What Are Nitrile Gloves? Differences Vs Vinyl & Latex Disposables

Nitrile gloves are a popular choice in the food industry, and are extensively used for cleaning and in healthcare settings.

They’re valued for their ability to reduce cross contamination, chemical resistance, and overall durability.

Why are they so popular and widely used? Our article takes a look at this type of safety gloves and all of their benefits. We’ll also look at the key differences between these and other gloves.



What Are Nitrile Gloves?

Nitrile gloves are made from synthetic rubber. They’re used in a wide variety of industries including food production, medical, dental, and laboratory environments. Nitrile gloves are suitable for use by people with latex allergies.

Nitrile is made from materials including butadiene and acrylonitrile. Once bonded, these two chemicals create the synthetic rubber that nitrile gloves are made from. They are suitable for use when handling harsh chemicals due to their durable nature. They can also withstand extreme temperatures without their strength being compromised.

This type of protective glove offers effective protection from harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi, as well as keeping skin safe from other harmful chemicals. They are perfect for a food preparation area due to their resistant nature and overall versatility.

This type of gloves are manufactured in a range of thicknesses. This means they cater for a wide range of industries from car garages to bar staff. The harsher the environment on the skin, the thicker the gloves should be.


Why Use Nitrile Gloves?

Powdered nitrile gloves offer an effective barrier between harmful bacteria or chemicals and the skin. This type of disposable glove is a great option if you want to avoid possible allergic reactions, which can be a problem with other gloves.

They do not puncture easily which means they can withstand a great deal of wear and tear before you need to change them. They are sourced using natural materials too, which means their costs remain low.

The following industries use nitrile gloves:-

  • Food & Hospitality
  • Mechanics
  • Care homes
  • Hospitals
  • Petrol stations
  • Engineering
  • Electrical
  • Cleaners
  • Pharmacies
  • Laboratories
  • Dentists
  • Doctors Surgeries

Any workplace that deals and comes into contact with harmful substances will often use nitrile as their preferred glove choice.

There are typically two types of nitrile gloves available on the UK market and they are medical grade and industrial grade.

Food industries will usually opt for the industrial grade as the medical grade gloves are tested to protect against blood and other pathogens. This level of protection is a not required for food handlers.


Powdered Nitrile Gloves V’s Unpowdered Gloves

Your next consideration is whether to choose powdered or unpowdered nitrile gloves. Again, this largely depends on the working environment.


Powdered Gloves: The Facts

  • Powdered gloves are made using cornstarch which helps prevent sweat build up.
  • The powder is applied to the inner of the gloves.
  • They have a good grip due to the powder content.
  • They go on and come off very easily, making them ideal for busy industries.
  • Lower cost than non powdered.
  • Popular in the cleaning industry.

Non Powdered Gloves: The Facts

  • Skin friendly, perfect for allergy sufferers.
  • Very strong and versatile.
  • Suited to the food industry due to the absence of powder.
  • Popular among food, beauty, mechanical and catering industries.

Powdered gloves are not suitable for risk within the food industry due to the risk of cross contamination from the cornstarch pownder. They offer more versatility as well which is handy when working through kitchen tasks.

They are kinder to the skin and ideal for anyone with any sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema.


Glove Colours

It is common for some industries to prefer a certain colour or colours of gloves. This can be for several reasons.

In the cleaning industry, for example, workers often keep to a very strict colour code for cleaning supplies.

This is to ensure all staff adhere to cleaning COSHH regulations to reduce the risk of cross contamination. They wouldn’t wear the same gloves for cleaning the toilet area and then the kitchen worktops in order to stop the spread of bacteria.

You can have your pick of colours for your nitrile gloves, but why are there so many? They don’t necessarily have a specific use, but industries often select different glove colours for their own operational reasons.


Black Nitrile Gloves

Black nitrile gloves are often used in airports in the security sections, the black gloves show up any potential suspect powders.

This also goes for the police and anyone handling drug sniffer dogs. Postal workers often wear black nitrile gloves to avoid coming into contact with contaminated parcels.

It is also a practical colour for those in a greasy or oily environment such as mechanics.


Blue Nitrile Gloves

Blue nitrile gloves are the most common glove colour and are used by many industries. Some examples are; food, cleaning, laboratories, petrol station workers and some low maintenance jobs such as caretaking.

