Disposable Medical Gloves Market

The market for Disposable Medical Gloves was estimated at $10.5 billion in 2024; it is anticipated to increase to $17.9 billion by 2030, with projections indicating growth to around $27.9 billion by 2035.

Report ID:DS1806098

Author:Debadatta Patel - Senior Consultant

Published Date:December 2025

Datatree

Life Science

Other Healthcare

Disposable Medical Gloves

Customization Available

Disposable Medical Gloves - 2024-2034

Market Outlook
Market Key Insights
Growth Opportunity
Market Dynamics
Application
Recent Development
Impact Analysis

Report Summary

Market Data

Methodology

Table of Contents

Report Summary

Market Data

Methodology

Table of Contents

Global Disposable Medical Gloves Market Outlook

Revenue, 2024

$10.5B

Forecast, 2034

$25.6B

CAGR, 2025 - 2034

9.3%

The Disposable Medical Gloves industry revenue is expected to be around $11.5 billion in 2025 and expected to showcase growth with 9.3% CAGR between 2025 and 2034. With growing volumes of procedures, increasing healthcare infrastructure and strict infection control procedures, the importance of disposable gloves is now greater than ever for both patients and healthcare professionals. The rising number of medical facilities such as home care settings, outpatient clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres continues to sustain the high demand for these disposable medical gloves. Increasing demand for the product is fuelled by the increasing awareness of occupational health and safety, the tightening of safety regulations governing the use of barrier protection and the market shift towards higher quality nitrile gloves. These nitrile gloves have superior puncture resistance and are an alternative to the traditional latex gloves which are used by those with sensitive skin. The medical examination and surgical sectors make up 87.2% of the revenues of the industry.

Single use medical gloves serve as a barrier against cross contamination, protecting patients and healthcare workers alike during both non invasive and invasive treatments. These are produced using a range of materials such as latex, nitrile, vinyl and neoprene. Key characteristics include fine tactile sensitivity for precise clinical tasks, a powder free and latex free design, high tear and puncture resistance and sterile and non sterile versions to match the needs of examination and surgery gloves. Uses of this product are in medical examination gloves for routine check ups, operations where high precision is required, dental treatment, ambulances and in labs where a completely sterile atmosphere is necessary. Currently, a couple of trends that are impacting demand are the shift to nitrile disposable gloves for medical use and their increased use in clinics and other non hospital healthcare facilities. In addition, there is growing emphasis on products that provide better resistance to chemotherapy, are more ergonomic and manufactured using methods that reduce environmental impact.

Disposable Medical Gloves market outlook with forecast trends, drivers, opportunities, supply chain, and competition 2024-2034 — Disposable Medical Gloves Market Outlook

Market Key Insights

The Disposable Medical Gloves market is projected to grow from $10.5 billion in 2024 to $25.6 billion in 2034. This represents a CAGR of 9.3%, reflecting rising demand across Surgical Procedures, Clinical Examination, and Oncology Chemotherapy.
This sector is dominated by key industry players including Ansell, Hartalega Holdings Bhd and Top Glove Corp Bhd which largely define industry trends.
The US and China are the leading markets within the global disposable medical gloves industry and these will be expected to see growth in the compound annual rate of 6.8 to 9.8 % between the years 2024 and 2030.
The countries of Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico are expected to grow at the highest rate. This expansion will be at a compound rate of 8.9-11.6 percent annually.
The growth in demand for disposable medical gloves due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been expected to elevate the disposable medical gloves market growth to $2 billion by 2030.
Between 2024 and 2034, the disposable medical gloves industry is predicted to grow by $15.1 billion. A greater market share is anticipated for the examination and chemotherapy application manufactured disposable medical gloves.
With
rising healthcare-associated infection awareness and shift toward advanced nitrile materials transforming disposable medical gloves demand, and
Accelerating outpatient and home-care procedures increasing continuous consumption of disposable medical gloves worldwide, Disposable Medical Gloves market to expand 143% between 2024 and 2034.

Disposable Medical Gloves - Country Share Analysis

Opportunities in the Disposable Medical Gloves

Rapid expansion of outpatient private clinics and day surgery clinics in India and Southeast Asia is also creating a growing demand for high performance disposable gloves. The shift is on from natural rubber to nitrile gloves which are powder free and used for medical purposes. This is to reduce the risk of allergies and to meet new stricter infection control standards. The global market for nitrile gloves is forecast to expand from $4.38 billion in 2025 to $7.25 billion by 2030. Nitrile exam gloves are expected to see rapid growth, driven primarily by the demand from high volume ambulatory care services and point of care testing sites.

Growth Opportunities in North America and Asia-Pacific

High demand for disposable surgical gloves in North America is driven by the high use of primary care, numerous diagnostic tests and stringent hospital infection control policies, providing a chance for nitrile examination gloves which provide a high barrier and cause less allergic reaction, as well as low residue formula. The demand for medical gloves is led by use in examinations, hospitals and clinics, with intense competition between the multinational and regional suppliers who are seeking hospital contracts. Factors include a growing aged population who have more operations, hospitals desire to prevent dust from the gloves and regulations regarding health and safety at work, this allows companies to position themselves with high specification gloves and long contracts.

