Any disposable glove, weather nitrile, latex, or vinyl can be used in a wide variety of applications. There are many key facts to pay attention to when shopping around for disposable gloves and deciding between different manufacturers. The following article will outline several facts that you should be aware of as your begin your disposable glove search.
More texture does not mean better grip
The most significant factor that plays into the grip level of a disposable glove is the surface treatment. Natural latex is inherently sticky and tacky, much like glue. Left untreated, latex would just become a large ball of a sticky mess. So, it must be treated to reduce the inherent stickiness.
The two most common surface treatments for disposable gloves are chlorination and coating. The chlorination method changes the properties of the surface creating a hard, lower-tack shell around the glove. On the other hand, the coating method will add a new, lower-tack layer to the glove.
100% does not always mean 100%
Sometimes glove manufacturers claim that gloves are made up of 100% of whichever material is being used. The truth is, that without any additional additives, it is nearly impossible to produce a glove entirely of one of these materials such as latex or nitrile.
For example, nitrile and latex gloves require curatives and accelerators to produce a durable and strong glove. Typically, gloves contain anywhere from four to ten percent of additives.
Fillers do in fact enhance glove performance
Manufacturers typically utilize fillers to help reduce the cost per glove. Not only this, but fillers usually help improve certain performance characteristics like tear and puncture resistance. Anywhere up to 15% is an acceptable amount of filler to be in a glove; anything more than that can be detrimental to the quality and performance. This is a key factor to pay attention to when deciding on a disposable glove.
Allergies are everywhere
Many people think that latex gloves are the only type of disposable glove that cause allergic reactions. And while this type of glove is the primary cause of allergies, other types of gloves like nitrile or vinyl can cause a chemical allergy. This fact should therefore be at the forefront of your mind, so that you are keenly aware of potential allergy problems.
Chemical resistance is not all the same
Depending on the chlorination or coating treatment used on the disposable glove, the chemical resistance can be affected. Usually, latex gloves have higher chemical resistance when they are chlorinated. When shopping for disposable gloves, you must be aware of how the disposable gloves are treated and what the chemical resistance levels result as.
Not all disposable gloves are created the same
Each material used in the manufacturing of disposable gloves; like latex, nitrile, and vinyl vary in their levels of puncture and tear resistance. Nitrile has better puncture and chemical resistance while latex has better tear resistance and better dexterity. Each material offers its own set of pros and cons. Even within this, there are differences in manufacturers in the way they follow guidelines and how they process and wash gloves.
Value is not always price
There are many other factors that play into the value of a disposable glove besides the monetary cost. When shopping for a disposable glove you should not base your decision solely on cost. Several things should come into play like: durability, safety risks, and productivity. In order to be sure that you are truly getting the best value for your dollar, look into the manufacturing process of the disposable glove you’re purchasing. You should specifically look to see that the disposable gloves are properly formulated and processed.