What are Vinyl Gloves Made From?

Vinyl gloves are made from a blend of synthetic rubber, plasticizers, and additives called PVC. They were also developed as a great option for those suffering from latex allergies.

What are Vinyl Gloves Used For?

Vinyl gloves are frequently used for food handling, food preparation, low-risk health care applications, light clean-up jobs, and repetitive assembly line or manufacturing tasks. These products are commonly used in non-hazardous situations and low-risk infection environments because of the low level of protection offered. They work great for the food and beverage industry.

For decades, latex gloves were the king of the disposable glove industry. These days, though, as latex allergies are increasingly common, latex products have a more niche application. Either way, the material remains well-suited to handling certain jobs--and ill-suited to others.

Not sure whether latex gloves are the right fit? Here’s a look at what latex gloves are used for.

What are Latex Gloves?

You might be surprised to learn that the materials behind Latex Rubber Gloves are naturally occurring. In fact, while dip-molded latex might lead you to believe these are purely synthetic gloves, latex is actually a naturally occurring plant material.

Basically, latex is any polymer in a water-based or viscous form. Natural latex, or natural rubber latex, is derived from the rubber plant Hevea brasiliensis and is a complex emulsion of proteins, sugars, oils, starches, tannins, alkaloids, resins, and gums that coagulate when exposed to the air.

We transition from the rubber plant to commercial latex by taking fresh latex and transforming it through a process of blending, coagulation, and drying.

What are Disposable Latex Gloves Used For?

Latex gloves have long been popular power players among disposable gloves, whether they’re powdered latex gloves or powder-free gloves. These days, workplaces are more conscious of latex allergies.

Even so, latex remains a popular glove material for its comfort, stretchiness, and tactile sensitivity. This makes latex a popular compound among a specific population: the medical industry.

In terms of medical gloves--especially surgical gloves--few materials can match the dexterity and tactile sensitivity of a latex glove. This is incredibly important for work requiring extreme precision, such as surgery. That said, even regular physicians remain frequent users of latex gloves. Even a regular physical exam needs tactile sensitivity, and on that front, latex gloves are hard to beat.

Latex is also quite popular among workers who need frequent glove changes, whether that’s the healthcare industry or elsewhere. In many cases, you would need powdered gloves to provide the same comfort level as latex powder-free gloves.