Medical-grade gloves are a vital piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) for many professional environments. Though most often used in healthcare settings, disposable medical gloves are also necessary for caregivers, food handlers, dentists and other professionals. Wherever health and sanitation are top concerns, protective gloves are essential. They help stop the spread of germs and viruses, promoting the safety of both employees and those they serve.
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If you need disposable gloves for your professional environment, choosing the best possible kind of glove is critical. You’ll need to understand the difference between various disposable glove types. Not all gloves are the same — different materials, strength levels and other features lend themselves to distinct purposes. Below, we’ll discuss the 10 most important considerations for stocking up on gloves.
Only some disposable gloves qualify as medical gloves. To fit the medical-grade description, disposable gloves must meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) quality assurance guidelines. These guidelines ensure all gloves used in medical settings are durable and reliable, not flimsy or brittle. For patient examinations, gloves must have an acceptable quality level (AQL) no higher than 2.5. That rating means no more than 2.5% of the gloves in a batch can have defects. These gloves are non-sterile — sterile gloves must have an even lower AQL measure.
Manufacturers have to keep up with stringent testing measures to achieve a score of 2.5 or lower. Gloves with an AQL higher than 4 or 5 are only acceptable for mechanical or industrial purposes. Rigorous AQL standards require glove manufacturers to employ uncompromising quality control. The AQL scoring guide helps ensure gloves used for medical purposes are without defects. Tears or other lapses in quality could leave healthcare professionals and their patients vulnerable to pathogens or other contaminants.
Depending on your application, you’ll have to decide on an acceptable AQL rating. You may be able to find industry standards, but if not, opt for lower AQL numbers for the best quality disposable gloves. Keep in mind, doctors use gloves with AQL scores of 2.5 or lower during patient examinations. A similar score would likely suffice for your environment unless you need them for surgical purposes.
Disposable gloves with an acceptable AQL rating come in a variety of materials. One of the first things you should consider is your glove material preference. Different glove materials are useful for different purposes, so it’s a good idea to learn about the available options before making a bulk purchase.
Nitrile gloves are one of the best alternatives to latex gloves, offering a longer average shelf life. Standard nitrile gloves are an ideal non-sterile option. A powder-free, latex-free nitrile glove is resistant to chemicals, oils and acids. Nitrile’s strength makes these gloves tough and helps them stay puncture-free, even when worn for extended periods. If latex allergies are an issue, nitrile gloves offer a flexible, touch-sensitive alternative. You can buy bulk orders of nitrile gloves in a variety of colors and sizes.
Latex is a comfortable, inexpensive glove option suitable for most medical environments. They’ve been a staple of many healthcare facilities since the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic of the s. With that said, latex allergies are common. There’s a high likelihood someone in your organization or someone you serve will have a latex allergy. If you’re purchasing gloves for widespread use, you might consider a material less likely to cause allergic reactions, such as nitrile or vinyl. Latex also has a short shelf life compared to other materials.
Another option is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) glove. PVC is a common synthetic plastic polymer. Since they’re easy to mass-produce, these gloves are one of the least expensive options. They’re also less durable than other glove types, and they offer limited hazard protection. For that reason, PVC gloves are best suited for low-hazard applications. In some cases, a nitrile-vinyl blend glove may be the best choice for affordability and durability.
For most applications, one of the above-listed materials will suffice. Here are a few other material choices you might consider for latex-free medical gloves:
For a glove to have a “sterile” rating, it must meet strict FDA guidelines. Sterile medical gloves are acceptable for surgical purposes, so they must have the best possible AQL ratings. Sterile gloves must have an acceptable quality level of 1.5 or lower. As mentioned above, examination gloves can have an AQL as high as 2.5, so sterile gloves can be considered even safer. Because their manufacture requires strict testing, sterile gloves may have a higher price.
Though the term “non-sterile” may sound concerning, non-sterile gloves with an AQL of 2.5 or lower are acceptable for any non-surgical purposes. Using non-sterile gloves in non-surgical settings is safe and reduces the risk of disease transmission. Most healthcare workers use non-sterile gloves for patient examination purposes.
Non-sterile gloves work well for other applications, as well. If you’re looking for disposable gloves for routine cleaning, food service, caregiving or other purposes, non-sterile gloves should be fine. It’s vital to decide on an acceptable AQL rating for your purposes.
