Why are black nitrile gloves so expensive?

What&#;s blue, black and purple, stretchy all over and easy to wear? Nitrile!

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Nitrile gloves are the most widely used disposable gloves, suitable for medical, scientific, industrial and manufacturing applications.

They are available sterile and non-sterile and in various thicknesses and colours to suit any use case, from chemical handling to surgery.

This article will explore nitrile gloves to help you decide what gloves are best for you. Let&#;s start with the most pressing question of all:

What is nitrile?

Nitrile is a synthetic copolymer rubber. It is made by polymerising acrylonitrile and butadiene in a heated chamber with activators.

Nitrile is widely used to replace latex rubber, an allergen, and vinyl, which has low chemical resistance.

Nitrile is relatively easy to manufacture, producing chemically-resistant gloves that offer a good range of motion and feel through the glove.

What are nitrile gloves best for?

Nitrile gloves are designed specifically for scientific and medical applications as a hypoallergenic alternative to latex.

Nitrile is strong, flexible, tear-resistant, inert to common chemicals, and suitable for a wide range of applications.

Here are a few examples:

• Hospitals
• Surgeries
• Care homes
• Dentists
• Pharmacies
• Cleaning facilities

Are nitrile gloves food safe?

Yes, nitrile gloves are 100% food-safe because nitrile is allergy-safe. Food manufacturers always use nitrile gloves (powder-free) because they are the optimal choice.

Are nitrile gloves chemically resistant?

Nitrile gloves are highly resistant to most chemicals, with a few limitations. You should not use nitrile gloves when handling concentrated acids, caustics and chemicals, but you can use them for handling mild and diluted chemicals.

Here is a quick list of the chemicals nitrile resists:

• Acetone
• Ethanol
• Isobutyl
• Isopropyl
• Methanol
• Nitric acid 10%
• Formaldehyde 15%

Note: You handle these chemicals at your own risk. When handling dangerous chemicals and acids, you should use thick gloves of a material rated for the substances you handle, and you should never take risks.

What are powdered nitrile gloves?

Powdered nitrile gloves are made with corn starch powder as a donning agent, making it easier to slip the gloves on. However, these gloves are not recommended for food handling and clinical environments due to the risk of powder cross-contamination.

What is the difference between blue and black nitrile gloves?

Black nitrile gloves are industrial-grade gloves; they are thicker, formulated for oil, grease and lubricant resistance, while blue nitrile gloves are medical-grade gloves carefully tested to safeguard workers from hazards.

While both gloves are sometimes interchangeable with the same formulation, black and blue nitrile gloves can have a slightly different formulation. When in doubt, blue nitrile offers dependable protection for all applications but is thinner.

What are purple nitrile gloves?

Purple nitrile gloves are examination gloves used for medical examinations and other procedures. They have moderate to high chemical resistance and are used interchangeably with blue gloves, offering the same protection.

What is the optimal nitrile glove thickness?

Nitrile gloves are available in several thicknesses; thicker gloves mean greater protection, but it also means a reduced range of motion and feel.

Gloves below 2mil are considered thin, and gloves over 4mil are thick. Thick gloves are a lot stronger, so they are ideal for industrial applications, while thin gloves offer better mobility and are a better fit for medical and scientific applications.

How long can you wear nitrile gloves?

Disposable nitrile gloves should be thrown out and replaced after every use.

Most medical and scientific environments have glove disposal rules (usually a single-use policy), so you should follow what is recommended.

Ultimately, removing nitrile gloves turns them inside out, so you will throw them away after every use anyway. Do not reuse the same gloves!

Nitrile gloves for electrical work

Non-disposable nitrile gloves (the thick, insulated variety) can help protect from electrical hazards because nitrile does not conduct electricity. However, the gloves need to be sufficiently thick and undamaged. Unfortunately, copper wire easily punctures nitrile, so disposable nitrile gloves are unsuited for electrical work.

Nitrile gloves and bleach

Nitrile is unaffected by bleach and will not degrade with prolonged exposure, so you can use nitrile gloves for general cleaning purposes.