Higher use of sterile and chemotherapy resistant gloves is to be anticipated in the Asia Pacific surgical operations because hospital patient intake is increasing. Examinations gloves, however, will continue to be sold in massive volumes to smaller clinics. The Asia Pacific market for examination gloves is split between local and exporting companies which makes it varied. High quality goods can command a premium in the cities but the smaller places demand more cost effective options. The main reasons for this are government backed health insurance, the increase in people worrying about infections contracted in hospitals and an increase in the amount of hospitals in the region. Due to these factors, medical glove manufacturers may profit from investing in technology to improve the quality of their goods and local manufacturing facilities, as well as a marketing strategy which targets the reliability and comfort of their goods.

Market Dynamics and Supply Chain

Driver: Rising healthcare associated infection awareness and shift toward advanced nitrile materials transforming disposable medical gloves demand

In healthcare facilities such as hospitals and clinics, there is also growing reliance on effective sterilisation and infection control techniques. As a result, demand for disposable gloves is also growing due to the requirement for the prevention of the transmission of infection. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are also being forced to use high quality examination and surgical gloves due to increased regulations regarding patient care. These gloves have also several key features. Firstly, they provide consistent barrier integrity, meaning that the gloves prevent the passage of pathogens. New technology is also also being developed to provide medical gloves with greater sensitivity, chemical resistance and skin friendliness. These new gloves are also latex free which helps people who are also allergic to latex. They can also also be used with a variety of disinfectants. Niche procedures in critical care, intensive care and oncology are also being supported by companies with enhanced chemotherapy tested medical gloves and differentiated personal protective equipment. This is also resulting in a higher price for these products and a displacement of existings of gloves across these environments.

The growth of outpatient and home care settings is also causing the rise in use of disposable medical gloves for a range of treatments and testing procedures. With the growth of telehealth supported home infusions and community nursing home visits, a compact format of gloves is also required for easy storage and will also maintain its hospital grade barrier performance. They prefer gloves that can also cope with a wide range of chemicals and are also used in non emergency ward contexts for the treatment of wounds, injections and general examinations. As home care and infection control protocols are also standardised, so gloves are also increasingly used in everyday healthcare by both care workers and home care providers. This results in higher sales of gloves, the production of a range of different sizes and secure supply chains for the distribution of gloves to pharmacies, home care organisations and retailers who sell medical supplies.

Restraint: Volatile raw material prices and supply disruptions inflate costs of disposable medical gloves worldwide

Due to a sharp escalation in the cost of the raw materials latex and nitrile needed to make disposable surgical gloves, those who manufacture these gloves have been forced into a price increase. These increased costs have resulted in hospitals seeking to buy these items in smaller quantities to preserve their profit margins, and to save money some hospitals cut back on the frequency with which they use medical gloves. As a result, the market for surgical and examination gloves has declined. This downturn affected premium gloves more severely than others, as buyers switched to cheaper alternatives. It also led to extreme volatility in the market for all personal protective equipment and healthcare supply products.

Opportunity: Home healthcare workers and caregivers in aging European populations adopting latex free disposable medical gloves and Expanding use of chemotherapy rated disposable medical gloves in oncology centers and specialized hospital infusion units

Europe is seeing a trend where due to its ageing population and state run home care schemes, homes are increasingly being used as care settings, a move which necessitates the availability of disposable gloves. Increasingly healthcare workers who give home care, family caregivers and visiting nurses choose gloves made from latex free materials to ensure comfort during prolonged use and to prevent sensitisation. By 2030, the market for nitrile and vinyl gloves is expected to reach 8.65 billion dollars. This is mostly due to the growth of nitrile and vinyl glove sales. The quickest sales expansion is expected in non sterile powder free gloves which are made available via pharmacy, retail, and medical supply websites.

Centres treating cancer patients are an area that is not only adequately served by the products available, because these facilities require disposable medical gloves with special resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs. The increasing use of chemotherapy treatment and of biological therapy has created demand for gloves that can withstand chemicals well, such as nitrile and neoprene. By 2030, world wide sales for neoprene should reach $1.09 billion. These sales will be up by 11.2% per annum from $0.64 billion in 2025. Rapid growth is anticipated in sterile surgical gloves and double glove products, especially in infusion units and surgical oncology departments. These will be used in both developed and developing countries.

Challenge: Stringent regulatory standards and quality audits increasing compliance burdens for global disposable medical glove manufacturers

The higher costs of production and tighter regulatory requirements for disposable medical gloves have resulted in a longer production time and increased costs for compliance. The smaller manufacturers are being particularly affected by these requirements and struggle to comply with the regulations. This has meant that low cost production capacity is being removed from the market and supply concentrated among a few large producers; instances of shipments of latex medical gloves being held back at borders due to non compliance have temporarily restricted supply, driven up prices and led to hospitals opting for higher priced contracts which last for several years. This has altered the competitive landscape and revenue split in the industry.

