Gloves and boots born from the voices of craftsmen

This is Arita city, located in Wakayama Prefecture. This area famous for its Arita mandarin oranges, is also known as the birthplace of mosquito coils. It's also home to a long standing glove making industry.

 

Located near the sea, with thriving swordfish fishing and surrounded by mountains, the region is rich in nature and enjoys a warm climate.

 

 

 

The manufacturer behind these gloves and socks is Hinode Gloves Industry. As the company name suggests, they are a factory specialising in gloves and socks.

 

Wakayama has a long history of glove making, with its roots in cotton production dating back to around 1781.

 

Glove making began in this region toward the end of the Meiji period. Initially, it spread as a side job for farmers during the agricultural off-season, and later expanded rapidly during wartime when gloves became a part of the military supply chain.

 

Strictly speaking, there is no difference between gloves and gunte, but the name gunte remains as an abbreviation for military gloves. Similarly, gunsoku refers to the sock version of these gloves.

 

These durable cotton work gloves eventually became known as gunte and spread across Japan.

 

 

 

Hinode Glove Industry was established and began full-scale glove manufacturing in 1918. It is a long-established factory that was founded over 100 years ago.

 

The company began with manual glove knitting machines, but during the period of rapid economic growth, it embraced new challenges and introduced fully automatic knitting machines which had never been used before. They even launched five-toed socks, which were unfamiliar to the market.

 

However, after the economic bubble burst, the industry suffered. Domestic glove manufacturing was increasingly overshadowed by cheaper imported products, with around 70% of domestic distribution replaced by imported goods. Factories in the same industry went out of business one after another, and Hinode was no exception. They were hit hard by the sharp decline in demand for domestic products and was even forced into a situation where wholesalers notified them that they could only buy their products at half the price they had been paying.

 

 

However, Hinode Gloves Industry chose a different path. They steered away from price competition and continued to produce high-quality Japanese products that stood apart from cheaper overseas alternatives.

 

They worked closely with the craftsmen who actually used the gloves, making countless small improvements to create products better suited to their wholesale customers.

 

Regardless of order size, they accepted custom orders from a variety of industries that they had not handled before, including making mittens for cooking classes to gloves for school cultural festivals.

 

In addition to manufacturing for manufacturers and companies, the company expanded into B2C and launched its own e-commerce site. Through repeated product improvements, the company has evolved into a "semi-custom-made specialist" factory that can meet the needs of any customer.

 

By continuing to listen to people on the front lines, Hinode Glove Industry remains committed to crafting high-quality products that stand out from mass-produced imports.

 

 

Standard Products is proud to offer three types of Hinode products: gloves for professional use, gloves for everyday use, and military-style socks.

 

First up are the work gloves for professional use. These are the strongest work gloves among all the products manufactured by Hinode. Made by bundling over 10 strands of fine pure cotton thread, these gloves combine exceptional strength and density, making them ideal for demanding environments such as ironwork, painting, and construction.

 

This long-standing product has been in continuous production since the company's founding and continues to be a trusted favourite among tradespeople.

 

While typically reserved for B2B clients, these gloves have been specially produced for Standard Products, bringing professional-grade quality directly to everyday shoppers.

 

 

 

One of the most distinctive features of these gloves is the wrist area. They're made without elastic thread, so they don't constrict the wrist. This makes them comfortable for extended wear. You'll also notice how effortlessly they slip on and off. The feature was originally designed for safety, allowing the glove to be quickly removed in dangerous situations such as being caught in machinery at work. But it also has the added benefit of reducing wrist fatigue over long periods of time.

 

What's more, the wrist section isn't sewn by machine, it's hand-stitched.

 

This image shows the hand-stitching process. Only a handful of skilled artisans are able to carry out this delicate process, and their precision and speed and nothing short of remarkable. It's a true craft that speaks the quality and heritage behind each pair of gloves.

 

 

 

Next, we have gloves for everyday use. These are made on fully automatic knitting machines from several decades ago that are still in use today. These gloves are designed with a focus on thread thickness, shape, and the knitting method, specifically tailored to suit everyday tasks.

 

Designed for situations like cooking classes and light household use, these gloves feature an optimized shape developed through direct feedback from real users.

 

The gloves are seamlessly knitted from the fingertips to the wrist, eliminating any rough spots on the fingertips and ensuring a smooth and comfortable fit. The wrist opening is overlocked twice for added durability, preventing fraying and extending wear.

 

Made from pure cotton, these gloves are also soft, breathable, and gentle on the skin.

 

 

 

Last, we have military socks available in two styles: five-toed and round-toed.

 

Made from the same pure cotton as the gloves, these socks are comfortable to wear and offer excellent moisture absorption and breathability.

 

Have you ever worn five-toed socks? The biggest difference between these and regular round socks is that they don't get stuffy. Not only do they have a heel and a roomy fit, the shape of these socks means the toes don't interfere with each other to provide extra breathability. They are loved by many people not only for everyday walking but also for sports.

 

This is a product that we would like you to try, even if you have the impression that five-toed shoes are somehow difficult to wear.

 

 

 

These gloves and socks are the product of more than 100 years of craftsmanship and refinement.

 

Born from a tradition of listening to users and collaborating with skilled workers, each item embodies the precision and care characteristic of Japanese manufacturing.

 

We're confident you’ll feel the difference once you try them on. We invite you to experience them in-store.