Disposable Gloves: All-in-one (Latex, Neoprene and Nitrile) (Nitrile and Vinyl)

The first rubber gloves were invented by Dr. William Stewart Halsted in 1894.  Serving as the initial surgeon-in-chief of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Halsted reportedly designed latex gloves in order to help protect the hands of his scrub nurses from the abrasive antiseptics that were used to disinfect at the hospital.  Some 125 years after the latex gloves’ initial development, we can clearly see that disposable gloves have surpassed just protecting nurses’ hands – they are used in nearly every industry today. 

If you’re wondering how indispensable disposable gloves have been to humans, just picture the dentist with his hands inside your mouth.  We are not going to delve too far into this subject matter, but you just never know where someone’s hands have been... 

 
Disposable gloves help prevent the spread of bacteria.


MCR Safety has been manufacturing and supplying disposable gloves for over 25 years.  We currently offer 48 different disposable glove options, employing a number of innovations introduced over the past 10 years. 


  
MCR Safety offers 48 total disposable glove options.

Disposable gloves are made of a variety of material types.  In this blog, we are going to talk about three common types of glove materials: latex, neoprene, and nitrile.  We would also like to introduce you to our newest disposable glove that we know you are going to love, no matter which industry you work in. 

Purpose of Disposable Gloves

Disposable gloves protect hands from contact with infectious materials, liquids, oil, pathogens, and contaminants in the environment.  These hazards may include chemicals, bodily fluids, or debris.  Disposable gloves act as a shield by creating a waterproof barrier over one’s skin. 

The disposable glove market in the U.S. is projected for increased growth over the next several years.

Disposable gloves are super-thin and essentially skin-tight, so they provide the most dexterity and tactile sensitivity of all forms of hand protection.  Since they are inexpensive, once soiled, they are meant to be used once and thrown out.

Who Uses Disposable Gloves

You will find disposable gloves used in a variety of work applications for virtually every industry.  

Here is a partial listing:

*Assembly – working with oily parts
*Automotive - handling automotive parts, changing oil, painting, maintenance

60160 worn in an automotive body shop.

6016B worn while painting a trailer.

*Canning and Bottling– working with, handling, and preserving food
*Construction – preparing and curing cement, which can cause cement burns
*Doctors – examining patients; protection from blood and other bodily fluids, infectious materials
*EMT – attending patients; protection from blood and other bodily fluids

 
EMT wearing a 6001 disposable glove while helping a patient.

*Food Processing – handling raw meat, such as chicken or pork
*Food Service and Restaurant Workers – preparing food, avoiding cross-contamination of meats

 
Preparing barbecue with the 7010 disposable glove.

*Forensic – processing a crime scene
*Hair Salons – dyeing hair
*Jailors – patting down inmates
*Janitors – cleaning facilities, such as toilets 
*Laboratories – testing samples and handling chemicals

 
Working in the lab with the 7010 disposable glove.

*Law Enforcement – interacting with unknown substances, patting down suspects
*Manufacturing – cleaning metal and plant maintenance
*Medical – preventing cross-contamination of pathogens, including bacteria and viruses
*Nurses – attending to patients; protection from blood, infectious materials and pathogens
*Pharmaceutical – handling chemicals and avoiding contamination of products
*Tattoo Artists – applying tattoos to bare skin; coming into contact with bodily fluids, including blood
*Veterinarian – treating animals; contact with unknown substances

Polymers 

Latex (Natural Rubber)

Users turn to disposable latex gloves when they require a durable, yet thin and extremely flexible, glove.  Combine these attributes with being soft and comfortable, and it is clear why latex remains one of the leading glove making polymers on the market. 

Latex gloves are highly preferred in sensitive applications due their fit.  Because disposable latex gloves are elastic by nature, they stretch and allow for excellent dexterity, meaning that workers’ movements aren’t hampered or restricted by the gloves.  Just picture a rubber band being stretched.  That rubber band is essentially what you have protecting your entire hand. 

You can purchase either powdered or unpowdered latex gloves; the powder helps the wearer pull the gloves on.  Three of our top selling disposable gloves are the 5049, 5055 and 5059. 


        
  5049       5055                                             5059
11 mil, High-Risk Gloves     5 mil Premium        4 mil Competitive Value


As you probably already know, nothing is 100% perfect in life.  Many people have latex allergies and cannot wear or come into contact with latex gloves.  This workers, who  are allergic to latex,, will need a different disposable glove.  

It is also important to note that as of January 2017, powdered latex gloves have been banned from use in medical applications.  Latex also degrades in oil, so automotive workers or those coming into contact with oil will need different disposable glove options.  There are several.

Neoprene (Chloroprene) 

Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that was developed as an oil-resistant substitute for natural rubber.  It is heat-, chemical-, oil-, and ozone-resistant.  Because of this, neoprene offers a broad range of chemical protection. 

5434, unlined Neoprene 30 mil
Neoprene is most often used for heat and chemical protection.

One of the key characteristics of neoprene is its resistance to temperature extremes.  Neoprene remains flexible and elastic in cold temperatures as well as remaining firm and not becoming sticky in high temperatures.  Neoprene possesses outstanding physical toughness and resistance to damage caused by flexing and twisting.  Offering neoprene disposable gloves is a relatively new innovation, however.  More on that in a moment! 

