person wearing hybrid gloves and holding a meatball subperson wearing powder free blue nitrile gloves in a laboratory

Powdered vs Powder-Free Gloves

Our wide selection of disposable gloves includes both powder-free and lightly powdered options. In 2016, the use of powdered medical/exam grade gloves was banned by the FDA. Due to this, all of CiboWares’ medical/exam grade gloves are powder-free.

Powdered Gloves

Powdered gloves have cornstarch added to make them easier to put on and prevent gloves from sticking together. If the gloves are worn for long periods of time, the cornstarch powder may stick to the skin and cause allergies or sensitivities. It is also known to contribute to latex allergies, although this is not a concern in latex-free powdered gloves.

Some concerns have been raised about contamination in medical and foodservice environments due to powder from the gloves sticking to hands or surfaces after removal.

Powder-Free Gloves

Powder-free gloves are treated with chlorine, rinsed with water, and dried in order to remove latex proteins and powdered residue. This process, known as chlorination, makes the gloves less form-fitting for easy donning and removal without the use of powder.

Because of this, powder-free gloves are generally more expensive than powdered ones. They can also be harder to quickly remove and may not have as firm of a grip.

Trying to decide which gloves are best for you? Read our Disposable Gloves Buying Guide to find out more about our quality selection of gloves.





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