You may come across powdered and non-powdered glove options. Powdered gloves feature cornstarch coatings, which makes them easier to put on and prevents them from sticking together. Though this can improve convenience, the FDA has banned powdered gloves for surgery and patient examination purposes.
According to the FDA, the risks of powdered gloves in medical settings outweigh the benefits. The powder can cling to the wearer’s skin, causing irritation, inflammation or allergic reactions. It can also cause surgical complications involving peritoneal adhesions, which are a type of bond between a person’s organs. Though the ban does not yet extend to food service applications, loose cornstarch from powdered gloves may cause food contamination. In most instances, a non-powdered glove is a preferable choice.
You should also consider glove thickness. Thicker gloves provide a stronger protective barrier. They also better resist tears, allowing for a longer wear time. A heavy-duty, industrial-grade glove will offer more thickness than a lighter, thinner glove.
With that said, a thicker glove may dull touch sensitivity, which isn’t ideal in certain settings. If your application requires a high level of touch sensitivity, you might opt for thinner gloves made from a durable material, such as nitrile. When browsing glove options, look for thickness measurements in mils.
Certain situations call for a high level of tactile or touch sensitivity. For instance, a surgeon needs unimpaired touch sensitivity to perform surgery with the necessary precision and accuracy. Tactile-sensitive gloves made of a lightweight material will allow for precision levels similar to an ungloved hand. Sensitivity may also be necessary for a number of applications, including food preparation, electronic handling and pharmaceuticals.
You should also consider glove comfort and fit, including various size options. Depending on your application, your staff may need to wear gloves while performing complex tasks. They may also need to wear their gloves for extended periods. It’s vital to choose comfortable gloves — an uncomfortable glove may hinder someone’s ability to perform their necessary responsibilities.
Size options are an essential consideration. If a glove is too small, it may cause irritability or limit blood circulation to the wearer’s hand, making the fit distracting and uncomfortable. A too-small glove is more likely to tear, as well, compromising its protective barrier.
If a glove is too large, other concerns may arise. Loose space between the glove and the wearer’s skin may leave the wearer vulnerable to pathogens. A glove that’s too big is also likely to fall off, causing a significant contamination concern. When buying gloves, be sure to acquire several sizes, at least small, medium and large.
Tensile strength refers to a material’s resistance to breaking when stretched or pulled. Gloves with higher tensile strength ratings are more tear-resistant. Nitrile and latex are both materials with high tensile strength ratings — you can tug and pull on them quite a bit before they’ll start to tear. Since a tear would compromise a glove’s protection, tensile strength is essential. It’s an important measurement to acknowledge, especially for applications requiring hand dexterity.
Though you may not think twice about glove color, it can make a notable difference. You may choose to color code your gloves so staff can easily differentiate between various glove types. For instance, you might choose blue for latex gloves and black for non-latex gloves, so those with a latex allergy will have no trouble selecting the non-latex gloves. If you need both sterile and non-sterile gloves, color coding could again be useful.
Certain glove colors also make tears more apparent. If you wear a dark-colored glove on top of a light-colored glove, tears will be easy to identify. You can then change gloves as soon as possible after a tear, minimizing contamination risks.
You may wonder whether or not double-gloving offers more protection than wearing a single glove. According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH), double-gloving is an effective way to protect the wearer from pathogens and other harmful substances. They found that while glove perforations were common, there were no instances of inner double-glove perforation. The NIH recommends double-gloving as a routine practice for operating rooms.
Standardizing double-gloving may help you promote your staff’s safety and wellbeing. Should you choose to do so, you may need to store greater quantities of gloves. It’s a good idea to order gloves in bulk amounts for this purpose.
The final factor you should consider is a glove’s shelf life. Buying disposable gloves in bulk will ensure you always have gloves available when needed — but it may also mean some gloves sit unused for extended periods. A glove’s shelf life depends most on its material. Nitrile gloves last longer than any other material. You should always check the manufacturer’s guidelines, but most nitrile gloves will last in their original packaging for several years.
In most cases, it’s easy to tell if a glove is compromised. A compromised glove may have surface cracks or feel brittle to the touch. Always wear gloves with normal tensile strength and durability, and keep careful track of how long your gloves have sat on the shelf.
Proper storage can help make gloves last longer. For short or long-term glove storage, you should keep gloves:
When deciding where to store your gloves, opt for a cool, dark environment. In most cases, a shelf in a secluded closet will do fine. Proper storage will help you extend your gloves’ shelf life, saving you time and money long-term and minimizing waste.
