What is the average glove size for a woman? Hand measurements, the size charts, and the work gloves made in small sizes
Most women take a size 7 (small) or 6 (extra small) in work gloves. The number is the hand circumference in inches around the knuckles, thumb excluded, on the scale EN 420 and Portwest’s chart both use: a 7 inch hand is a 7 (S), a 6 inch hand a 6 (XS), an 8 inch hand an 8 (M). Measured populations put the average adult woman’s hand circumference at roughly 7 to 7.3 inches (about 180 to 185 mm in the US Army’s ANSUR II survey) against about 8.3 inches (210 mm) for men, which is why a glove line sized for men starts at small and most women fall at or below it. Portwest sizes its gloves XXS (5) to 4XL (13), one inch per size, and lists extra small (6) on 10 styles on this site and 2XS (5) on 4; its women’s-cut garments are sized on a separate chest and waist chart. A glove that is a size too big slips at the fingertips and folds in the palm, which is why the size on the product page matters more than the letter printed on a men’s glove.
Portwest General Handling A123 Polyurethane Coated Work Gloves, ANSI A1Listed from 2XS (5), as Portwest sizes it (Portwest data)Why the average matters less than the measurement. Hand size spreads widely within any group: among the women in the ANSUR II survey the circumference runs from well under 7 inches to over 8, and a tall woman’s hand can be a man’s medium. The size charts exist because of that spread. Portwest’s is the simplest: measure the circumference at the palm with a tape and read the size, 7 inches is S, 8 is M, with 5 and 6 below for small hands. The EN 420 table adds the hand length (the minimum glove length rises with each size) and the letter sizes the brands print beside the numbers. What the average does tell a buyer is where a line has to start: a knit or coated glove offered from size 7 covers most women; one offered from 8 leaves many of them a size up; the gloves Portwest lists from 5 and 6 are the ones a crew with smaller hands can be fitted from without going to a women’s-specific line.
The figures
Where each number comes from.
How to measure, and what to look for on the page
- Measure around the knuckles of the dominant hand with the thumb out and the hand flat; the inches, rounded, is the size number on Portwest’s and EN 420’s scales.
- Check the length too: EN 420 sets a minimum glove length for each size (160 mm at size 6, 171 mm at 7, 182 mm at 8); long fingers on a narrow hand may need the next size up or a glove cut longer.
- Read the Sizes line on the product page: Portwest lists the exact run for each style (2XS (5) to 3XL (12) on some, S (7) to 2XL (11) on others), and a style that starts at S (7) has no XS.
- Knit gauge matters for small hands: a 15 or 18 gauge knit in size 6 or 7 fits closer than a 10 gauge, which stays bulky at the fingertips.
- Leather and mechanics gloves are lettered only on most Portwest pages (S to 2XL) with no number; the number sizes are on the knit, coated and cut-resistant gloves.
- Women’s-cut garments (Portwest’s FR and hi-vis pieces marked Women’s) use a separate chest and waist chart (XS chest 30 to 32 inches through 4XL), not the glove scale.
Portwest glove size chart: hand circumference at the palm, in inches, to the Portwest size
| Portwest size | XXS | XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | 3XL | 4XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand circumference (in) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
Portwest: measure the circumference of the hand at the palm with a tape and select the corresponding size; the Portwest gloves on this site list the letter and the number together (S (7), M (8), L (9), XL (10), 2XL (11), 3XL (12)). Portwest states its glove sizing follows EN ISO 21420:2020.
Source: Portwest size guide (portwest.com/market/sizing), read Nov 7 2026
Questions people ask
What size is a women’s medium in work gloves?
Usually a 7 inch hand, which is a men’s or unisex S (7) on the EN 420 and Portwest scales; a women’s L is about an 8 (M). The number in brackets on the product page is the one to compare.
How do I measure my hand for gloves?
Tape around the knuckles with the thumb out; the inches, rounded, is the size. Portwest measures the circumference at the palm and reads XS to 3XL from its chart.
Do work gloves come in extra small?
Yes on some styles: Portwest lists XS (6) on many of its knit, coated and cut-resistant gloves and 2XS (5) on a few; leather and mechanics gloves usually start at S. The Sizes line on each product page is the exact run.
Why does a men’s small fit differently from a women’s medium of the same number?
The circumference is the same but the pattern differs: women’s-cut gloves are narrower across the palm and longer in the finger for the same circumference. Portwest’s gloves are unisex patterns sized by circumference; its women’s cuts are garments.
What glove size is 10 inches?
XXS (5), XS (6), S (7), M (8), L (9), XL (10), XXL (11), 3XL (12), 4XL (13): one inch of palm circumference per size, measured with a tape.
What is a size 7 glove?
A 7 (small) on the hand-circumference scale, with many women at 6 (extra small): the measured average adult woman’s hand is about 7 to 7.3 inches around (ANSUR II), and the size number is that measurement in inches.
How do I know my glove size (men’s or women’s)?
Measure around the dominant hand at the knuckles, thumb excluded, and round to the inch: 6 is XS, 7 is S, 8 is M, 9 is L, 10 is XL on the EN 420 scale Portwest prints. Women’s hands average about 7 to 7.3 inches around and men’s about 8.3, so most women land at 6 or 7 and most men at 8 or 9. Where a brand letters its gloves only, read its own chart on the product page.
Is a size 8 glove small or medium, and what is a size 9?
On the number scale an 8 is a medium (an 8 inch hand) and a 9 is a large; some women’s charts call the same 8 a large, which is why the number is the figure to compare. Portwest’s chart runs 2XS (5) to 3XL (12), one inch per size.
What are the different types of cut-resistant gloves made in small sizes?
Knit cut-resistant gloves in 13, 15 and 18 gauge are the ones most often made down to size 6 or 5, because the fine knit fits a small hand closely; Portwest lists extra small (6) on 10 styles on this site and 2XS (5) on 4, with the ANSI/ISEA 105 level (A1 to A9) and the EN 388 code on each. Leather and mechanics gloves are usually lettered S to 2XL with no number.
The ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.