Understanding protection standards.
A complete guide to the cut, puncture, tear, and abrasion resistance scales used in protective clothing. Cut-Tuff® Core is rated at the top of the scale on cut, puncture and tear, and high on every other metric that matters.
The numbers on every spec sheet.
Cut-Tuff® Core is independently tested and certified to the following levels:
The North American cut-resistance scale.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) publish the ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 standard, which classifies cut resistance into nine levels (A1–A9) based on the grams of cutting force required to cut through the material using the TDM test method.
| Level | Cut force (grams) | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 200 – 499 g | Light assembly, general maintenance |
| A2 | 500 – 999 g | Packaging, light metal handling |
| A3 | 1,000 – 1,499 g | Small parts handling, paper processing |
| A4 | 1,500 – 2,199 g | Automotive assembly, food processing |
| A5 | 2,200 – 2,999 g | Metal stamping, glass handling |
| A6 — Cut-Tuff® Core | 3,000 – 3,999 g | High-risk cut environments, protective clothing |
| A7 | 4,000 – 4,999 g | Heavy metal fabrication, demolition |
| A8 | 5,000 – 5,999 g | Heavy glass handling, recycling |
| A9 | 6,000 g+ | Extreme cut hazards, specialty industrial |
The European cut-resistance scale.
EN ISO 13997 is a European standard that measures cut resistance by determining the force (in Newtons) required to cut through the material in a single 20 mm blade stroke. Results are classified into six levels (A through F), with F being the highest.
| Level | Cutting force (Newtons) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | ≥ 2 N | Minimal cut resistance |
| B | ≥ 5 N | Low cut resistance |
| C | ≥ 10 N | Moderate cut resistance |
| D | ≥ 15 N | Good cut resistance |
| E | ≥ 22 N | High cut resistance |
| F — Cut-Tuff® Core (MAX) | ≥ 30 N | Highest possible cut resistance level |
Puncture resistance.
EN 388:2016 measures puncture resistance using a standardized rounded stylus (4.5 mm diameter) pushed into the material at a constant speed of 100 mm/min.
| Level | Puncture force (Newtons) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 – 60 N | Basic puncture resistance |
| 2 | 60 – 100 N | Moderate puncture resistance |
| 3 | 100 – 150 N | High puncture resistance |
| 4 — Cut-Tuff® Core (MAX) | ≥ 150 N | Highest possible puncture resistance |
Tear resistance.
Tear resistance measures the force required to tear the material apart after an initial cut has been made.
| Level | Tear force (Newtons) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 – 25 N | Basic tear resistance |
| 2 | 25 – 50 N | Moderate tear resistance |
| 3 | 50 – 75 N | High tear resistance |
| 4 — Cut-Tuff® Core (MAX) | ≥ 75 N | Highest possible tear resistance |
Abrasion resistance.
Abrasion resistance measures how many cycles of sandpaper abrasion the material withstands before a hole forms.
| Level | Cycles before failure | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 – 499 cycles | Basic abrasion resistance |
| 2 | 500 – 1,999 cycles | Moderate abrasion resistance |
| 3 — Cut-Tuff® Core | 2,000 – 7,999 cycles | High abrasion resistance |
| 4 | ≥ 8,000 cycles | Maximum abrasion resistance |
Where these ratings matter in the field
The standards above translate directly to real-world use cases. Browse by audience or by product range:
- For schools & special educationANSI A6 cut and EN ISO Level F protection for classroom staff working with biting, scratching, and pinching behaviors. Net-30 POs accepted from school districts.
- For healthcare & behavioral healthPuncture Level 4 and bite resistance for clinical teams on psychiatric, group home, and dementia care units. PO-friendly procurement.
- Shop the full Cut-Tuff® Core rangeEvery garment ships with lab-rated specs ready for procurement files — A6 cut, Level F EN ISO, Puncture and Tear Level 4.
- FAQ for institutional buyersIndependent lab testing (Groupe CTT Inc.), Net-30 terms, W-8BEN-E setup, lead times, and what each rating means for your team.
Ready to shop the highest-rated garments?
Every Cut-Tuff® Core product ships with spec-ready lab ratings. Ideal for procurement teams who need the numbers on a spec sheet.
Shop Cut-Tuff® Core productsFor Australia & New Zealand buyers
Your AS/NZS compliance is met by the data we already publish.
Australian and New Zealand workplace PPE requirements reference the same international test methods we already test against. Our ANSI / EN ISO / EN 388 results map directly onto the AS/NZS framework your OH&S team needs.
| Hazard / garment type | AS/NZS standard | How our results apply |
|---|---|---|
| Cut, puncture, abrasion — gloves | AS/NZS 2161.3 Mechanical risk gloves |
AS/NZS 2161.3 adopts ISO 13997 and references EN 388. Our published Level F (TDM cut), Level 4 (puncture) and Level 4 (tear) results are directly compliant. |
| Occupational protective clothing | AS/NZS 4501.1 & 4501.2 Selection, use & general requirements |
Cut, puncture and tear performance is benchmarked against the EN 388 / EN ISO 13997 series. Our spec sheets drop straight into your AS/NZS 4501.1 selection records. |
| Cut-resistance grading | ANSI/ISEA 105 A1–A9 scale, recognised in AU/NZ specs |
Our garments are rated ANSI A6 — 3,000–3,999 g of cutting force on the A1–A9 scale. The companion EN ISO 13997 result is Level F (highest on that scale). |
For Australian and New Zealand procurement: we ship DDP from Canada with all duties, GST and tariffs included. Full lab reports and an AS/NZS-format compliance summary are available on request.