Method of laminating a performance-enhancing layer to a seamless three dimensional glove

A method of manufacturing a glove having a three-dimensional shape that closely approximates the shape of a human hand, the glove including a solid laminate preform attached by a lamination adhesive to a lamination region of an underlying glove shell, the method comprising:

• providing a textile glove shell having a lamination region extending onto at least one of a palm, back, and finger region of the glove shell;
• preparing a flexible solid laminate preform, the laminate preform including an exposed layer of lamination adhesive;
• providing a laminating form having a smooth, flat laminating surface;
• placing the glove shell onto the laminating form so that the glove shell surrounds the laminating form, and so that the lamination region of the glove shell conforms closely to the smooth, flat laminating surface;
• placing the laminate preform on the glove shell lamination region above the laminating surface, the exposed layer of lamination adhesive being in direct contact with the glove shell;
• applying a pressure above ambient pressure at a temperature above ambient temperature to the assembled laminate preform, glove shell, and laminating form, thereby causing the lamination adhesive to bond the laminate preform to the lamination region of the glove shell;
• and
• removing the glove shell with the laminate preform bonded thereto from the laminating form, whereby the glove shell after removal from the laminating form assumes a shape that closely approximates the shape of a human hand.