The alarming increase in glove usage during pandemic has prompted the global glove industry to consider biodegradable products, as glove disposal is a major challenge worldwide. Following the pandemic, 15,533 gloves are used every second, posing the most difficult disposal challenge for the industry.
The glove industry is attempting to reduce the synthetic rubber (SR) component in gloves and replace it with more natural materials such as natural rubber, making it more eco-friendly, stated S Supramaniam, President of Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association at the India Rubber Meet 2022.
Furthermore, he stated that 15 years ago, Synthetic Rubber made up 5% of glove production, but that this has now increased to 60% due to a shortage of NR and the reported protein allergy caused by gloves made with Natural Rubber.
Buyers, particularly those from developed countries, were discouraged from purchasing gloves made with NR as a result of this. In addition, he emphasised the significance of changing buyers' perceptions of protein allergy in natural rubber gloves in developed countries.
This industry is now looking into making gloves biodegradable by shifting away from fossil fuel materials and toward natural fuel materials.
During the pandemic, the global glove industry grew by 80-90 percent, up from 10-12 percent before the pandemic. Because of increased hygiene and healthcare awareness, the post-pandemic growth rate will be between 12 and 15%. As the population of many countries ages, more gloves will be used, benefiting the industry, as per him.
Malaysia produces 67 percent of the world's gloves (492 billion pieces with a retail value of $150 billion), followed by China (20-22 percent), Thailand (10 percent), Indonesia (3 percent), and India (0.7 percent).
India has a lot of room for glove production because of the availability of natural rubber and the country's large workforce. While China primarily uses synthetic rubber, he claims that natural rubber is stronger by nature. Per capita glove consumption in the United States is 75 pairs, 65 pairs in Europe, 6 pairs in China, and 3 pairs in India.
