Winter Gloves

Etsy's Picks

  • Loading...

  • Loading...

  • Loading...

  • Loading...

  • Loading...

  • Loading...

  • Review spotlight

    Learn More About Winter Gloves

    If you live in a colder climate, chances are you've experienced (or know someone who has) chilblains: as soon as the temperatures dip, the fingers get incredibly cold and start to swell up, itching and sometimes cracking or blistering the skin. It's not a pretty sight or comfortable feeling, but it's not inevitable either. Wearing a pair of good-quality winter gloves can make a world of difference.


    Fortunately, there are hundreds of small brands and creators on Etsy devoting their skills to making sure your hands don't freeze this winter—and that you don't compromise your aesthetics to stay warm. You'll find all kinds of glove styles, colors, textures, and materials. Handmade gloves are definitely the way to go if you want to support independent businesses this chilly season.

    Not everyone is sold on how warming, stylish, and useful gloves can be. For many, gloves can make them feel like they can't use their hands properly—to use a touchscreen, zip and unzip coats, or fish coins or a key from a purse. So here is where fingerless gloves come in handy: since they don't protect the fingers at all, they still give you a full range of movement. Of course, they're not as warm as finger gloves or mittens, which is why there are also smartphone gloves (regular gloves with sewn-in patches on the tips of the fingers that let you use a touchscreen like normal).


    If your issue with gloves is that they soak up moisture, then you need waterproof gloves. More often than not, gloves for snow and rain are made from leather or deerskin and come in a variety of colors—many are even fully lined with fleece, fur, or faux fur for extra warmth.

    With thousands of listings for winter gloves on Etsy, it's not hard to imagine just how many materials can be used to make these must-have accessories. The most popular are fibers used to make knit fabrics—such as wool, polyester, and wool-polyester blends. Pairs made from these materials are breathable yet retain body heat at the same time and because they're knits, they're stretchy, which makes choosing a glove size less daunting and unforgiving. Cashmere, angora, and mohair are also fibers used to make knit gloves warm, and they're oh-so-luxuriously soft, lightweight, and toasty.


    Of course, you can also find artisans on Etsy making the instantly recognizable (thanks to movies and TV shows) leather and deerskin gloves. If they remind you of elegant actresses in old-timey movies and commercials, that's because they were incredibly popular in the 1940s; you can channel that sophisticated silhouette with unique vintage gloves in great condition on Etsy. They don't let water in, shelter your hands from chilly winds, and can be just as warm as wool mittens if they're lined with fleece. Before buying a pair, be sure to know what size glove you wear because leather gloves don't have any stretch.


    If extra warmth is what you're looking for, you ought to look for thermal or insulated gloves. The insides are specially crafted to trap as much of your body heat as possible. Ideally, the gloves should stretch and mold themselves to your hands, so as to not let any cold air in. A piece of elastic at the wrist will make a big difference in keeping you warm.