Disposable Gloves: Everything you Wanted to Know

 

Are you wondering what are the best disposable gloves for the job you have at hand? Or maybe, what kind of options are out there for you? Our comprehensive guide to disposable gloves will help you answer everything you wanted to know, and more, about disposable gloves for your home and business.

What are Disposable Gloves? 

Disposable gloves are gloves that you use one time and then throw away. They can protect your health and the health of the person you're caring for. They not only protect workers and consumers from exposure to potentially hazardous substances, they also set the standard for hygiene across the board. Disposable gloves are an essential item in many different environments from healthcare to food service. 

What Types of Disposable Gloves are there?

There are many different glove options when it comes to disposable gloves and they can vary by size, texture, material, best uses, etc. In general, the most common types of disposable gloves are: plastic, polyethylene, latex, compostable, neoprene, vinyl, and nitrile.

Of these gloves, compostable gloves are the most eco-friendly and provide the most versatility in use. Latex affords the best choice for cheap and fitted gloves, but are known to cause allergic reactions in some people. Nitrile is the best choice for best tactile sensitivity and durability, but can be expensive and cumbersome to remove for tasks that require frequent glove changes.

Where Do you Buy Food Prep Disposable Gloves in Bulk?

Most food prep disposables gloves used at McDonald's, Subway, Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, and other restaurants can be substituted with Eco Gloves, a more sustainable and eco-friendly option to the billions of plastic gloves that are wasted.

What are the Strongest Disposable Gloves?

Nitrile is valuable for its superior chemical, abrasion, and water resistance. Neoprene, on the other hand, is prized for its particular resistance to weather and impact. Compostable gloves are often thicker and more durable than their PE counterparts and good for tasks that require frequent changing of gloves. Due to their particular properties, each material is used for a different range of products so the measure of strength is depending on what you are using the gloves for. 

Which Disposable Gloves are Best?

Compostable gloves provide the best value when it comes to saving money and helping the environment. They can be used in a variety of applications and their loose fit is great for universal use. 

Image shows statistics on skin sensitivity to latex. Source: Allergy & Asthma Network

Which Disposable Gloves are Best for Sensitive Skin?

People who have dermatitis sensitivities should avoid synthetic gloves or gloves that contain latex, powder, parabens, phthalates, petroleum distillates, or artificial colorants. With that, the options of gloves are narrowed down. Fortunately, compostable gloves still fit the bill and provide the best protection without concerns of irritating the skin. Eco Gloves, in particular, are made from natural plant-based materials and never contain latex, BPA, powder, parabens, phthalates, petroleum distillates, or artificial colorants.

Which Disposable Gloves are Biodegradable?

For a glove to be biodegradable it must be able to break down and decompose in the environment. Compostable gloves are specifically organic matter which break down, the end product having many beneficial uses which include fertilizing and improving soil health.

Which Disposable Gloves are Best for the Environment?

Biodegradable gloves can come in many forms, from loose-fitting plastic-like to thick finger fitting nitrile like. Typically thinner compostable gloves are best for the environment because they take less time and effort to break down in a composting environment. The great thing about compostable gloves like Eco Gloves is that you don’t have to sacrifice durability for compostability because they’re made from thick and durable natural starches that together create a material with strength, shape and compostability. 

Which Disposable Gloves are Food Safe?

Amongst the list of popular types of disposable gloves there are definitely certain gloves that are better suited for food handling. Amongst those Polythylene, latex, compostable, and vinyl are most commonly used for food handling due to their versatility and low cost. But, the most important thing one must consider when buying any glove is that they are Food Grade Compliant. Meaning they are FDA compliant and safe for direct food contact. 

Shop Food Grade Compliant Gloves

Who Sells Disposable Gloves?

Disposable gloves can usually be found in any general market or supply store, but the greatest variety and options are best found online. The important thing to consider when buying disposable gloves for your home and business is if they are readily available to ship to you from a local location. While there are many sellers of disposable gloves out there, not all vendors ship to or within the U.S. within a reasonable time.

Additionally, not all online sellers will adhere to U.S. compliant guidelines and standards for glove manufacturing and you may end up with inferior quality you didn’t expect. 

What Disposable Gloves Ships in the USA?

When purchasing disposable gloves always consider where your gloves are shipping from. Some sellers offer great deals, but take weeks to ship from an international location. Get fast and free U.S.A. shipping on disposable gloves with Eco Gloves. 

Can Disposable Gloves be Recycled?

If you are wondering if disposable gloves are recyclable, the straight answer is No. Many recycling centers do not accept this. Moreover, it is unsanitary to reuse these gloves because they are meant for single-tasks or single-use, so as to not cause cross-contamination. Frequent use of the same gloves beyond its intended single-use purpose may also affect the integrity of the gloves thus posing potential harm to the users. 

What Disposable Gloves are Best for Cleaning?

Amongst the different types of gloves available out there, the best gloves for cleaning are ones that offer durability, dexterity and in some cases, quick changeability. Neoprene gloves are often preferred for their ability to handle high risk applications such as dishwashing, wet handling, and more, but they can be thick and cumbersome to use for fine tasks.

Compostable gloves, on the other hand, provide comfort and general dexterity in most light cleaning tasks like glass cleaning, surface wiping, or dusting. Plus, they are loose-fitting and easy to change from one task to another. Ultimately the glove you choose will depend on the type of cleaning you are doing, from light-tasks to heavy deep cleaning. 

Are Disposable Gloves Bad for the Environment?

While disposable gloves provide convenience and protection in a myriad of scenarios, one major concern with most disposable gloves (save compostable gloves) is that they are a surmounting waste that keeps adding up and they are one of those things that will sit in a landfill until long after we are all gone from this world.

Even when they were to be disposed of correctly, it can take up to 1,000 years for latex, vinyl, and nitrile gloves to decompose. Now with the COVID-19 pandemic, disposable gloves, among other PPE items, are being thrown away at a shocking rate. There has been a 45% increase in global demand for nitrile disposable gloves since the start of COVID-19. These gloves will inevitably end up in a landfill somewhere waiting a century to decompose.

Nitrile and latex are the most common materials for disposable gloves and the main choice for many businesses. Unfortunately these materials leave a lasting negative impact on our environment and will be around long after they are used and forgotten about. Both of these types of gloves can take centuries to degrade. Not only that but Acrylonitrile and Butadiene (the main components of nitrile gloves) are toxic chemicals that are released into the air during production and are leached into the ground when decomposing. From start to finish, the life of a disposable glove is harmful. This highlights one of the major problems with disposable, single use gloves, that they are just not good for the environment.

The one saving grace we have is compostable and biodegradable gloves, which can take as little as 90 days to break down and decompose back into rich nutrients that can be used as fertilizer or other useful material to produce electricity or heat. So when considering disposable gloves, definitely consider the environment and the options that will have less of an environmental impact. 

Where Do you Buy Wholesale Bulk Disposable Gloves?

While many markets sell disposable gloves, not all retailers will offer bulk cases or wholesale pricing. Since many businesses buy in bulk, seek out a business that offers not only bulk cases, but discounted wholesale pricing on large quantities. This could help save you and your business time and money to get everything all at once and at the best price possible. Sign in to get wholesale bulk disposable gloves with Eco Gloves. 

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