Gloves
Jay's Big Rolls stocks a wide assortment of gloves including nitrile, latex, and vinyl. A difference to consider when deciding between latex and latex-free gloves is the protection offered by each type of material. Another difference to consider is powdered vs powder free gloves.
Why Latex: Latex is made of natural rubber and has the highest comfort, flexibility, fit and tactile sensitivity. Latex gloves are popular due to their elasticity and comfort according to OSHA. In general, latex gloves offer the best protection against bacteria and viruses.
Why Nitrile: Nitrile gloves are made of synthetic material but are stretchy and durable. Nitrile gloves are more durable and resistant to punctures and chemicals. Overall, nitrile gloves may be the more versatile option. Nitrile gloves offer a higher degree of protection against viruses, on top of the chemical protection they provide compared to other latex-free gloves.
Why Vinyl: Vinyl gloves, often referred to as synthetic gloves, are made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and are usually the cheapest latex-free gloves. Synthetic (vinyl) gloves provide better chemical protection.
Powdered vs Powder Free
Powder-free gloves can be more expensive due to the process that needs to be done to remove the powder coating from the glove. However, gloves that are powder-free reduce the cause of allergies by lowering protein and chemical content. In addition, powder-free gloves are ‘cleaner’ to use than powdered gloves, since they don’t leave any residue on clothing or other surfaces.
Powdered gloves are usually lubricated with cornstarch, which makes them much easier to put on. Cornstarch coatings have replaced other powdering options such as lycopodium powder and talc because these other coating types have been found to irritate tissue. Nevertheless, even cornstarch can impede healing when coming into contact with tissues, so powder-free gloves are often preferred for surgeries and other sensitive procedures.