Nitrile gloves and nitric acid

Nitrile gloves can only handle mild nitric acid concentrations, usually below 70%, and only for short periods.

Nitrile gloves and petroleum jelly

Nitrile is unaffected by petroleum-based products, including petroleum jelly and other gels and jellies. You can safely use the gloves with Vaseline on your hands.

Nitrile gloves vs vinyl gloves

Vinyl gloves are used in environments with a low risk to the wearer from hazardous substances, infection and disease. Nitrile is used in infectious environments and when there is a high risk of personal injury.

Nitrile gloves are superior to vinyl gloves in every way except one &#; cost.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of vinyl gloves wholesale. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

However, vinyl is more than satisfactory for basic use cases.

Nitrile glove attributes include:

• Resistance to weak acids
• Resistance to oils and fuels
• Strong
• Abrasion resistance
• Puncture resistance
• Latex-free
• Fully recyclable
• Suitable for sterile environments

Vinyl glove attributes include:

• Flexible
• Loose-fitting
• Tear-resistant
• Inexpensive
• Weak chemical resistance
• Latex-free
• Suitable for short-term use

Nitrile gloves vs latex gloves

Compared to latex gloves, nitrile gloves are thicker with greater tear resistance. The downside to this is reduced range of motion, so surgeons sometimes prefer latex, although only when the patient has no latex allergy.

Nitrile gloves are suitable for a wider range of applications than latex gloves, and most people reach for a pair of nitrile gloves given the option. Nitrile gloves are stronger and have better chemical resistance than latex gloves.

Are nitrile gloves recyclable?

While nitrile is fully recyclable, nitrile gloves are only recyclable when not contaminated. Gloves contaminated with chemicals and clinical waste are considered a biohazard and are incinerated to protect human health.

Why are nitrile gloves so expensive?

Nitrile gloves are expensive compared to other rubber gloves because they have a more complex manufacturing process. Imbalances in the supply chain have also caused a nitrile gloves shortage. A critical shortage of medical gloves has also contributed to higher prices.

Nitrile gloves typically cost around $0.10-0.18 per glove, though the exact price can vary a lot depending on things like thickness, style, and manufacturer. Where you shop for nitrile gloves also matters, as some sellers are able to offer much better prices than average. We&#;ll help you understand the factors affecting the price of nitrile gloves so you can find the best possible deal.

We&#;ve been supplying businesses and consumers with disposable gloves since the early 90. In that time, we&#;ve seen just how much their prices can change based on how they&#;re sourced, packaged, and sold. And we&#;ve figured out how to get top-quality, medical-grade nitrile rubber gloves into our customers&#; hands at bargain prices. Keep reading for our definitive guide to getting the best price for nitrile gloves.

Nitrile Glove Price Guide

How much should you usually expect to pay for nitrile disposable gloves? The answer depends on a lot of factors, but one of the most important is how many you&#;re buying at once. Most sellers will offer at least a slightly lower price when you buy nitrile gloves in bulk.

How Much Does a Box of Nitrile Gloves Cost?

A standard-size box of nitrile gloves, containing 100 gloves, usually costs between $11 and $18 ($0.12-0.18 per glove). You can sometimes find them for less, but this is usually only a temporary sale.

How Much Does a Case of Nitrile Gloves Cost?

You can often start to find better deals when you purchase nitrile gloves in cases of or more. A case of nitrile gloves will most often cost around $75 to $140, giving you a price per glove of roughly $0.08-0.12.

How Much Do Bulk and Wholesale Nitrile Gloves Cost?

If you have a large need for personal protective equipment and you&#;re willing to buy multiple cases of nitrile gloves, you may be able to get even larger discounts. Nitrile glove suppliers are often happy to work out deals with long-term clients or people placing substantial orders.

The terms of wholesale pricing deals often depend on a variety of factors, such as the range of styles and sizes needed and the frequency of restocking. This makes it hard to estimate an average price for bulk nitrile gloves. That said, it&#;s not uncommon to find suppliers willing to sell nitrile rubber gloves for $40-60 per case (or $0.04-0.06 per glove) at wholesale quantities.

What Else Affects The Cost of Nitrile Gloves?

