Understanding Glove Materials
Here’s a closer look at what different glove materials are made of, where they perform best, and how to choose the right option for your operation.
Each type of glove has its own strengths, limitations, and best-fit applications. Choosing the right one means balancing comfort, durability, and cost with the demands of your specific task. A glove that’s too light won’t last, and one that’s too heavy can slow you down. Understanding how each material behaves, its fit, feel, heat tolerance, and price, makes it much easier to select the glove that truly meets your needs.
View or download our in-depth Glove Guide here
Poly
Resin: LDPE, LLDPE
Application: Light Duty, Low Heat tasks that requite frequent glove changes
Task Example: Salad building & cold sandwich assembly
Comments: Loose Fitting, Low Price
Heat Melt Point: Melts at 220°F
Price Range: $
Poly gloves are the simplest option: loose-fitting, inexpensive, and easy to change when you’re moving quickly from one task to the next. When you don’t need a form-fitting glove, this is the one that gets the job done.
Hybrid
Resin: LDPE, LLDPE
Application: Medium Duty tasks: Average QSR & Casual Dining Operational Tasks
Task Example: Sandwich Assembly, Salad Building & Line Plating
Comments: PVC Free, Cornstarch Free, Form Fitting & Textured, Tapered Cuff
Heat Melt Point: Melts at 220°F
Price Range: $
Hybrid gloves offer more structure than Poly without a big step up in cost. They’re form fitting with a textured feel, and the tapered cuff helps keep them in place.
Vinyl
Resin: PVC & Plasticizer
Application: Medium Duty tasks: Average QSR & Casual Dining Operational Tasks
Task Example: Sandwich Assembly, Salad Building & Line Plating
Comments: Form Fitting, contains plasticizer and more expensive than Hybrid
Heat Melt Point: Degrades at 266°F, Melts between 350°–400°
Price Range: $$
Vinyl gloves are a familiar everyday choice. They’re form fitting but not as flexible as other materials and sit at a moderate price point.
Synthetic
Resin: PVC & Plasticizer
Application: Medium Duty tasks: Average QSR & Casual Dining Operational Tasks
Task Example: Sandwich Assembly, Salad Building & Line Plating
Comments: Form Fitting, contains plasticizer and more expensive than Hybrid
Heat Melt Point: Degrades at 266°F, Melts between 350°–400°
Price Range: $$
Synthetic gloves share many of the same characteristics as vinyl: form fitting and consistent, with a slightly higher cost than Hybrid.
Latex
Resin: Natural Rubber Latex
Application: Medium Duty Tasks: Exceptional fingertip sensitivity & heat resistance
Task Example: Food handling tasks that require a delicate touch
Comments: Ultra form fitting but Higher Priced. Latex Allergy Concerns.
Heat Melt Point: Degrades around 480°F. Melts at 617°F
Price Range: $$$
Latex offers the best natural flexibility and fingertip sensitivity. It’s ultra form fitting, which makes delicate work much easier — but it does come with higher cost and potential allergy concerns.
Nitrile
Resin: Nitrile & Butadiene
Application: Heavy Duty food handling: cutting meat, marinating chicken & heat tolerance
Task Example: Direct contact with animal bones, fat & cleaning
Comments: Form Fitting. Higher Priced. Puncture Resistant. Animal Fat Resistant.
Heat Melt Point: Degrades around 480°F. Melts at 617°F
Price Range: $$$
Nitrile gloves are built for tougher jobs. They’re puncture resistant, animal fat resistant, and maintain their form even during heavy-duty use.
When compared side by side, each glove material has a clear role: Poly for quick changes, Hybrid as an affordable upgrade, Vinyl and Synthetic for steady daily tasks, Latex for sensitivity, and Nitrile for more demanding tasks. Understanding these distinctions makes it easier to choose the glove that suits both the job requirements and your preferences.
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