Disposable gloves - Vinyl Gloves v/s Nitrile Gloves

Disposable gloves are an essential item in any healthcare environment. They’re an inexpensive way to protect our hands from harmful chemicals, potentially dangerous microbes, bacteria, viruses, dirt, and many other health threats.

In this article, we will explore the features and differences between vinyl and nitrile gloves, two of the most used types of disposable gloves.

Vinyl Gloves 

Vinyl gloves are made from a blend of synthetic rubber, plasticizers, and additives called PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride).  As these gloves are made of a synthetic polymer, they are often less thick and, therefore, less durable.

 Vinyl gloves are generally used for shorter periods of time. They are ideal in industries where loose fit and ease of use are important, but where durability and protection are less of a concern. These include food and beverage, cleaning, assistance and care, painting, manufacturing and processing, etc.

Advantages of vinyl gloves include:

• Better for low-risk tasks and non-hazardous materials.
• Resistant to water, oil and fats.
• Ideal for short-term tasks.
• They are anti-static.
• Easy to put on.
• Allergic reactions are extremely rare.
• Low-cost.

Nitrile Gloves                                                                    

Nitrile gloves are the most popular glove materials used in many industries and a perfect alternative to disposable latex gloves. These gloves are made from nitrile, which is a synthetic rubber that offers flexibility, long-life durability, and chemical resistance.

Disposable nitrile gloves are flexible and durable making them ideal for industrial tasks, the food industry, and health care applications. They are also suitable for most medical environments.

Benefits of nitrile gloves include:

• Long lasting durability and flexible.
• Can be worn for longer periods of time.
• High chemical resistance.
• High resistance to oils, fats, and petroleum-based products.
• Best for high-risk situations around infectious materials.
• Superior puncture resistance.
• High level of touch sensitivity.
• Great fit molding to hand.
• Have similar fit and feel as latex gloves.
• Lightweight and breathable, easy to use.
• Latex-free, protein-free, and allergy-free.
• Long shelf life.

In short, if you are asking which is better between vinyl and nitrile gloves, it mainly depends on your specific needs.

If you are looking for disposable gloves for light clean-up jobs or food handling, vinyl gloves are more appropriate. On the other hand, if you need durable gloves to protect yourself from cuts and scratches, nitrile gloves will probably be a better choice. Vinyl is better for every day, low-risk tasks whereas nitrile is more suitable when working around hazardous chemicals or high-risk infection environments.

Feel free to contact us anytime and we’ll be happy to assist you and find the most suitable gloves according to your specific needs!