This or That: Sterile Gloves vs. Non Sterile Gloves with Halyard

Gloves are one of the most important pieces of personal protection equipment (PPE) available. They provide a shield that can protect not only you, but those around you. And they’re meant to fit a variety of scenarios and jobs that your practice sees. Ranging from simple medical exams to full on surgical procedures. So when the job requires protection, gloves become that much more important. But there’s more to it than just, “grab a glove and go.” There are many different kinds of gloves, each suited for a different task. Like the two kinds of gloves we’ll go over in this article. We’re going to go over the differences of sterile nitrile gloves versus non sterile gloves. We’ll go into detail to give you a better understanding of what each of these gloves is meant for.

What Are Sterile Gloves?

To answer this, we have to define what sterile is. The dictionary definition of sterile is anything “free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms.” This definition extends to more than just gloves, it’s all medical equipment. And the FDA is who sets the standards for sterility. They also set the ways in which gloves need to be sterilized to become sterile. There are 4 ways the FDA has to sterilize things to their standards, but only two of them can be used for gloves. Those being sterilization by radiation and ethylene oxide gas. Radiation works by putting the gloves in another room and using gamma radiation to remove pathogens. Ethylene oxide treatment is just through exposure to the gas, after which the gloves are aired out to remove any trace of it. So sterile gloves are just gloves that have gone through the FDA approved sterilization process.

Sterile gloves are ones most commonly used during bigger procedures. Namely surgical procedures. Due to the increased protocols to keep the operating environment sterile, normal gloves won’t cut it. There are some products labeled as “partially sterile,” but those should never be used in an environment where sterile items are needed. Sterile gloves are also found in places like research labs. Their sterile nature allows studies to be conducted without the interference of any microorganisms that can mess up the results. 

Example of Sterile Gloves

With Personal Protection Equipment or PPE acting as our everyday shield against any harmful germs or pathogens that may be roaming undetected, Halyard understands that we can’t afford to take any chances. Their Purple Sterile Nitrile Gloves can help tackle even the toughest of sterile procedures. All while keeping the amazing benefits of nitrile like form fitting comfort and maximum defense. The thing that sets the sterile variant apart from the non sterile is the processing and packaging. These sterile gloves have gone through an FDA approved sterilization to meet their standards. 

And from Halyard, the packaging for these sterile gloves is different than their non-sterile counterpart. Inside the box, the gloves are packaged in pairs of two for maximum sterility. The Purple Sterile Nitrile Gloves also sport a wealth of benefits like:

1. Halyard’s Purple Nitrile Sterile Gloves are waterproof. They’re recommended for damp work environments, and you can even wear them under your regular work gloves to prevent permeation.
2. Nitrile is 3-4 times more puncture-resistant than latex
3. They’ve been tested against 29 chemotherapy drugs per the ASTM D6978-05.
4. Nitrile has also been proven as one of the longest lasting materials for shelf life. Under the right and proper conditions, your nitrile gloves can have a shelf life of possibly 5-10 years.
5. They have an AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) of 1.0 for critical defects. Meets or exceeds ASTM D6319 – Standard Specification for Nitrile Examination Glove for Medical Applications
6. Meets or exceeds biocompatible 10993 studies for systemic toxicity, irritation and sensitization endpoints
7. Passes Viral Penetration Testing – ASTM F1671 – 07 Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Blood-Borne Pathogens Using Phi-X174 Bacteriophage Penetration as a Test System

You can find Halyard’s Sterile Purple Nitrile Exam Gloves on our site here.

What Are Non Sterile Gloves?

This is an easy one. Since sterile gloves are gloves that are sterilized, the answer to the question is simple. Non sterile gloves are gloves that didn’t go through any FDA sterilization. Now, that does not mean that these gloves are any less useful than sterile gloves. That just means that non sterile gloves cannot be used in environments that call for sterile products. 

All disposable gloves go through rigorous cleaning because the FDA also approves the safety of non sterile gloves and products. So for a majority of tasks in your practice’s day-to-day, non sterile gloves can still get the job done. 

Example of Non Sterile Gloves

Halyard’s tried and true Purple Nitrile Gloves offer a general option able to tackle a wide variety of challenges. With the power of nitrile, you’re already getting the best defense possible. In a form-fitting glove that fits to you through body heat for a secure, yet comfortable feel. Add an AQL of 1.0 to that, and these gloves are practically guaranteed to solve all of your problems. And all it takes is one pull from their SmartPull packaging to ensure you get the right amount of gloves every time. No worries about wasting the gloves or your money.

Some of the other great benefits of this glove are:

1. Halyard’s Purple Nitrile Gloves  are waterproof. They’re recommended for damp work environments, and you can even wear them under your regular work gloves to prevent permeation.
2. Nitrile is 3-4 times more puncture-resistant than latex
3. They’ve been tested against 29 chemotherapy drugs per the ASTM D6978-05.
4. Nitrile has also been proven as one of the longest lasting materials for shelf life. Under the right and proper conditions, your nitrile gloves can have a shelf life of possibly 5-10 years.
5. They have an AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) of 1.0 for critical defects. Meets or exceeds ASTM D6319 – Standard Specification for Nitrile Examination Glove for Medical Applications
6. Meets or exceeds biocompatible 10993 studies for systemic toxicity, irritation and sensitization endpoints
7. Passes Viral Penetration Testing – ASTM F1671 – 07 Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Blood-Borne Pathogens Using Phi-X174 Bacteriophage Penetration as a Test System

You can find Halyard’s Purple Nitrile Exam Gloves on our site here.

Final Thoughts

Day after day, we make it our mission to provide our customers with the information they need, and this is no different. When it comes to the sterility of gloves, this information is important. Knowing the differences between sterile and non sterile gloves is vital to your practice. From a business perspective, to know what your practice needs, to knowing the proper type of glove to use for the task at hand. So we’re here to provide the answers to your questions and give you a place to look when you’re in the market for it.

And with Halyard, you’re getting a quality product. Form fitting gloves in multiple sizes, with maximum defense, getting the best bang for your buck. Both a sterile and non sterile variant to ensure that every job in your practice is covered properly. But aside from just these two examples, Halyard has many more kinds of gloves for many more kinds of jobs! And you can browse Halyard’s entire collection of nitrile gloves here on our website. 

If you have any questions about this or anything else, call us at 704-966-1650, or you can find us using the links to our other programs below.

As always if you have any questions about this process or anything else please feel free to contact us and take advantage of our “FREE TECH SUPPORT.”

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