Single Use Gloves

Single use gloves are bought by the carton and judged on details that are easy to overlook. Material, AQL, thickness, grip texture and food contact status all change the outcome, and the cheapest box per hundred is rarely the cheapest per task once tearing and double gloving are counted.

Nitrile against latex and vinyl

Nitrile is a synthetic rubber and is now the default choice. It resists oils, fuels, greases and many chemicals better than latex, it is puncture resistant, it contains no natural rubber latex proteins so it carries no Type I allergy risk, and it tears visibly rather than developing invisible pinholes.

Natural rubber latex has the best fit and elasticity of the three and excellent tactile sensitivity, which is why it persists in some clinical and laboratory work. Against that, it triggers latex allergy in sensitised users and it performs poorly against oils and hydrocarbons.

Vinyl, made from PVC, is the cheapest and the loosest fitting. It has no elasticity to speak of, it develops pinholes when stretched and it is only appropriate for short, low risk, non hazardous tasks such as food service and light cleaning.

AQL 1.5 and what it actually guarantees

AQL stands for Acceptable Quality Level and refers to the pinhole rate found during water leak testing of a sampled batch. AQL 1.5 means that at the sampling plan used, a batch is accepted if the estimated defect rate is no worse than 1.5 per cent.

That is a batch level statistical figure, not a promise about the individual glove on your hand. A lower AQL is a better batch, so AQL 1.5 is preferred for medical and chemical handling while AQL 4.0 is acceptable for general food and cleaning tasks. It never removes the need to change gloves after a contamination event or to inspect for obvious damage during donning.

Film thickness and where to spend it

Thickness is usually quoted in mils or in grams per glove, and it drives both durability and tactile sensitivity. Thin films around 3 to 4 mil suit high turnover tasks such as food handling and light examination, where gloves are changed constantly and feel matters most.

Mid weight films around 5 to 6 mil are the general workshop and laboratory choice, giving reasonable tear resistance without losing much feel. Heavy films of 8 mil and above suit mechanical work, tattoo and automotive tasks, and any job with a chemical splash risk, because thickness directly extends permeation breakthrough time.

Thickness at the fingertip is usually greater than at the cuff, so compare gloves on the same measurement point when a supplier quotes a single figure.

Powder free construction

Powdered gloves used cornstarch as a donning aid. The powder carries latex proteins into the air, aggravates respiratory sensitisation, contaminates food and product surfaces, and interferes with wound healing. Powder free gloves are chlorinated or polymer coated inside instead, and powder free is now the standard expectation across medical, food and industrial supply.

Textured and fish scale grip

A smooth disposable glove loses grip the moment oil or water is present. Fingertip texturing adds micro ridges where the pinch grip happens, which is enough for most laboratory and clinical tasks. Fully textured palms extend that across the whole contact area for parts handling.

Fish scale or diamond texturing is a deeper raised pattern that channels liquid away from the contact patch, and it is the right choice for oily work such as automotive servicing, mechanical maintenance and wet food processing.

Food contact and virus barrier

Gloves used with food must be declared suitable for food contact, tested against migration limits for the food types involved. Fatty and acidic foods are the demanding cases, so confirm that the declaration covers them rather than assuming a general food safe claim is enough.

Where biological hazards are present, look for EN ISO 374-5. The biohazard pictogram covers bacteria and fungi. Only gloves that additionally pass the ISO 16604 viral penetration test may print the word VIRUS, and that wording is what a bloodborne pathogen risk assessment requires.

Single Use range

Frequently asked questions

What does AQL 1.5 mean on a box of disposable gloves?

It is the Acceptable Quality Level from batch water leak testing. AQL 1.5 means the batch was accepted with an estimated pinhole defect rate no worse than 1.5 per cent. It describes the batch statistically rather than guaranteeing any individual glove, so gloves should still be inspected on donning.

Are nitrile gloves better than latex?

For most industrial and food work, yes. Nitrile resists oils and many chemicals, is more puncture resistant, tears visibly rather than forming pinholes, and carries no natural rubber protein allergy risk. Latex still offers the best elasticity and fit, which keeps it in some clinical and laboratory use.

What thickness of disposable glove do I need?

Around 3 to 4 mil suits high turnover food and examination work where feel matters most. 5 to 6 mil is the general workshop and laboratory choice. 8 mil and above suits mechanical, automotive and chemical splash tasks, because a thicker film resists tearing and extends permeation breakthrough time.

Do disposable gloves protect against viruses?

Only those certified to EN ISO 374-5 with the word VIRUS printed under the biohazard pictogram, which confirms they passed the ISO 16604 viral penetration test. The pictogram alone covers bacteria and fungi. Gloves must also be changed and disposed of correctly for the barrier to be effective.

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