnest A4 on the market

Read the full gauge guide

Graphene questions, answered

Tested protection you can verify

These aren't marketing words. Armor Guys gloves are independently rated and certified - so the protection on the label is the protection on your hands.

ANSI/ISEA cut tested

Every glove carries a verified ANSI A1-A9 cut-resistance rating.

EN388 rated

European EN388 abrasion, cut, tear, and puncture scores where published.

Verified Graphene Producer

Independently verified real graphene in every Kyorene® liner.

EcoVadis Gold

Top-tier sustainability rating for responsible manufacturing.

Put verified graphene on your hands.

All 12 gloves are built on the Kyorene® graphene liner. Free US shipping over $50.

Shop all Kyorene® gloves

What is Graphene?

Never heard of graphene? Its discoverers won the Nobel Prize.

4 out of 5 "graphene" gloves contain almost no graphene. Ours do.

Verified Graphene Producer

Source: independent characterization study, Advanced Materials (2018).

Generic "graphene"

Kyorene® Pro

Graphene content

Unverified

Verified by The Graphene Council

Fiberglass

Often contains fiberglass

Zero fiberglass

Thickness

Bulky 13-18 gauge

Ultra-thin, down to 24 gauge

Touchscreen

Rarely

Touchscreen-ready

Heat

Traps heat

Graphene dissipates heat

Odor after use

Smells within days

Antibacterial, stays fresh

Cut rating

Varies, unclear

ANSI A1-A9, independently tested

Gauge

Feel

Typical use

10G

Very thick

Heavy-duty cut and impact shells

13G

Standard

Most work gloves on the market

15G

Thinner

Extraflex® Plus - metal and steel handling

18G

Thin and breathable

Kyorene® Pro - everyday cut protection

24G

Ultra-thin, second skin

Kyorene® Pro Max - the thinnest A4 on the market