Neobex can help you through reading this guide to better understand the medical glove industry. We want to help you save money, reduce waste, improve utilization and increase staff satisfaction. In this regard, you, as a buyer, play a decisive role in achieving these goals. Therefore, you should be fully aware of the following information.

With the rise in awareness of latex and chemical allergies and the increase in powdered glove bans due to powder-related concerns for both patients and healthcare providers, synthetic and powder-free gloves continue to grow in popularity. Today, technology and the open market allow gloves to be manufactured from a variety of materials. Each type of glove offers unique benefits but simultaneously comes with some degree of compromise in protection, durability, sensitivity, comfort, and cost, even with technological advances in manufacturing. No glove offers the “perfect” solution for all applications, and it is virtually impossible for a healthcare facility to standardize on a single type of glove material to meet all of its needs.

Fit, feel, dexterity and comfort are the main features of disposable latex gloves. It is no coincidence that most condoms are made of latex.

While powdered latex gloves were banned for medical use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration in January 2017, powder-free latex gloves remain available. Automotive, janitorial, and other applications such as paint shops and printing companies all use industrial-grade latex gloves. They are also used in the manufacturing and food service industries. Exam-grade gloves are appropriate for a wide range of medical, dental, and laboratory applications, as well as nonsurgical procedures and EMS uses, depending on the jurisdiction.

Gloves can be washed in a chlorine solution to reduce latex proteins, but this does not completely remove them. Chlorination also softens gloves, but it shortens their shelf life. Latex gloves are more puncture resistant than vinyl gloves, but they are not as durable as nitrile gloves. The price of latex is subject to fluctuations due to factors that affect any natural resource, including weather and economic instability.

Vinyl gloves are made only of PVC monomers, making them more cost-effective than nitrile and avoiding latex allergy issues.

Vinyl has a looser fit than latex or nitrile, making it more comfortable but less sensitive to the touch. It eliminates latex allergy concerns while avoiding the oily properties of nitrile gloves. Vinyl is a cost-effective choice, especially for applications that require frequent glove changes. That's why it's widely used in the food service, beauty and salon, and janitorial industries. While most vinyl gloves are clear or ivory in color, some are blue and designed for food processing. If a piece of the blue glove breaks off and gets into the food, it can be seen and removed more quickly.

Vinyl gloves are made only of PVC monomers, making them more cost-effective than nitrile and avoiding latex allergy issues.

Nitrile is currently the most widely recommended disposable glove. This material is stronger than latex or vinyl, with a fit, feel, and comfort similar to latex. Nitrile has three times the puncture resistance of latex, as well as three times the abrasion and chemical resistance. It is recommended for working with 3/4 of the common chemicals on the market. Mineral oils, vegetable oils, greases, gasoline, diesel fuel, and a variety of acids are all resistant to nitrile. Nitrile does not aggravate latex allergies because it is free of organic latex proteins. This is important not only for those with latex sensitivities, but also for consumers who are in close physical contact with the general public, such as doctors and dentists, security guards, tattoo artists, and salon workers. Nitrile gloves are not only widely adopted in the medical industry, but also in the automotive, construction, janitorial, plumbing, paint shop, chemical, and industrial applications. Nitrile gloves come in two grades: industrial and examination. As nitrile gloves warm from body heat, they conform to your hands for a more uniform and comfortable fit. The cost of oil determines the price. Nitrile gloves are more expensive than other fabrics, but they are more durable and suitable for long-term use. Many industrial grade nitrile gloves are made of increased thickness to better withstand more demanding applications. Nitrile gloves often last longer than natural latex rubber gloves.

The PVC-Nitrile blend glove is a new form of synthetic glove created using vinyl glove manufacturing technology.

The demand for nitrile gloves has gradually increased over time, which is why the industry has produced a wide range of nitrile glove solutions to suit a wide range of professional applications. Vinyl gloves, on the other hand, remain a common choice of disposable gloves in many workplaces due to their ease of use and the fact that they are often a less expensive option for workplaces with high glove turnover. It became clear to the industry that a vinyl-nitrile hybrid could be an ideal alternative for non-medical consumers, offering not only a high level of safety but also a superior level of comfort and dexterity, as well as good value for money. Hybrid gloves offer a high level of elasticity and comfort, providing the wearer with a superior fit, firm grip and greater dexterity, touch sensitivity and comfort, where vinyl gloves are less elastic than nitrile varieties and do not fit snugly against the palm, where nitrile is too expensive and where latex is problematic due to allergies. Vinyl-nitrile hybrid gloves are used in many industries including the food industry, simple handling in elderly care and hygiene, cleaning and technology manufacturing.

Glove materials should match your specific job and budget.