MATERIALS
The time for synthetics in professional baseball gloves has come. Each year more synthetics are being used in parts of Major League gloves. Star players such as Roger Clemens, Chris Carpenter, and Johan Santana, are opting for synthetic backs. Welting, lining, and padding are increasingly made with synthetics by most brands. The newest synthetics are out-performing leather. Completely synthetic gloves will be an industry standard in the future.

In the past synthetics in gloves meant vinyl, a cheap material that performs poorly. Today the most technologically advanced man-made leathers available are microfiber leathers made by Clarino™. Clarino's ™ synthetic microfibers vary from 1/250 to 1/125 the size of a silk yarn. Ten grams of such fiber is enough to make a trip around the earth. The result is greater suppleness, greater strength, and reduced weight. Additional features include “memory retention” allowing a pocket to form, and breathable linings that wick away perspiration and moisture. Carpenter Trade Company has worked with the makers of Clarino™ to develop the most advanced performing materials for baseball gloves today.

Large glove companies have thus far resisted this evolution toward synthetics primarily due to consumer misconceptions and with the fact that the latest high-tech synthetics are more expensive than leather. Some major league players have switched to synthetic versions of the brand-name gloves they are paid to endorse. Tellingly, while their game-use gloves have synthetics, the consumer versions of their gloves are all leather. Carpenter gloves are different. Carpenter Trade Company is proud to be the original and exclusive maker of the only high-quality, all-synthetic gloves available anywhere. Our gloves are the only all-synthetic leather gloves ever to be used in professional baseball.

DETAILED LIST OF MATERIALS
PALM, SHELL, WEB, TRIM: Clarino™ microfiber synthetic leather, some are suede-like in feel, others have a urethane coating for abrasion resistance
INSIDE LINING: Clarino™ microfiber (standard), nylon tricot (optional)
WELTING: Nylon microfiber
LACE: Nylon cord
THREAD: Nylon
PADDING: Combination of natural wool and synthetic wool padding (all-synthetic is optional), urethane foam
STAYS: stress-relieved Hi-density polyethylene (HDPE)

ANIMAL LEATHER TODAY:
Leather in gloves 50 years ago held up better and longer than leather used today. The reason is that cattle raised for slaughter 50 years ago were usually raised naturally—meaning they roamed in open fields, ate grass, and were slaughtered at a mature age (about 5 years). Today’s leather usually comes from factory-farmed cattle. These animals are confined to feed lots where they don’t build muscle or thick hides. They are fed unnatural, fattening diets of grains supplemented with growth hormones. They go to slaughter at a young age (about 14 months). The resulting leather is inferior. While animal leathers have gotten worse, man-made leathers are always advancing.

FOR THE CRUELTY-FREE CONSCIOUS:
We use synthetics based on their performance; nevertheless, some of our customers are drawn to us for the simple fact that our gloves have never been made with animal leathers. Some web sources advertise “vegan” gloves which are actually cheap imported vinyl gloves made with leather laces and wool. While our gloves never use leather we do use wool for padding. Those wanting absolutely no animal materials can request all-synthetic padding from us; such gloves are the only vegan gloves available anywhere.

HOW TO CLEAN, STORE, AND BREAK-IN
Break-In: Do NOT use any liquids or heat to break in synthetic materials. The best method is to play lots of catch. You can also pound in the pocket using your throwing hand while wearing it, or throw a ball into it, or use the end of a bat like a mallet. The materials will slowly form over time while keeping their strength. Also, follow directions for storing to help shape the glove, even if you’re just storing it overnight.

Storing: For smaller gloves, put two baseballs into the pocket and web. For bigger gloves, use one softball and one baseball. Close the glove with a rubber band on the top of the glove over the thumb, web, and fingers.

Cleaning: Clean off dirt using a scrub brush or toothbrush. Use water and, if helpful, a small amount of liquid cleaning agent (like dish cleaner) to wipe the glove clean. Do not drench the glove or allow water to soak into the padding.