What are the best Nitrile Disposable Gloves?
Disposable gloves have come a long way over the years, with nitrile becoming more and more popular versus the traditional latex and vinyl disposable gloves. These ultra-thin ‘second skin’ gloves, also referred to as single-use examination gloves, are commonly used in the food, health, cleaning, emergency services, mechanical automotive, and manufacturing industries for personal protection and hygiene reasons. This article is going to cover the following points and ultimately determine which disposable gloves are best for the specific task in hand.
- What are the differences between nitrile, latex and vinyl disposable gloves?
- Which disposable gloves are the strongest and most durable?
- Which disposable nitrile gloves are the best quality?
- Are nitrile disposable gloves ecological and biodegradable?
- What are nitrile disposable glove standards?
- Application guide for nitrile disposable gloves.
- Summary: What are the best nitrile disposable gloves?
What are the differences between nitrile, latex, and vinyl disposable gloves?
It’s important to know the difference between nitrile, latex and vinyl disposable gloves as your personal protection and safety could depend on it. The primary benefit of vinyl disposable gloves is that they’re inexpensive to manufacture, but they offer very little durability and resistance to chemicals, solvents, paints and oils – causing degradation and possible direct exposure to the wearers skin. In many applications, vinyl disposable gloves are not fit for purpose, which is why they are becoming less and less popular – especially for industrial applications.
Latex gloves are made of natural rubber and are therefore much more durable than vinyl. The major downside to latex disposable gloves is that some people are allergic to natural rubber latex, causing discomfort and irritation to the skin. For this reason, the HSE Health and Safety Executive recommends avoiding the use of latex wherever possible. Some of the traditional latex gloves are coated with a very fine powder, to make the gloves easier to put on and take off, but the powder has been proven to exasperate latex allergies and can also contaminate materials and surfaces.
Nitrile disposable gloves are made of synthetic rubber, which is considerably stronger and more durable than both latex and vinyl. This is not only beneficial for the task in hand, but also when putting the gloves on… they are much less likely to rip or tear. Good quality nitrile disposable gloves are also chlorinated inside, an effective alternative to a fine powder coating for enhanced user comfort and reduced friction when donning. There is also no risk of a latex-allergic reaction from nitrile. For these reasons, disposable gloves manufactured from nitrile have become the go-to option for most disposable glove wearers, replacing traditional vinyl and latex equivalents.
Which disposable gloves are the strongest and most durable?
As mentioned earlier in this article, the strongest and most durable disposable gloves are made from nitrile synthetic rubber. The thickness of the nitrile material can improve the strength even further, making the glove more resistant to ripping, puncturing, abrasion, chemicals, oils and solvents – for optimum safety and protection.
Although thicker nitrile disposable gloves offer greater strength and protection, flexibility and tactility can be compromised. Some of the premium nitrile disposable gloves nowadays, feature grip patterns for enhanced grip properties in all conditions. For intricate precision tasks, a thinner disposable nitrile glove may be a better option, which underpins why there are various thickness options and types available. Thinner nitrile disposable gloves are also more economical or cost-effective, so getting the right balance between durability and price is an important factor in the decision-making process.
Which disposable nitrile gloves are the best quality?
It goes without saying that thicker gauge disposable nitrile gloves are more resilient to ripping, puncturing, abrasion, chemicals, oils and solvents – but this doesn’t necessarily mean they have better manufacturing processes or quality control. Once you have determined the ideal thickness of nitrile disposable gloves for the specific task in hand – see the guide later in this article – the way to determine the level of quality for the various brands and types is to check the AQL or Acceptable Quality Level, which will be found on the side of the packaging or on the gloves data sheet.
Acceptable Quality Level is the international industry standard sampling process for evaluating the quality of a finished glove product. The most common AQL levels in Europe are between 1.5 and 4.0. These numbers are the maximum percentages of defective gloves in a batch test, so the better-quality gloves have a lower AQL number rating, resulting in superior barrier protection for the wearer. General rule of thumb – AQL 1.5 are high quality nitrile disposable gloves and AQL 4.0 are low quality nitrile disposable gloves with compromised personal protection.
Are nitrile disposable gloves ecological and biodegradable?
Standard disposable nitrile gloves cannot be recycled, and millions end up in landfills every year. They can take decades to break down, so there is an obvious negative impact on the environment. More recently, ‘bio’ disposable nitrile gloves have entered the market – developed for individuals with a desire to become more planet-friendly and for companies with environmental policies. These bio gloves biodegrade much faster than standard nitrile disposable gloves, without compromising quality or levels of protection.
The downside to bio disposable nitrile gloves is the cost. Production of biodegradable gloves is more expensive, leading to higher purchase costs for the user. However, as demand for ecological solutions grows, economies of scale will undoubtedly lead to manufacturing cost reductions, ultimately bringing the price much closer to those of traditional gloves in the future.
What are nitrile disposable glove standards?
There are numerous European certification standards for nitrile disposable gloves:
CE Standard CAT III is the highest standard for PPE products that protect against potentially deadly hazards – essential for gloves that offer chemical protection.
EN ISO 374-1:2016 is a chemical resistance standard – tested with up to 18 different chemicals for a specific period of time, to achieve a certification of Type A, B or C.
Type A has permeation resistance of at least 30 minutes with at least six test chemicals.
Type B has permeation resistance of at least 30 minutes with at least three test chemicals.
Type C has permeation resistance of at least 10 minutes with at least one test chemical.
