What Are Vinyl Disposable Gloves and How do They Differ to Others?

Many people across many industries have to wear disposable or reusable gloves every single day. From school laboratories to food preparation, gloves are essential for keeping everyone safe. They protect the skin from various chemicals and hazards, and can prevent cross contamination. When it comes to disposable gloves, vinyl is one of the most popular materials. These kinds of gloves are the preferred choice for a lot of businesses, schools and universities. Today, we are looking at everything you need to know about this type of glove.

Vinyl Gloves Explained

Disposable and reusable gloves made from vinyl are commonly used in both industrial and domestic environments. They are produced from polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, and then treated with a type of plasticiser which increases their elasticity. The result is a waterproof, single use glove, that offers a good level of protection for low-risk applications. Disposable gloves are designed to be used once and then disposed of, and powder free is a great option for this as it is cost-effective and recyclable.

What Are the Safety Standards?

Whether you are looking for single use gloves for food handling, healthcare or chemical handling, safety is critical. All vinyl gloves are subject to European safety standards, so be sure to look out for these when choosing a product. The most common standards that they need to meet are:

• EN455 which is the European medical gloves standards
• EN1186 which deems if they are safe for contact with food
• EN374 which is the standard for micro-organism and chemical penetration resistance

Common Uses For Disposable Vinyl Gloves

Gloves are used for a huge range of different applications and across many industries. Some requirements are best suited to nitrile or latex gloves, but there are a lot of times where this material is the most suitable option. Most commonly found in food preparation, their use actually extend far beyond this industry. Some other uses for this kind of PPE are:

Printing And Painting: Any roles where dyes, paints and other colouring agents are present could benefit from vinyl gloves. They provide a barrier from the dye and paint to prevent skin staining and other concerns. Not only that, but because they are single use and easy to replace, it is easy to avoid cross contamination and protect other surfaces and materials.

Schools And Universities: Education settings have various uses for disposable gloves. School laboratories, food technology classes and cleaning teams all require gloves of one kind or another. Ones which are powder free are a good choice in schools and universities for both food handling and for providing a latex free option for students with allergies.

Domestic And Low Risk Cleaning: Any kind of cleaning that does not involve contact with hazardous materials and strong chemicals can be done with vinyl gloves. However, they’re not suitable for use with harsh chemicals but is great for preventing contamination in low risk environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

At EduLab, we stock a range of gloves including vinyl, latex and nitrile. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about disposable gloves:

What Is The Difference Between Latex And Vinyl Gloves?

Vinyl gloves are made from PVC, whereas latex gloves are made using natural rubber latex. They are not as effective at handling strong chemicals as latex, and these kinds of one time use gloves are not quite as robust. Latex gloves have a second skin feel which makes them great for medical purposes, but they are also usually more expensive than vinyl.

Check out our guide on the differences between vinyl, nitrile and latex gloves here for more information.

What Are Powder Free Gloves?

With all types of single use gloves, it is common to see powder added in order to assist with getting them on and off. In some situations, powder on gloves can be a potential hazard because they could increase the chance of an allergic reaction and risk cross contamination. In these cases, powder free gloves might be used instead.

What Is The Difference Between Nitrile And Vinyl Gloves?

Nitrile gloves are another common type of single use gloves. They are made entirely from synthetic rubber, and compared with vinyl they are much better at protecting against hazardous and corrosive chemicals. Because nitrile gloves are made from raw materials and require different manufacturing processes, they tend to be more expensive than vinyl options.

Are Vinyl Gloves Latex Free?

Yes, all gloves of this material are 100% latex free. This means they can be safely used by those with a latex allergy, who are unable to use other types of disposable gloves. Not only that, but they are free from other chemical accelerators and can be used by individuals with Type I or Type IV sensitivity.