Nitrile gloves Market Expected to Reach $16.9 Billion by 2031—Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Nitrile gloves Market," The nitrile gloves market was valued at $9.4 billion in 2021, and is estimated to reach $16.9 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2022 to 2031.

Nitrile gloves are manufactured with use of synthetic latex. Powder-free nitrile gloves are popular owing to their anti-static nature. They offers improved solvent resistance, are odor free, making them viable to be used across food and dairy applications. These nitrile gloves are capable of withstanding ISO Propyl Alcohol, thus making them commonly used nitrile gloves in food industry. Moreover, latex free origin and production technology make them ideal surgeons or doctors who tend to have latex allergy.

Durable nitrile gloves offer high durability and improved safety as compared to disposable nitrile gloves. Durable nitrile gloves offer high protection level against rips, snags, and wear & tear. In addition, this type of nitrile gloves offers advanced protection owing to low acceptable quality level (AQL). Durable nitrile gloves are recommended and are widely used by healthcare professionals engaged in cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, a type of cancer treatment, includes use of several cytotoxic drugs and some medical devices that tend to emit harmful rays causing skin associated risk to healthcare professionals. Hence, use of durable nitrile gloves minimizes occupational illness. All these factors have escalated the demand of the global nitrile gloves market.

In addition, nitrile gloves offer improved protection and strength owing to their chemical, mechanical, and dexterity properties. Nitrile gloves are safe and durable choice of gloves making them widely opted in medical and automotive end-use industries. Other applications of nitrile gloves include paint shops, laboratory analysis, electronics, and general manufacturing, which drive the demand of the global market. With added benefits of protecting hands from dirt and germs, nitrile gloves are capable of protecting hands and skin from caustic and other reactive substances, which is another considerable factor escalating the demand for nitrile gloves.

However, availability of substitute products such as latex gloves is anticipated to hamper the market growth. Latex gloves are formulated and produced with use of natural rubber making them eco-friendly choice over nitrile gloves. In addition, latex gloves are proven to offer resistance from virus and bacteria, thus making them alternative choice of nitrile gloves. This factor is anticipated to hamper the market growth.

Nitrile gloves that are used in medical and healthcare industry are formulated differently. Medical and healthcare nitrile gloves are proven to offer resistance with bodily fluids, microorganisms, and chemicals. In addition, owing to latex-free formulation, nitrile gloves are suitable for healthcare professional who are prone to Type I allergies. Majorly, powder-free nitrile gloves are used in medical and healthcare industry as these offer flexibility, tactility, tear, and chemical resistance. Moreover, nitrile gloves can be formulated using special Nitrile formulation that makes them ideal to be used by healthcare professionals. Nitrile gloves used in medical & healthcare industry are ultra soft, latex & BPA free, stronger, and are tested & approved by ASTM D6319. Thus, rise in demand for nitrile gloves in medical and healthcare industry is a considerable factor anticipated to offer new growth opportunities in the global market. Nitrile gloves have gained importance in medical and healthcare industry owing to their health associated benefits. Health professionals tend to wear gloves and are prone to increased risk of hand dermatitis.

In addition, keeping hand clean and healthy hand skin condition is challenging for clinicians. In order to follow all the cleaning regulatory guidelines, health professional tend to use sanitizers and follow other convectional method for hand sanitizing. Thus, in order to prevent frequent hand sanitizing and cleaning, health professional tend to use hand gloves. However, owing to frequent don and doff gloves during their professional period, the risk of hand dermatitis is also prone. Hand dermatitis in healthcare professionals is seen owing to lack of moisture retaining and dryness that usually occurs due to use of gloves over longer duration. Thus, in order to support and minimize occupational illness and dermatitis, key-players in the nitrile gloves offer innovative product line up.  

The nitrile gloves market is segmented on the basis of type, product, end-use industry, and region.

By type, the market is segregated into powdered and powder-free. The powder-free segment dominated the global market in terms of revenue in 2021, with over 80% of the total share. Powder-free nitrile gloves are anti-static in nature, offers improved solvent resistance, odor free, making them viable to be used across food and dairy applications. These nitrile gloves are capable of withstanding ISO Propyl Alcohol thus making them commonly used nitrile gloves in food industry. Moreover, latex free origin and production technology makes them ideal to be used for surgeons or doctors that tend have latex allergy.

