Nitrile Coated vs. Polyurethane (PU) Gloves: Performance, Cost, and Durability Comparison
Introduction: The Sourcing Trade-Off Between Nitrile and PU On the front lines of industrial manufacturing and automated production lines, factory procurement managers and EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) supervisors face the same frustrating trade-off almost every day: “PU (polyurethane) gloves cost only a few cents each, so buying several hundred dozen and stocking them in the workshop warehouse seems like an excellent value on paper; but why do workers on assembly lines and in machining operations go through them at such an alarming rate? Why do workers constantly complain that the gloves become sticky and slippery when exposed to cutting fluid, tear easily, and—due to frequent glove changes or workers […]