What Are Latex Gloves Made Of?

Latex gloves are made from natural rubber latex, a milky liquid harvested from rubber trees. The performance of latex gloves—elasticity, fit, and tensile strength—comes almost entirely from how this raw material is sourced and processed.

Raw Material: Natural Rubber Latex

The primary raw material in latex gloves is natural rubber latex, collected from rubber trees through a process called tapping. Shallow cuts are made in the tree’s bark, allowing the sap to flow into collection cups.

This liquid latex is:

• Water-based

• Naturally elastic

• Rich in rubber polymers (cis-1,4-polyisoprene)

Once collected, the latex is filtered and stabilized to prevent premature coagulation before manufacturing.

Latex Glove Production Process

1. Compounding
   The raw latex is blended with carefully controlled additives, including:

   • Accelerators to control curing speed

   • Stabilizers to preserve elasticity

   • Antioxidants to slow aging and degradation

   These additives directly affect glove strength, stretch, and shelf life.

2. Dipping
   Clean ceramic or metal glove molds are dipped into the liquid latex compound. The thickness of the glove is controlled by:

   • Dwell time in the latex

   • Latex concentration

   • Number of dips

3. Vulcanization (Curing)
   The coated molds pass through heated ovens, where sulfur-based curing bonds the rubber polymers together. This step gives latex gloves their:

   • Elastic recovery

   • Tear resistance

   • Final shape retention

4. Leaching & Washing
   Gloves are washed multiple times to remove excess proteins, chemicals, and residues. This step is critical for:

   • Reducing irritation risks

   • Improving cleanliness

   • Enhancing glove consistency

5. Finishing
   Gloves may be:

   • Powdered with cornstarch to aid donning, or

   • Chlorinated / polymer-coated to produce powder-free gloves

   They are then stripped from molds, dried, inspected, and packaged.

Material Characteristics of Latex Gloves

Because they originate from natural rubber:

• Latex gloves have high elasticity and stretch

• They conform closely to the hand

• They are biodegradable over time under the right conditions

However, natural proteins remain present even after processing, which is why latex allergy remains a consideration.

Conclusion

Latex gloves are manufactured from natural rubber latex harvested from rubber trees, then compounded, dipped, cured, and finished through a tightly controlled production process. The quality of the raw latex and the precision of each manufacturing step directly determine glove performance, consistency, and durability.

Want to learn more about latex gloves? read The History of Latex Gloves to discover the history of latex gloves, including when they were invented and their evolution in safety and healthcare.