Quantity isn&#;t the only thing that can affect the nitrile glove price consumers pay. Other notable factors include:

Nitrile Glove Thickness

The average nitrile glove prices listed above are typical for gloves with a thickness of 4-6 mils, which is fairly standard for medica gloves. But some jobs may call for more puncture resistance or durability, which means thicker nitrile gloves. These require more material, so they tend to cost a bit more.

You can expect to pay $16-20 per box ($0.16-0.20) for gloves in the 7-8 mil range. 9-10 mil nitrile gloves cost even more &#; $20-35 per box ($0.20-0.35 per glove) is typical.

Nitrile Glove Quality

It&#;s easy to assume disposable nitrile exam gloves are more or less interchangeable, but that&#;s not the case. Some brands are made with better materials, more reliable manufacturing processes, or better quality control. Low-quality nitrile gloves may cost less, but they&#;re also more likely to rip or cause irritation.

Glove sellers may also charge more for certain specific features. For example, some nitrile gloves have textured surfaces to enhance your grip. Others are powder-free or made without chemical accelerators so that they can be used even by people with rare glove allergies. These can all increase the cost of nitrile gloves.

Where You Buy Nitrile Gloves

You may also pay significantly more or less for nitrile gloves depending on where you purchase them. For example, big box stores like Home Depot often charge more per box of nitrile gloves because they&#;re only selling in quantities of 10-100 at a time. And large suppliers may charge a higher markup for small orders because their business model focuses on large repeat clients.

Take a look at this article for more information on where to buy nitrile gloves. It gives some tips on finding the best nitrile glove pricing without sacrificing quality and customizability.

Why Are Nitrile Gloves So Expensive Lately?

Nitrile exam gloves have always been more expensive than other kinds of disposable gloves. They&#;re latex-free, which reduces the risk of allergic reactions, and they offer better tear resistance and a more comfortable fit than vinyl gloves.

However, there&#;s no denying that the standard nitrile glove price has gone up substantially over the last few years. There are a few important factors behind this shift:

Cost of Raw Materials

Shifts in the price of the raw materials needed to make synthetic rubber have boosted the price of nitrile gloves. For a dramatic example, look at , which saw severe flooding in Malaysia that disrupted local industries. Since that region is one of the world&#;s primary producers of butadiene &#; a key ingredient for nitrile disposable gloves &#; the price spiked dramatically. The cost has come back down somewhat since then, but events like these can make nitrile glove pricing hard to predict.

Supply Chain Issues

Other changes around the globe have impacted shipping speeds, factory operations, and other elements of the supply chain behind the disposable glove industry. Delays at ports caused by the war in Ukraine, for instance, impacted one of the world&#;s largest manufacturers of nitrile gloves in . Other changes, like parts shortages and fluctuations in the price of oil, continue to make nitrile glove prices somewhat volatile.

Public Health Concerns

Rising and falling demand can also play into the average nitrile glove price. We saw this play out on a huge scale during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since nitrile gloves are hypoallergenic, puncture-resistant, and capable of standing up to harsh chemicals, they&#;ve long been a go-to choice for personal protective equipment among doctors and nurses. The global health crisis meant these professionals were going through disposable nitrile exam gloves much faster than before.

At the same time, businesses that normally didn&#;t need to use disposable gloves suddenly had to worry about spreading the virus. And the general public was also looking for ways to protect themselves. These users tend to choose nitrile gloves for the same reasons health workers do. The resulting surge in demand is a big part of why nitrile gloves are so expensive compared to where they were a few years ago.

How Can You Find Cheap Nitrile Gloves?

The best way to save on the cost of nitrile gloves is to buy them in bulk from suppliers who offer discounts based on quantity. Trying to buy cheap in small batches will likely mean you end up with flimsy, poorly-fitting gloves. Purchasing wholesale lets you save money while still ensuring your workers and customers stay safe.

For the best combination of affordable prices and superior protection, shop for nitrile gloves at Gloves.com. We stock only trustworthy brands whose quality control standards are verified by third-party labs. Get in touch with our sales representatives to work out a nitrile glove pricing plan that fits your needs!

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