Vinyl Gloves: Versatility, Cost Make Them an Attractive Option

Here we are, already in the second quarter of 2021. Time sure does fly. How’s your year going?

The disposable glove market is chugging along, doing its best to overcome challenges. Whether it’s capacity limitations or supply chain issues or elevated pricing, distributors have a lot to deal with in procuring gloves for their customers.

Nitrile, nearly everyone’s glove material of choice, remains in short supply and pricey to boot. Latex is not widely available either. This leaves vinyl as the best option for most end-users.

That reality may not thrill some distributors, whose customers have rejected vinyl while expressing their undying love for all gloves nitrile. But there simply will never be enough nitrile to keep everyone happy. Even as capacity increases and manufacturers produce more nitrile gloves, relentless demand will not be dying down anytime soon.

Vinyl is a versatile material

And nitrile lovers may be loath to admit it, but not all vinyl is created equal.

As you can see in the chart below, AMMEX offers 12 vinyl products. They come in both exam and industrial grades, in colors including blue, black, and clear. They are an excellent solution for many tasks for which nitrile has always been preferred: food service, janitorial, and nail & beauty, to name just a few.

To add to vinyl’s versatility, there are synthetic hybrids. They combine the affordability of standard vinyl with synthetic rubber elastomers that enhance their elongation rate, elasticity, and flexibility while increasing their tensile strength. Many who have tried hybrids find their performance surprisingly close to lightweight nitrile.

Vinyl is not going away

Will vinyl ever overtake nitrile? No. It is not a straight-up replacement. But it is not going away, and it will always produce a variety of good products at attractive price points.

We have vinyl gloves in our warehouse, ready to ship to distributors or directly to their customers—no need to wait. We also are open to conversations about large-volume discounts.

For advice on talking with your customers about vinyl, try our Guide to Selling Vinyl.