This standard is then followed by various letters, indicating the test chemicals used, with the following being the most popular test chemicals for nitrile disposable gloves:
K: Sodium Hydroxide 40% – also known as lye or caustic soda. A common alkaline ingredient in cleaners and soaps that can be highly corrosive to skin.
O: Ammonium Hydroxide 25% – also known as ammonium water. It is commonly used in household cleaners, hair dye, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers and is also used as a refrigerant – another chemical that can cause skin burns and irritation.
P: Hydrogen Peroxide 30% – also known as bleach. This is a highly reactive chemical that can be found in cleaning solutions, disinfectants and stain removing agents. Although heavily diluted hydrogen peroxide can be used to treat cuts and other skin wounds, prolonged exposure to more concentrated hydrogen peroxide liquids can cause skin irritation and bleaching.
T: Formaldehyde 37% – also known as methanal. This chemical is often used in adhesives, solvents, paints and coatings – as well as building materials and insulation. Formaldehyde is a highly toxic poison that can cause severe burns to the skin.
EN ISO 374-5: 2016 specifies the requirements and testing of protective gloves against micro-organisms – which include viruses, fungi and bacteria. Also known as anti-virus gloves, this standard is important for disposable nitrile gloves used in medical, surgical, examination, dentistry, laboratory analysis, food preparation and handling environments, to name just a few.
EN 455 is the final commonly found standard for disposable nitrile gloves. The four-part EN 455 standard is a quality and strength test for single-use medical gloves, and a requirement for gloves used in environments and applications such as medical, surgical, examination, dentistry and veterinary.
Application guide for nitrile disposable gloves
Getting the right balance between durability, protection levels, tactility and flexibility is important when selecting the ideal nitrile disposable gloves for the task in hand. This guide will help do just that based on recommendations from the manufacturer and feedback from users. It also highlights the different specifications, features and benefits to assist in the decision-making process, to ultimately determine the best nitrile disposable gloves for your specific application.
| Brand | Skytec | Skytec | Skytec | Skytec |
| Type | TX510 | TX524 | TX4524 | TX924 |
| Category | Medium Duty | Heavy Duty | Heavy Duty | Super Duty |
| Thickness | 0.07mm/2.7 mil | 0.11mm/4.3 mil | 0.11mm/4.3 mil | 0.23mm/9.0 mil |
| AQL | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Chlorinated | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Powder-Free | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Latex-Free | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| CE Standard | CAT III | CAT III | CAT III | CAT III |
| EN ISO 374-1 | Type B: KPT | Type B: KPT | Type B: KPT | Type B: KOPT |
| EN ISO 374-5 | Micro Organisms + Virus | Micro Organisms + Virus | Micro Organisms + Virus | Micro Organisms + Virus |
| EN 455 | Medical Standard | Medical Standard | Medical Standard | Medical Standard |
| Food Safe | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Colour | Blue | Black | Green | Black |
| Grip Pattern | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
| Biodegradable | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ | ✗ |
| Applications | Examination | Component Assembly | Component Assembly | Component Assembly |
| Laboratory Analysis | Laboratory Analysis | Laboratory Analysis | Plant Operation | |
| Food Production | Food Production | Food Production | General Handling | |
| Healthcare | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive | |
| Hair & Beauty | Chemical Handling | Chemical Handling | Chemical Handling |
Summary: What are the best nitrile disposable gloves?
There is a great deal to consider when selecting the best nitrile disposable gloves, especially as there can be a fine balance between the cost and the ideal glove… let’s face it, these are ultimately disposable items – but there also must be a fit-for-purpose consideration.
The above table features our four most popular nitrile disposable gloves, and each option could be regarded as the ‘best’ for differing reasons – depending on the requirement. All four are high quality from a reputable manufacturer – conforming to the important European standards. Succinctly, the major differences are as follows:
Skytec TX510 is a medium duty and cost-effective nitrile disposable glove. Ideal for applications where the gloves are being worn for very short periods of time, then removed and disposed of. Blue in colour, although they can be used in industrial applications, they are also commonly used in healthcare, food, hair and beauty environments.
Skytec TX524 is a heavy-duty nitrile disposable glove – 60% thicker than the TX510. If there’s a tendency for the disposable gloves to tear when donning, a thicker glove is a better option to reduce wastage. The Skytec TX524 is a good all-round universal disposable glove – the black colour also makes it more synonymous with industrial and commercial environments.
Skytec TX4524 is also a heavy-duty nitrile disposable glove – a similar specification to the TX524. The fundamental difference between the two, is the Skytec TX4524 is biodegradable – ideal for eco-conscious users or organisations with environmental policies. The green colour illustrates its ecological credentials.
Skytec TX924 is a super-duty nitrile disposable glove – more than 3x thicker than the TX510 and more than 2x thicker than the TX524 and TX4524 bio gloves. The TX924 lasts up to 5x longer than regular single-use gloves in industrial applications, making them much better value when worn for extended periods of time. The Skytec TX924 also feature a diamond grip pattern technology on both sides, providing outstanding grip properties in all conditions.
It’s conceivable that different application environments within a production or maintenance environment, may require different disposable nitrile glove solutions. These four options should cover most requirements, but if you have any queries or questions about disposable gloves, please contact us.
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Joint Managing Director, Protrade
Craig has over 30 years of experience at Protrade, working in various departments including sales, procurement, and marketing, and ultimately becoming Managing Director in 2008. Following the merger of Protrade and Joinery Fit-Out Supplies in 2018, Craig is now the joint MD of the company.
