Move over N95 Mask! How disposable, medical nitrile gloves are the most in-demand products in the world.

During the pandemic, many products have been in high demand with limited supplies such as hand sanitizer, N95 face masks and toilet paper. But did you know that powder free nitrile disposable gloves are also in high demand? It makes sense.  If hand sanitizer is sought after to kill viruses and bacteria on your hands, gloves are even better because it can prevent the virus from ever getting on your hands in the first place. It offers ideal protection and creates a barrier between skin and potentially harmful pathogens.

Furthermore, as we move from a state of panic during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak into a cautiously optimistic state of economic reopenings, many businesses are requiring that their employees wear face masks and gloves at all times. The logic is sound, protect yourself and protect others from increased risk of transmission.

You can’t currently buy medical Nitrile gloves in Home Depot, Target or Lowes.  So in my quest to find some, I looked at online retailers including Amazon, Walmart and Zulily. None. Sold Out. Backordered for two to three months!

I examined the difference between latex, vinyl and nitrile gloves.  While all three will offer various levels of protection, the clear winner is nitrile gloves.  

It was clear to me that vinyl was not a viable choice.  This is because vinyl gloves are permeable to viruses carried in the blood and are prone to leakage.  They are not as strong as their latex exam gloves or nitrile exam gloves.

Nitrile vs Latex gloves

Latex Gloves

Latex gloves were the favorite years ago in the medical industry but have been replaced as the most popular choice.  They are made out of natural rubber and are comfortable. The primary reason for their decline in popularity and use is due to the fact that many people suffer from latex allergies. When allergies are not present, latex does have an advantage with comfort and dexterity over nitrile gloves.

Pros

• FDA Approved – Latex has a long history of use in the medical field.
• Better Fit. Latex gloves offer a tighter fit than nitrile and vinyl options. …
• Offers Better Puncture Protection. Latex gloves are thin, but durable, stretching before they break.

Cons

• Many people have latex allergies which can cause skin irritations and would prohibit their widespread use
• Not as chemical resistant as other materials and offers little chemical protection when handling organic solvents
• Hard to detect punctures and holes in the material

Nitrile Gloves

Nitrile, also known as NBR, is a form of synthetic rubber with unusually high resistance to oil, fuel, and other chemicals. The more nitrile within the polymer, the greater the protection from oils, but the lower the flexibility.  This makes protective nitrile gloves extremely functional for many applications.

Nitrile gloves are made of a synthetic rubber that resembles latex, yet will have better resistance to punctures than vinyl or latex gloves.  This makes nitrile gloves the ideal alternative to latex gloves for a wide range of industries.

Pros

• A popular choice in healthcare fields of any kind seeing as they protect against bodily fluids and blood-borne pathogens.
• Highly puncture resistant.
• Hypoallergenic and do not cause skin irritations, latex-free, made with synthetic rubber
• Superior to latex gloves in providing protection against petroleum-based products.

Cons

• Non-biodegradable
• Less form-fitting
• less tactile sensitivity 
• Expensive

To help avoid confusion, Nitrile disposable protective gloves come in two varieties, Medical and Industrial grade.

Nitrile Medical Grade – gloves are great for use in healthcare fields of any kind seeing as they protect against bodily fluids, bloodborne pathogens and are highly puncture resistant.  These gloves need to carry FDA registration.

Nitrile Industrial Grade – gloves are best used for most other tasks including working with chemicals, food, or even for use in the home.

When you add it all up, it’s clear that Nitrile disposable protective medical gloves are the favorite when it comes to protection and versatility.  That is why police, fire, first responder, healthcare, social and medical services have turned to Nitrile disposable protective medical gloves as their choice.  It just doesn’t leave much supply for the rest of the businesses such as beauty salons, day spas, food service, and hospitality.

Nitrile disposable protective medical gloves are reliable and will be a major piece of PPE equipment for all businesses from service industries to manufacturing, hospitality and recreation.  Lastly, they are also an essential product to have at home for increased protection, especially when you leave the house.

Nitrile Gloves Sizing Guide

Nitrile gloves come in a variety of sizes. These sizes include:

nitrile gloves XS

nitrile gloves Small

nitrile gloves Medium

nitrile gloves Large

nitrile gloves XL

How to Use

When used and removed properly, disposable gloves offer excellent protection against viruses. Follow these instructions when glove-wearing.