Synthetic Rubber Gloves Market Size, Share, Opportunities, COVID-19 Impact, And Trends By Material (Nitrile, Neoprene, PVC, Butyl, Others), By End-User (Healthcare, Food And Beverages, Chemical, Electronics, Automotive, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2022 To 2027

The synthetic rubber gloves market was valued at US$8.264 billion in 2020. Synthetic rubber gloves are those gloves that are latex-free but offer similar properties to latex gloves. Gloves are considered an important part of the industry as they offer protection from a wide variety of hazards such as chemicals, and substances that may affect the skins of the workers working across the numerous industry verticals.

The major factors that are driving the demand for synthetic rubber gloves include the rising focus of employers on the safety of workers along with the growing adoption of these gloves across the household sector for various applications such as cleaning and washing, among others.

In addition, the growing adoption of these gloves due to the rising number of cases of latex allergy is also one of the prime factors positively impacting market growth during the next five years.

Also, according to the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), latex allergy has become an important health concern for workers, especially in healthcare environments in recent years. Synthetic gloves are made of latex-free materials like neoprene, and nitrile that are also fairly stable in pricing and are non-allergic. This, in turn, is encouraging companies across the various industry verticals to shift from rubber gloves to synthetic gloves.

Outbreak of COVID-19

The recent outbreak of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from its epicentre in Wuhan, China to across 215 countries worldwide is a major factor shaping the growth of the synthetic rubber glove market. The virus outbreak, which has already been declared a pandemic by the WHO, is difficult to contain, which is evident from the exponential increase in the number of confirmed cases across the globe.

According to the data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to it (as of 2:00 am CEST, May 5, 2020) stood at 3,525,116, with around 243,540 deaths reported. This has led to a rapid increase in the adoption of gloves across all sectors around the globe and especially in the healthcare sector. However, governments have already enforced strict social distancing and quarantine measures.

Strict directives from governments pertaining to the use of face masks, gloves, and face shields are also in place since an advisory from the World Health Organization lays significant emphasis on the use of these in order to lessen the chances of catching or spreading COVID-19. Also, according to the projections by the World Health Organization, around 76 million units of examination gloves are required every month to meet the COVID-19 response. The rising initiatives by the governments of various countries in the form of tariff reductions and, increased funds for the production of gloves, coupled with the increased spending by key market players to boost the production of gloves are also bolstering the market growth during the coming years. For instance, in April 2020, Maryland’s governor announced US$1.6 million in grants to the companies situated in Maryland to meet the growing demand for PPE in response to COVID-19. The pandemic had a positive impact on the overall market growth.

The growing incidence of latex allergy is significantly driving the market growth

The rising incidence of latex allergy among healthcare workers is the major driver of the synthetic rubber glove market. People across the globe are increasingly developing allergic reactions to certain proteins present in natural rubber latex that is used to make both medical and industrial gloves. The growing healthcare sector is projected to be the largest source of job creation in the coming years. The increasing global population is leading to a mushrooming demand for healthcare services worldwide.

According to the United Nations Department of Social and Economic Affairs, the world population is projected to grow from 7.3 billion in 2015 to 8.5 billion in 2030. Furthermore, the growing geriatric population in countries like the U.S., Japan, and China is also driving the demand for home healthcare solutions and services. Healthcare workers are, thus, at the highest risk of latex exposure. According to the American Latex Allergy Association, 8-17% of healthcare workers in the U.S. are sensitized to natural rubber latex. Thus, all these factors are boosting the demand for synthetic rubber gloves, especially in developed economies. 

Moreover, a lack of standardized methods to measure allergy-causing latex proteins and FDA-approved materials for skin testing for latex allergy further supports the demand for synthetic gloves. These gloves are not only non-allergenic but much stronger and provide puncture resistance, unlike latex gloves.

The synthetic rubber gloves market has been segmented on the basis of material, end-user industry, and geography. On the basis of material, the market has been classified into nitrile, neoprene, PVC, Butyl, and others. By the end-user industry, the market has been segmented into healthcare, food and beverage, chemicals, electronics, automotive, and others.  The synthetic rubber gloves market has been classified geographically into North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.

Key Developments

• November 2019- Ansell Limited announced its partnership with a leading industrial wearables manufacturer, ProGlove for the development of hand protection solutions.
• November 2019- Ansell Limited announced its partnership with a leading industrial wearables manufacturer, ProGlove for the development of hand protection solutions.
• March 2019- Ansell Limited announced the launch of its new nitrile exam gloves that have been tested against both fentanyl and gastric acid to simulate real-world overdose situations.

Synthetic Rubber Gloves Market Scope:

Market Segmentation

• By Material
  • Nitrile
  • Neoprene
  • PVC
  • Butyl
  • Others
• By End-User Industry
  • Healthcare
  • Food and Beverage
  • Chemical
  • Electronics
  • Automotive
  • Others
• By Geography
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • France
    • United Kingdom
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • India
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Indonesia
    • Others

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the size of the global synthetic rubber gloves market?
A1. Synthetic Rubber Gloves Market was valued at US$8.264 billion in 2020.  

Q2. Who are the major players in the synthetic rubber gloves market?
A2. Prominent key market players in the synthetic rubber gloves market include Ansell Ltd., Rubberex Spain S.L.U., 3M, and Cardinal Health among others. 

Q3. How is the global synthetic rubber gloves market?
A3. The synthetic rubber gloves market has been segmented on the basis of material, end-user industry, and geography. 

Q4. What factors are anticipated to drive the synthetic rubber gloves market growth?
A4. The major factors driving the synthetic rubber gloves market growth include the rising focus of employers on the safety of workers along with the growing adoption of these gloves across the household sector for various applications. 

Q5. What is the base year considered in the synthetic rubber gloves market report?
A5. 2020 has been taken as the base year in the synthetic rubber gloves market.