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Check our chemical chart to
ensure your gloves will resist the
chemicals in a specific environment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Disposable Gloves
There is a lot of misinformation and confusion about disposable gloves.
It pays to be informed though, so we will try to answer some of the most frequently asked questions right here.
Are some people allergic to latex? What can you tell me about latex allergies?
The latex in latex gloves can cause an allergic reaction, which usually takes the form of a skin irritation, but can very occasionally develop into something much worse. Normally, a latex allergy will develop slowly as itching, burning, peeling and dry or cracked skin. More rarely, some people will develop hives, asthma, low blood pressure and difficulty breathing - symptoms which might not be readily associated with a person's contact with latex. Very rarely, but quite well documented, cases of severe anaphylactic shock - a life threatening symptom - have been traced back as an allergic reaction to latex.
It is really important to recognize that many people never experience an allergic reaction to natural latex rubber. But if any of these symptoms appear, you should consult a medical doctor immediately and you should consider switching to a non-allergic type of glove - vinyl or nitrile.
Are there any other precautions I should take if I am allergic to latex?
Yes. If you find that you are allergic to latex, you will need to ask your co-workers to not use powdered latex gloves. It sounds crazy, but it has been proven that the cornstarch-based powder used on some latex gloves will absorb some of the latex proteins. These proteins will travel with the powder particles when they get airborne at the "snap" as a co-worker puts on their gloves. These latex proteins will give you problems as they come into contact with your skin and the interior of your nose and throat; so your co-workers will need to use powder-free gloves, if they prefer latex.
How long can gloves be kept in storage?
Gloves can be stored for up to 18 months if they are kept in a cool, dry, well ventilated environment and provided they are kept in their original packaging. Once a box of gloves has been opened, you can expect the gloves to retain an acceptable level of quality for about 3 months. If you are working in an environment where it is important to have high-integrity gloves, you should consider purchasing a high-risk type of glove and track the date that each glove box is purchased and opened..
How are disposable gloves tested?
We cannot speak for all glove manufacturers, only our own, disciplined process. We test our gloves for "planar tensile strength" because this is a critical factor for people who use our gloves. Planar tensile strength is a measure of the force required to stretch a glove until holes start to appear in the surface of the glove material. We test a sampling percentage of our gloves as they are manufactured to ensure a consistent high quality. These gloves are tested to destruction and the force required to destroy the glove is carefully recorded. Our product research has developed adjustments to the latex, vinyl and nitrile formulae over time that have increased the tensile strength, durability and reliability of our gloves. We have patented many of these formulae and we are proud of our processes and our research. GloveNation and AmerCare gloves are world-renowned for their quality.
What is the "Powder" that is on some types of gloves?
Many of our glove products come in both "Powder-Free" and "Lightly Powdered" versions. The powder is a special cornstarch-based powder. It is officially "edible", but it's not particularly tasty. The fact that it's edible ensures it's suitability for close contact with our skin. The cornstarch is very pure and certified by the United States Pharmacopeia. It is referred to as USP Cornstarch for this reason. There are new developments in the the field of starch powder that may soon render USP Cornstarch obsolete as a glove powder; USP Oatstarch is a new invention that holds promise because it does not bind with latex proteins. GloveNation and AmerCare are monitoring these developments closely and we may soon have a glove that uses the new Oatstarch.
What are GloveNation's Hours of Operation?
9am to 5pm Eastern
Our sales, shipping and support staff are in our offices from very early each morning to quite late every evening, however our switchboard routes phone calls to our voicemail system before 9am and after 5pm Eastern time. We always respond to our voicemail messages; we are committed to supporting our products and our customers!
Are some people allergic to latex? What can you tell me about latex allergies?
The latex in latex gloves can cause an allergic reaction, which usually takes the form of a skin irritation, but can very occasionally develop into something much worse. Normally, a latex allergy will develop slowly as itching, burning, peeling and dry or cracked skin. More rarely, some people will develop hives, asthma, low blood pressure and difficulty breathing - symptoms which might not be readily associated with a person's contact with latex. Very rarely, but quite well documented, cases of severe anaphylactic shock - a life threatening symptom - have been traced back as an allergic reaction to latex.
It is really important to recognize that many people never experience an allergic reaction to natural latex rubber. But if any of these symptoms appear, you should consult a medical doctor immediately and you should consider switching to a non-allergic type of glove - vinyl or nitrile.
Are there any other precautions I should take if I am allergic to latex?
Yes. If you find that you are allergic to latex, you will need to ask your co-workers to not use powdered latex gloves. It sounds crazy, but it has been proven that the cornstarch-based powder used on some latex gloves will absorb some of the latex proteins. These proteins will travel with the powder particles when they get airborne at the "snap" as a co-worker puts on their gloves. These latex proteins will give you problems as they come into contact with your skin and the interior of your nose and throat; so your co-workers will need to use powder-free gloves, if they prefer latex.
How long can gloves be kept in storage?
Gloves can be stored for up to 18 months if they are kept in a cool, dry, well ventilated environment and provided they are kept in their original packaging. Once a box of gloves has been opened, you can expect the gloves to retain an acceptable level of quality for about 3 months. If you are working in an environment where it is important to have high-integrity gloves, you should consider purchasing a high-risk type of glove and track the date that each glove box is purchased and opened..
How are disposable gloves tested?
We cannot speak for all glove manufacturers, only our own, disciplined process. We test our gloves for "planar tensile strength" because this is a critical factor for people who use our gloves. Planar tensile strength is a measure of the force required to stretch a glove until holes start to appear in the surface of the glove material. We test a sampling percentage of our gloves as they are manufactured to ensure a consistent high quality. These gloves are tested to destruction and the force required to destroy the glove is carefully recorded. Our product research has developed adjustments to the latex, vinyl and nitrile formulae over time that have increased the tensile strength, durability and reliability of our gloves. We have patented many of these formulae and we are proud of our processes and our research. GloveNation and AmerCare gloves are world-renowned for their quality.
What is the "Powder" that is on some types of gloves?
Many of our glove products come in both "Powder-Free" and "Lightly Powdered" versions. The powder is a special cornstarch-based powder. It is officially "edible", but it's not particularly tasty. The fact that it's edible ensures it's suitability for close contact with our skin. The cornstarch is very pure and certified by the United States Pharmacopeia. It is referred to as USP Cornstarch for this reason. There are new developments in the the field of starch powder that may soon render USP Cornstarch obsolete as a glove powder; USP Oatstarch is a new invention that holds promise because it does not bind with latex proteins. GloveNation and AmerCare are monitoring these developments closely and we may soon have a glove that uses the new Oatstarch.
What are GloveNation's Hours of Operation?
9am to 5pm Eastern
Our sales, shipping and support staff are in our offices from very early each morning to quite late every evening, however our switchboard routes phone calls to our voicemail system before 9am and after 5pm Eastern time. We always respond to our voicemail messages; we are committed to supporting our products and our customers!