Exam gloves

Every glove in this group is a patient examination glove with an FDA 510(k) clearance, and the K number is on your quote so you can check it in the FDA database. Industrial and food-service gloves are not medical devices and are listed in their own group.

Nitrile is the default synthetic, with good puncture and chemical resistance. Latex has the highest stretch and tactile feel, and every latex device carries FDA's required caution about allergic reactions. Vinyl is the lowest-cost option with a looser fit. Nitrile and vinyl gloves are not made with natural rubber latex, and OSHA requires an alternative glove for staff who are allergic to the glove normally provided.

Thickness is stated in mil at the fingertip, the palm and sometimes the cuff. The fingertip is usually the thickest point and the figure makers lead with, so compare fingertip with fingertip. The nitrile specification sets a minimum of only 0.05 mm, about 2 mil, so a 3 mil glove and a 6 mil glove both meet it. Thickness is a product choice, not a grade.

AQL is a sampling plan setting for pinholes, not a defect rate for the box in your hand. FDA's minimum for exam gloves is 2.5. Many makers state 1.5 or 1.0 for their own production. Read the figure with its inspection level, and ask for a certificate of analysis for the lot you receive.

A chemo-tested glove has been tested for permeation by specific drugs under ASTM D6978, with a breakthrough time for each drug. The claim covers only the drugs on the manufacturer's list, and some lists carry cautions against two drugs. Fentanyl testing is a separate claim with its own FDA product code. The tested drug list comes with your quote.

Sizes run XS to XXL by palm width. One hundred per box is common, but light gloves come 200 to 300 per box and extended-cuff gloves 50, and large sizes often hold fewer. Each case holds one size. Every listing shows gloves per box for every size and boxes per case, and every quote shows the price per case and per 1,000 gloves.

Most exam gloves are made in Southeast Asia, and duty differs by country of origin. Every product page shows the country of origin where it is stable, and every quote confirms it with the lead time and the valid-until date, so you can hold a price for the period stated.