Choosing the right gloves for your application can make your environment safer, healthier and more productive. When shopping for new disposable gloves, consider several factors — the material, AQL, durability, comfort, dexterity, color and additional features. Each of these factors is significant. Once you’ve chosen the right gloves for you, be sure to purchase as many as you may need and follow best storage practices.
Here at SafetyGloves.co.uk, we get a lot of questions about the chief differences between powdered and powder-free gloves. Naturally, we thought the best way to answer your questions was to put them all in one place.
In this guide to Powdered and Powder-Free Disposable Gloves we'll give you the lowdown on both styles and discuss their unique benefits, perks and application suitability. We've also thrown in a few handy recommendations based on the expert information our favourite suppliers have given us.
We get that the more intricate differences between powdered and powderless gloves can be difficult to get your head (and hands) around. If you're unsure of what you need, we recommend browsing until you find the information you're after.
If you already know what you're looking for, click any one of the quick links below and jump right in.
Without going into too much detail at this stage, the main difference between powdered and powderless gloves is that powdered gloves contain a starched powder that absorbs sweat, and powderless or powder-free gloves don't.
For users with sweaty hands, this powder is a must, as it helps prevent the build up of odour and residue inside the glove as they work. For others, this powder can irritate their skin, causing irritation, rashes and blotching.
If you are unsure about whether powdered or powderless gloves are best for you and your work, we've created this handy little guide below to help you.
Simply locate the factor you're most concerned with, see what we score it out of five and choose based on the result.
Quality Powdered Gloves Powder-Free Gloves Versatility★★★☆☆
★★★★★
Easy Donning★★★★★
★★★★☆
Grip★★★★☆
★★★☆☆
Affordability★★★★★
★★★★☆
Skin Health★★★☆☆
★★★★☆
Comfort★★★★★
★★★★☆
Strength★★★☆☆
★★★★★
Chemical, Water or Oil Use★★★☆☆
★★★★★
If you've got a specific question, we've put this section together to answer it. We've consulted the industry experts and used all our years of experience to collect information that better explains the unique benefits of both styles of glove.
Please continue reading for more information on both.
What Are Powder-Free Gloves?
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Powder-Free Gloves are disposable gloves that do not contain any powdered cornstarch. Unlike certain powdered gloves, they're highly skin-friendly, far stronger and a lot more versatile.
Key Features and Benefits
✔ Super strong and durable for tougher industries
✔ More versatile with food, chemical, oil and water resistance
✔ Powder-free design reduces contamination risk (ideal for food use!)
✔ More skin friendly than powdered gloves
✔ High level of grip and dexterity for handling and tricky work
Who's Using Them?
✔ Food, catering and processing industries (see our Food Powder-Free range)
✔ Lab and scientific industries (see our Lab and Scientific Powder-Free range)
✔ Hair and beauty industries (see our Hair and Beauty Powder-Free range)
✔ Mechanics industries (see our Mechanics Powder-Free range)
What Are Powder-Free Gloves Made From?
Powder-free gloves can be made using nitrile, vinyl and latex. If you have a preference, we recommend checking a gloves product page for more information before purchasing.
To make sure you're getting the best option possible, we contacted the experts to give you the best possible options for your workplace. Take a look at our favourites, below.
What Are Powdered Gloves?
Unlike powder-free gloves, the fabric inside Powdered Gloves is lightly coated using cornstarch. This is designed to improve grip, reduce sweating and speed up the application process.
They're extremely popular with cleaners and are widely used in fast paced industries as they can be applied and removed quickly.
What Are the Benefits of Powdered Gloves?
✔ Powdered design makes donning far easier
✔ More affordable than their powder-free counterparts
✔ More comfortable especially on a hot day
✔ You expect to have to replace your gloves regularly
✔ Reduce sweating as powder soaks up the starch
Who's Using Them?
✔ Busy and fast paced environments (see our Busy and Fast Paced Powdered range)
✔ Cleaning industries (see our Cleaning Industries range)
What Are Powdered Gloves Made From?
Here at SafetyGloves.co.uk, we sell nitrile, latex and vinyl powdered gloves.
To guarantee we're recommending the best gloves possible, we contacted the experts to get their input. Take a look at the best powdered disposable gloves they recommended, below.
Below we've put together a section designed to showcase a selection of gloves that are tried, tested and loved by our customers. If you don't believe us, check out the reviews!
Ideal for: Mechanics, Cleaning, Nail Technicians and Tattoo Artists
Powdered?