By product, the market is segregated into disposable and durable. The disposable product dominated the global market in terms of revenue in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at highest CAGR of 6.3% in the forecast period. Disposable nitrile gloves offer high level of protection, improved puncture resistance, and minimal abrasion for easier donning & doffing. Disposable nitrile gloves are synthetic gloves that are mainly used in dental application.  Disposables gloves are capable of withstanding or offering resistance with solvents and chemicals making them viable and most widely used gloves by dental specialists and surgeons. In addition, disposable gloves are manufactured and tested through series of abrasion resistance tests and are approves by Food and Drug Administration for medical use.

By end-use industry, the global nitrile gloves market is segmented into medical & healthcare, automotive, oil & gas, food & beverage, metal & machinery, chemical & petrochemical, pharmaceutical, cleanroom, and others. The medical & healthcare industry dominated the global market in terms of revenue in 2021, with over 76% of the total share. Nitrile gloves that are used in medical and healthcare industry are formulated differently. Medical and healthcare nitrile gloves are proven to offers resistance with bodily fluids, microorganisms, and chemicals. In addition, owing to latex-free formulation, nitrile gloves are suitable to be used with health professional that are prone to Type I allergies. Majorly, powder-free nitrile gloves are used in medical and healthcare industry as these offers flexibility, tactility, tear and chemical resistance. Moreover, nitrile gloves can be formulated using special Nitrile formulation that makes them ideal to be used by healthcare professionals. Nitrile gloves used in medical & healthcare industry are ultra soft, latex and BPA free, stronger, and are tested & approved by ASTM D6319.

Region-wise, the nitrile gloves market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The Asia-Pacific nitrile gloves market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Nitrile gloves are gaining importance in medical and healthcare industry owing to their health associated benefits is the key market trend. Health professional tend to wear gloves and are prone to increased risk of hand dermatitis. In addition, keeping hand clean and healthy hand skin condition is challenging for clinicians. In order to follow all the cleaning regulatory guidelines, health professional tend to use sanitizers and follow other convectional method for hand sanitizing. Thus, in order to prevent frequent hand sanitizing and cleaning, health professional tend to use hand gloves. Healthcare industry in Asia-Pacific is growing rapidly owing to change in demographics, technological developments, and support from governmental bodies. This factor is further anticipated to offer new growth opportunities in the nitrile gloves market. .

Key players operating in the global nitrile gloves market include Adventa Berhad, ANSELL LTD, Carolina Glove & Safety Company, Dynarex Corporation, Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd, MCR Safety, Medline Industries, LP, Rubberex Corporation (M) Berhad, Superior Glove, Top Glove Corporation Bhd, Unigloves (Uk), and Hartalega Holdings Berhad.

COVID-19 analysis

The novel coronavirus is an incomparable global pandemic that has spread to over 180 countries and caused huge losses of lives and the economy across the globe. The nitrile gloves market has been moderately impacted due to the wake of the COVID-19. Growing COVID-19 infections has increased demand for primary protective equipment such as medical gloves, masks, and others. Medical gloves and mask play crucial role in curbing the spread of virus and help to protect health care professionals and patients from the spread of infection. Several countries across the globe are speeding up the import and sales of PPE kits specifically nitrile based medical gloves in order to mitigate the spread of virus. Thus, some governmental bodies are approving new production facilities license for medical gloves despite of COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Growth in demand for medical gloves in the pandemic situation has created counterfeit and non-licensed medical gloves globally. Thus, in order to mitigate and prohibit sales and use of un-licensed and unsafe medical gloves, FDA has been actively engaged in investigating, examining, and reviewing medical gloves and other PPE products at ports of entry and within domestic commerce.. Moreover, in order to meet the global demand for medical gloves, FDA is providing regulatory flexibility under certain circumstances that are listed under enforcement policy for gloves during the COVID-19 public health emergency act. All these factors have created new growth opportunities for key-players in nitrile gloves market despite of pandemic situation.

Key findings of the study

• By type, the powder-free segment is estimated to display the highest growth rate, in terms of revenue, registering a CAGR of 6.2% from 2022 to 2031.
• By product, the disposable segment is estimated to display the highest growth rate, in terms of revenue, registering a CAGR of 6.3% from 2022 to 2031.
• By end use, the medical and healthcare segment is estimated to display the highest growth rate, in terms of revenue, registering a CAGR of 6.3% from 2022 to 2031.
• By region, Asia-Pacific garnered the highest share of 28.6% in 2021, in terms of revenue, growing at a CAGR of 6.6%.