Nitrile gloves are disposable gloves made of synthetic or industrially manufactured rubber which, thanks to their thin thickness and material properties, are a fantastic solution for handling products and foodstuffs as well as for service work in a variety of industries.

The range of nitrile gloves from European manufacturers on Droppe’s marketplace is suitable for many different areas of use, where the common requirement is a high standard of hygiene.

Nitrile gloves are also available in chemical-resistant versions for cleaning stations in corporate offices, or in thicker, more durable gloves in warehouses for maintenance work.

Over time, nitrile has largely replaced latex gloves, as nitrile as a material is less likely than latex to cause allergic reactions in the user.

Nitrile gloves are often used for the following tasks:

– Nursing and health care
– Food processing and preparation
– Cooking in professional kitchens
– Use for research in laboratories
– Manufacturing of electronics and its components
– Painting and surface treatment, cleaning
– Processing of oil and grease products

Nitrile Glove Or Vinyl Glove?
Of the disposable gloves used in the workplace, the most common are latex, vinyl or nitrile gloves, depending on the requirements of the work environment. As a newer, greener alternative, companies are increasingly using tri-polymer gloves, which degrade faster in the environment than synthetic gloves.

Nitrile is the most common material used in disposable gloves for work and everyday tasks due to its durability and suitability for handling various substances. However, vinyl gloves are also preferred in the restaurant industry, for example when handling non-greasy foods, as they provide protection in accordance with hygiene requirements.

Likewise, latex gloves are particularly popular in agriculture and animal husbandry due to their properties. However, nitrile gloves are usually more resistant to stretching and puncture than their latex and vinyl counterparts.

Vinyl gloves are made from PVC plastic, which is also a material often used for common containers and, for example, drain pipes. Vinyl is an inexpensive material and is well suited for applications where the material does not need to withstand wear and tear.

For example, vinyl materials are often used in service, care and cleaning, as they are significantly cheaper than nitrile.

However, vinyl is not resistant to abrasion, bending or grease. This is often pointed out on the packaging of the gloves themselves, where it is emphasized in the list of product standards that the product is not suitable for handling grease. This information is often found as a clarification on the product.

Latex gloves made of natural rubber can cause allergies, which occur in about 1-5% of all people. In addition, regular use of the gloves can lead to the wearer becoming allergic to the material, which e.g. is seen in 8-12% of workers in the health sector and in over 10% in the rubber industry as a developed allergy to latex.

Increased latex allergies are also becoming more common in the Nordic countries, which is why latex is less in demand than vinyl and nitrile. The strength of latex is its greater flexibility compared to nitrile and vinyl, but its puncture resistance is not as good.

Nitrile Gloves For Healthcare
Nitrile gloves are available in the reception rooms of all health centers and doctors’ offices.

A medical glove must meet the latest standard EN 455 and may have other requirements.

Many nitrile gloves are approved for both personal protective equipment (PPE) and healthcare (MD). A good example of cross-categorization is the personal protective equipment standard EN 374-5, which is also important to many in the healthcare sector due to its content.

EN 374-5 describes testing of protection against bacteria and fungi. If the label is followed by “virus”, the protection has also been shown to work against viruses. However, EN 374-5 does not state that the glove must destroy pathogens. The labeling suggests that the glove acts as a protective layer on the skin. On the healthcare side, there may also be a need for special gloves that must withstand handling e.g. cytostatics or chemicals. In some cases, the standards must also go beyond protection against blood splashes, for example in the case of tattooing.

Nitrile Gloves For Industry
Nitrile gloves are also important as protection in industrial environments. Nitrile gloves for personal protection meet the requirements of the directive on personal protective equipment ( 2016/425 ).

In the chemical industry, many disposable gloves are used, which must be more resistant to chemicals than usual. Chemical resistance to various chemicals is tested according to EN ISO 374-1.

Some specific chemicals may require even stricter criteria, so it is advisable to consult with Droppe’s experts when choosing a glove.

When choosing a glove suitable for handling chemicals, it is important to check which substances have been tested for cross-reactivity and acid resistance.

Particularly thin nitriles are also used in electronics manufacturing due to their good tactile properties. Black gloves are particularly popular in this sector.

For more demanding work, there are also many different types of nitrile gloves. For example, during car maintenance and similar work where the hands are exposed to abrasion, oil and punctures, it is good to have durable disposable gloves for heavy work.

Such strong nitrile gloves can, for example, be longer and thicker than usual. Some also have a scale pattern to improve grip.

Nitrile Gloves For Food And The Food Industry
Nitrile gloves are suitable for food processing when they are marked with the food mark, known from the glass and fork symbol seen on many food products. However, depending on the task, it is advisable to consider the thickness of the glove in addition to the food label to ensure the durability of the gloves.

The thinnest and often cheapest nitrile gloves are suitable for simple tasks, but are also more prone to tearing due to stretching or punctures.

Especially in the food industry, the purpose of choosing the color of nitrile gloves is to prevent parts from disappearing, e.g. in food when the glove tears. In this context, for example, it is important that the color of the nitrile glove matches the quality control sensors or the color of the products being handled, in order to meet the quality control objectives.

Nitrile gloves are usually blue and are often suitable for handling products due to their color. Similarly, black nitrile gloves are popular in situations where nitrile gloves must be as discreet as possible, such as when serving customers.

Food grade nitrile gloves are generally also suitable for handling fatty substances. However, it is important to remember to wear the gloves regularly to avoid wear and tear from use.

Gloves usually come in a box of 100, so it’s easy to change to new gloves before the old ones wear out.

Many food service jobs require stronger gloves due to the harsher use.

Tasks where a specially made protective glove should be considered:
– Milking and other tasks on the farm
– Farming and other animal husbandry
– Slaughter and handling of raw meat and in the kitchen
– Processing fatty foods

“ At Etalon HygienePro, we are constantly striving to improve and develop our disposable gloves to meet all needs and environments. We are dedicated to providing high quality gloves to ensure the best interests of our customers.Standard HygienePro“