Blue gloves tend to be standard in hospitals and care homes. Often, a lighter blue is used to differentiate between latex and nitrile in the medical industry. This is then clear for anyone with latex allergies to see.


Purple Nitrile Gloves

Purple nitrile gloves are used within the medical industry as a way of providing a more welcoming ambience.

Exam gloves in purple are often used when dealing with chemotherapy patients. They offer complete protection from bodily fluids and viruses which are common in the medical profession. Also, the dye used in blue gloves does cause allergies in some patients. Making use of a purple alternative avoids this.


Pink Nitrile Gloves

Pink nitrile gloves are often found in the beauty industry such as in salons. Often, they are chosen purely because they match the atmosphere of the salon or other beauty environment.

It helps the stylists stand out while appearing approachable and warm. They aren’t limited to the beauty industry though, you might also find pink in food based businesses.

They are bright, which means spotting any punctures is easier.


Green Nitrile Gloves

Easy to see, green nitrile gloves are popular in places such as medical centres and laboratories.

Nitrile gloves offer a good grip and great protection meaning the food industry may also be seen in green coloured gloves.

Such colours make it easier to see when they need changing or have become damaged.


White Nitrile Gloves

Those who work in a non messy or greasy environment might opt for white nitrile gloves. However, white won’t be the most practical colour for those who work with oil and grease daily. 

They will help to show colours of substances which can indicate the presence of certain drugs.

White disposable gloves are sometimes used in different areas of the workplace to avoid cross contamination between workstations.


Alternative Glove Types

Of course, although popular, nitrile disposable gloves are not the only type available in the UK market.

Other choices can be made and this often comes down to workplace regulations. It is also important to factor in allergies and other issues which may affect the suitability of a particular brand of protective gloves.


Nitrile v’s Latex Gloves

There’s a number of differences between nitrile and latex gloves.

Latex is the original and was once the most widely used material for gloves. However, over the years, more and more people have developed allergies to latex so they are not as highly demanded now.

When we consider nitrile v’ s latex, the first thing we know is that nitrile is both stronger and more durable than latex. You also have to consider who will be coming into contact with when wearing latex gloves. Often, with so many allergies present, it is more suitable to use an allergy-free alternative.

Having said this, latex is cheaper to buy than nitrile so is often used for this reason. Latex is not chemical-resistant enough to hold up in environments such as hospitals and laboratories. Nitrile, on the other hand, is puncture resistant which means it is far safer to use when dealing with chemicals.


Nitrile V’s Vinyl

Now let’s consider the differences between nitrile and vinyl gloves.

When comparing these two materials, the most obvious comparison to make is the price difference. Nitrile is more costly whereas vinyl is seen as more affordable. Often the ones that are chosen will depend on their intended purpose.

Nitrile holds up much better against oils, fats, and petrol, and also has far superior chemical resistance. When considering nitrile Vs vinyl it is important to think about what the gloves will come into contact with.

A disadvantage of nitrile gloves is the fact they are not biodegradable. However, reports suggest that this is changing in the coming years.

Vinyl gloves are the preferred choice when dealing with low risk jobs that do not involve harsh chemicals. They are ideal gloves for food handling and preparation and have the advantage of being skin sensitive.

This glove type can be easier to damage so it is important to change them often.


Glove Disposal

Many environmentally conscious businesses consider impact on the planet when purchasing disposable gloves.

Thankfully, there are many new business incentives where disposable gloves can be collected and recycled locally. This is a fairly new venture but it is a great step in the right direction. There are some instances where they cannot be recycled. Some types of contamination will deem them unsuitable for collection.

Nitrile, vinyl, and latex can all be recycled under certain circumstances. In other instances,  they go in the general waste bin with other waste. Latex gloves are biodegradable so are less harmful to the environment compared to materials such as nitrile. It is believed that just one nitrile glove takes 100 years to fully break down.

In medical environments, contaminated gloves should be disposed of by using the appropriate bin, usually orange lidded. You should always check your local authority regulations on bin types as this can differ from area to area.


FAQs

Are nitrile gloves resistant to acetone?

You should not use nitrile gloves when dealing with acetone as they are not resistant to it. This chemical has the potential to penetrate through the glove, making contact with the skin.

Are nitrile gloves biodegradable?

Nitrile gloves are not biodegradable at this time. Synthetic materials take many years to break down which is unfortunate. Attempts are being made to change this due to the negative impact they have on the environment.

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