✗ No (see gloves that are)
What We Love Most...
✔ Unbeatable when it comes to grip stability
✔ Textured fingertips ensure the tools of your trade stay in hand
✔ A full nitrile coating that's three times more protective than latex and vinyl
Customer Verdict:
Editor's Verdict: If you're in the market for scratch and scuff resistance gloves, look no further. Black Mamba Gloves are our number one when it comes to durability. Unrivalled due to their thick nitrile foundation fabric, you'll struggle to get through a whole box.
Ideal for: Virus protection, Doctors, Patient Examination and Care Homes
Powdered?
✗ No (see gloves that are)
What We Love Most...
✔ Certified under EN 374-5 for virus reduction
✔ Thin and slender design is perfect for patient examination
✔ Robust design holds up to contact with common chemicals
Customer Verdict:
Editor's Verdict: Polyco GL890 Disposable Gloves are our number one when it comes to virus protection. As you can see from the reviews above, they're also resilient and robust enough to be used by mechanics, gardeners and hair and beauty professionals. Their strong blue nitrile foundation is accredited under EN 455, making them our number one choice for healthcare professionals.
Ideal for: Sweaty Hands, DIY and Home Use, Janitors, Cleaners, Hair and Beauty Professionals and Salons
Powdered?
✔ Yes (see gloves that aren't)
What We Love Most...
✔ Best option for quick application and swift removal
✔ Lightly powdered design absorbs sweat, perspiration and dirt
✔ Great for keeping in your tool box at home for DIY
✔ Actively prevents the transfer of dirt and grime
✔ Latex foundation has a higher puncture resistance than competitor fabrics
Customer Verdict:
Editor's Verdict: Thanks to their sweat absorbent powdered interior, Polyco BodyGuards GL818 Disposable Gloves are are a great choice for getting jobs done around the home. Their puncture-proof latex foundation fabric means they'll hold up to the rigours of inside and outside work. Their snug and close fit makes them just as good for hairdressers and barbers who require a tonne of dexterity.
Ideal for: Cleaning, Animal Handling, Dexterity Based Tasks and Decorators
Powdered?
✔ Yes (see gloves that aren't)
What We Love Most...
✔ Snug fit is ideal for dexterity based tasks
✔ Powdered interior is ideal for sweaty hands
✔ Slender design is great for decorating and DIY
Customer Verdict:
Editor's Verdict: Supertouch Powdered Latex Gloves are our number one choice for tough tasks. If you're undertaking tasks that require you wear gloves for a prolonged period, you're in good hands. With a powdered interior for sweat absorption and a puncture proof foundation of robust latex, there's no better option for demanding tasks like decorating and clearing animals out.
Ideal for: Sensitive Skin, Water Exposure, Epoxy Handling, Grease and Oil Exposure and Food Industries
Powdered?
✗ No (see gloves that are)
What We Love Most...
✔ Medically accredited with great all-round tensile strength
✔ Powder and latex free for those with irritation prone skin
Customer Verdict:
Editor's Verdict: We don't have enough space to list all their incredibly properties here, but we'll try. Accredited as safe for contact with food, their tensile strength is unrivalled when it comes to contact with water and other light chemicals. Aurelia Bold Gloves are black by design, making them excellent for oil and grease exposure and their powder and latex free design makes them our number one for eczema and users with sensitive skin.
Both Powdered Gloves and Powder Free Gloves can be found in our Vinyl, Nitrile and Latex categories. If you work in a hospital or doctors surgery, we recommend taking a look at powder-free gloves that are certified to safety standards EN 455 or EN 374. Both styles can be found and used in garages and factories across the UK depending on their tensile strength and durability.
Powdered gloves tend to be easier to don, with the cornstarch underneath the surface helping to reduce discomfort and reduce sweating. They are fantastic in fast paced industries, making them well suited to hair and beauty and cleaning. They are a little more affordable too, making them ideal for any person looking to cut a few costs.
Alternatively, powder-free gloves tend to be ideal for Sensitive Skin, and their stronger design proves perfect for more mechanical industries such as engineering and mechanics. As powder-free gloves come with a reduced contamination risk, they are popular within the food industries too. Finally, powder-free gloves usually come with better resistance to chemicals, water and oil.
If you have decided that you want to go ahead and buy some disposable powdered or powder-free gloves then you're in the right place. Check out our wide range of Powdered and Powder-Free Gloves on our site.
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