Nitrile (NBR)

Nitrile is known as the “jack of all trades” for polymers, and for good reason.  It is one of the strongest polymers available, boasting up to 5x greater puncture-resistance when compared to latex.  Nitrile provides users with excellent tensile strength and is snag-, abrasion-, and puncture-resistant.  Nitrile is also latex-free, so nitrile gloves are a safe option for those who have a latex allergy. 

 
New Green Grippaz™ Nitrile Disposable Gloves

Nitrile is a durable synthetic rubber that offers resistance to numerous substances, including oils (petroleum-based as well as mineral and vegetable oil).  With its resistance to oils and solvents, nitrile gloves are often worn by workers who are engaged in oily applications and automotive degreasing applications.  Because nitrile is both heat- and water-resistant, it is an excellent product for handling fats and greases and is used widely in the poultry and red meat processing industries. 

 
The 6016B is great for protection against metalworking fluids in manufacturing.

Click the following PDF image to check out all our options offering Grippaz technology.

As we mentioned, nitrile is the jack of all trades, and has very limited weaknesses.  Users still prefer latex disposable gloves over nitrile disposable gloves when working in sensitive applications, however, as latex offers a heightened sense of touch.

So, what would happen if all three of the polymers mentioned above were combined into one glove?

A Superior Glove: 7036

 
What happens when you combine latex, neoprene, and nitrile into one glove?  MCR Safety’s new 7036!  This glove offers comfort, strength, dexterity, and resistance to cuts, snags, punctures, abrasions, and an array of chemicals and other liquids.

Our ChemTech™ 7036 gloves are 6 mil thick and packed with pure performance!  This glove combines the advantages of three different polymers: the puncture resistance of nitrile, the elasticity and tensile strength of latex, and the chemical resistance of neoprene into one exceptionally high-performing disposable glove!

Other features:

• 12 inches in length
• Textured for better grip
• Component materials comply with all federal regulations for food contact
  
  

  
7036 is 12 inches long, providing protection past the wrist.

The 7036 also provides limited chemical splash protection due to its use of neoprene.  For example, it has a breakthrough time of 26 minutes for protection against sulfuric acid. Please check MCR Safety’s Permeation Database for specific breakthrough times.  Please let us know here if there is a  specific chemical you’re needing protection against. 

ITC Lab Testing

As we’ve mentioned in previous blogs, our ITC lab ensures MCR Safety’s products meet our high-standards of quality levels.  When it comes to disposable gloves, users need to know they're putting on thoroughly tested PPE.  With that in mind, we've conducted lab experiments for our disposable gloves in the ITC.  The intent is to benchmark existing products, which allows comparisons against MCR’s competition and to better understand any gaps which may be discovered within MCR Safety’s own product line. 

The test data in the chart below represents the most important testing criteria for disposable gloves, with the top two being:

1.  Puncture resistance
2.  Tensile strength

 

A total of 12 disposables gloves were tested for each criterion shown above, ensuring reliable data.

As you can see from the data, each polymer provides different benefits to users. 

• Latex disposable gloves – Low Puncture-Resistance / Best Tensile Strength
• Nitrile disposable gloves – Best Puncture-Resistance / Lowest Tensile Strength
• Nitrile / Neoprene / Latex disposable gloves– Good Puncture-Resistance / Excellent Tensile Strength
• Nitrile / Vinyl disposable gloves – Good Puncture-Resistance / Good Tensile Strength
• Vinyl disposable gloves – Lowest Puncture-Resistance / Good Tensile Strength

The new 7036 provides wearers with a disposable glove demonstrating good puncture-resistance, double that of a 5 mil latex glove, while offering superior elasticity.  Combine these perks with its splash chemical protection and you’ve got a disposable glove that packs a punch of protection!

Innovations and Color Options

MCR Safety has introduced an assortment of new disposable gloves to our product line over the past decade.  We added multiple color options, a Nitrile / Vinyl disposable glove, and six total Grippaz gloves.  The new 7036 glove is the latest innovation to join our roster.  Our disposable glove lineup now offers more colors than virtually any other glove company doing business today.  We want you to have options when it comes to the disposable gloves you select.  

  
6010G, 6046G, 6016O, 6010P, 6014B, 6046GY2, 6015, 5049, 7036

MCR Safety is known for having one of the widest color collections of nitrile disposable gloves on the market.

Lastly, the Nitrile / Vinyl disposable glove, mentioned above, was MCR Safety's first ever bi-polymer disposable glove introduced.  This disposable glove leverages the tensile strength of vinyl and the puncture resistance of nitrile.   Since it's introduction in 2011, the 7010 is now worn by workers across numerous industries due to it's affordability, feel, and performance. 

7010

 Vinyl disposable gloves are mostly used for light abrasion and liquid protection.  By adding nitrile, the above 7010 disposable glove is strengthened for extended use.  All nitrile disposable gloves are found here and all vinyl disposable gloves are found here.  

Protecting What Matters

Worker safety always matters, and that’s why you can count on MCR Safety’s disposable gloves to protect you all day, every day.  Our gloves, including those made with latex, neoprene, and nitrile, offer you constant protection, and we’re proud to offer our new 7036 glove, which gives workers the benefits of each of those materials in one superior glove. 

For over 45 years, MCR Safety has proven to be a world-leader in gloves, glasses, and garments.  Whether it’s on the shop floor, an oil rig, or a construction site, we are there providing solutions to workplace hazards. It’s all part of our commitment to protect people.  No matter your industry, we have the personal protection equipment you need.  We Protect People!

Learn more about MCR Safety by checking out our most recent video.  For more information, browse our website, request a catalog, find a distributor, or give us a call at 800-955-6887.