Natural Rubber
Natural rubber is produced by the Hevea Brasiliensis tree found in plantations throughout South East Asia or growing wild in South America (its original source). Successful breeding of H. Brasiliensis means that the modern tree will produce relatively large quantities of natural rubber latex consistently for a ten to twenty year period after which the tree is felled and used in furniture making or as a fuel source. This means that H Brasiliensis farming is sustainable and has a small environmental footprint.

Gloves produced from natural rubber are renowned for their strength and elasticity. For this reason they attend to be preferred by end-users in both examination and surgical fields. However, proteins present in the glove and coming from the H Brasiliensis tree can cause a potentially fatal reaction in a small number of individuals. Because of this risk the HSE have been pushing the adoption of alternative materials.

Nitrile Rubber
Nitrile rubber is produced from three chemicals that are ultimately sourced from crude oil.

Gloves produced from nitrile rubber are stronger and more chemically resistant than those made from natural rubber but tend to be stiffer and less elastic. Some evidence exists to suggest that they provide protection for a longer period in use than natural rubber. Because of issues regarding fit and comfort nitrile rubber is generally confined to examination gloves and is especially favoured when handling cytotoxic drugs.

PVC
Plasticised polyvinylchloride is made up of PVC and an oily chemical known as a plasticiser, both of which are reaction products of crude oil.

Gloves produced from PVC tend to be weaker and less elastic than natural rubber but are available at a reduced price. However, they are still suitable for use in a number of clinical tasks and are widely used in situations that pose a low risk of tearing on the glove. It is common for hospitals using PVC to also purchase nitrile rubber gloves for more physically demanding tasks. Vinyl is used solely for examination purposes.

Synthetic Polyisoprene
Synthetic polyisoprene is derived from crude oil and is composed of a man made version of the polymer that gives natural rubber it’s properties. Because of this synthetic polyisoprene is highly elastic and very strong. However, the material is not cheap to produce and therefore synthetic polyisoprene is only used in surgical gloves.

Polychloroprene
Polychloroprene is often known by the trademarked name Neoprene. This, crude oil derived rubber offers could strength and elasticity. However, many end users report that it is stiffer than natural rubber and does not provide the same degree of tactile sensitivity. For reasons of cost polychloroprene is generally reserved for surgical gloves.

Styrene Based Elastomers
A number of styrene based gloves are available on the market. These tend to be extremely strong and elastic but provide a reduced tactile sensitivity, these factors, combined with an inability to be used with bone cement and some medical solvents, has led to a slow uptake within the NHS