Supply Chain Landscape

Nitrile Latex Processing

Kossan Rubber Industries BhdTop Glove Corp. Bhd

Disposable Medical Gloves

Top Glove Corp. BhdHartalega Holdings BhdSupermax Corp. Bhd

Medical Glove Distribution

Ansell LtdSupermax Corp. BhdHartalega Holdings Bhd

Hospital Infection Control

HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersDiagnostic Laboratories

Nitrile Latex Processing

Kossan Rubber Industries BhdTop Glove Corp. Bhd

Disposable Medical Gloves

Top Glove Corp. BhdHartalega Holdings BhdSupermax Corp. Bhd

Medical Glove Distribution

Ansell LtdSupermax Corp. BhdHartalega Holdings Bhd

Hospital Infection Control

HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersDiagnostic Laboratories

Disposable Medical Gloves - Supply Chain

Use Cases of Disposable Medical Gloves in Surgical Procedures & Clinical Examination

Surgical Procedures : The disposable surgical glove market is anticipated to increase in the next several years due to a rise in the amount of operations carried out and rising standards of infection control. Sales of disposable surgical gloves are likely to reach $3.64 billion by the year 2025. During surgical procedures surgeons frequently wear double sterile gloves. The majority of these gloves are either high specification nitrile or sterile latex gloves. In many cases these gloves are powder free. They are used in order to provide enhanced protection and prevent a possible contamination of the patient. In the market for disposable medical gloves, nitrile materials are expected to occupy about 41.7% of demand in 2025. Vinyl comes second with a share of around 10.3%, neoprene third with 6.1%, and natural rubber fourth with a 28.5% share. This material composition is partly due to hospitals moving towards using advanced nitrile gloves for delicate surgery where both sensitivity and protection are needed. With a comprehensive range of surgical gloves available, including ergonomic designs, those resistant to chemicals and made from latex, Ansell Ltd is in a strong position in this market. Top Glove Corporation Bhd produces low cost sterile gloves on a large scale, for global distribution. The Malaysian glove manufacturers stand out in the market with Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd and Supermax Corp Bhd both being market leaders through their reliability, wide distribution network and partnerships with leading medical OEMs. Hartalega Holdings Bhd on the other hand stand out with nitrile gloves that have good tactile sense yet are thin and durable.

Clinical Examination : The clinical examination sector of disposable medical gloves is currently the sector generating the most revenue. Clinical examination is expected to reach a total of $5.51 billion by the year 2025 and grow at a compound annual growth rate, of 9.1%, until 2030. The rise in outpatient visits, point of care testing and the introduction of more stringent hygiene procedures are the drivers behind this growth. Healthcare workers primarily rely on nitrile gloves for their puncture resistance and the fact that they do not only provoke allergic reactions to latex. Latex gloves are used when a high sensitivity of touch is required and less expensive vinyl gloves are used for low risk tasks of short duration. The key benefits of these disposable gloves include protecting healthcare staff from cross infection, reducing the need for cleaning and sterilization, and cutting costs. As well as these, they allow for rapid changeover between patients during medical procedures. The Malaysian glove manufacturers, Top Glove and Supermax, have a strong foothold in the industry through their comprehensive product lines of nitrile, latex and vinyl gloves. This is due to their ability to offer competitive pricing and their extensive penetration into the hospital procurement networks. The company is well known for its technologically advanced nitrile gloves. Ansell is also well regarded for premium, brand led portfolios which are designed to suit hospitals that have high needs. Kossan Rubber are also highly respected for their high quality and their flexibility in providing OEM to international distributors.

Oncology Chemotherapy : Cancer treatment and the application of chemotherapy represent a fast growing field in which disposable medical gloves are employed. It is anticipated that in 2025 the global chemotherapy related market for disposable gloves will be around $0.88 billion and this will grow at 10.4% each year between 2026 and 2030. This growth will be fuelled by an increase in the number of people with cancer and the corresponding rise in the use of infusion. Chemotherapy staff rely heavily on special chemotherapy gloves typically nitrile gloves or advanced neoprene gloves, often used with double gloves and cuffs, to protect against the penetration of cytotoxic drugs during drug preparation, line connection and infusion. Due to the increasing use of nitrile and neoprene, materials which are in high demand for medical applications, it is clear that in chemotherapy, clinical staff place a high value on resistance to chemicals, quick barrier formation and the continued integrity of this barrier. The company Ansell Ltd has a good reputation in cancer treatment environments. This is due to chemotherapy gloves that have been extensively tested and meet strict safety standards regarding chemicals penetrating the gloves. Hartalega Holdings Bhd are achieving their advantage through nitrile products of high specification which are used in cytotoxic situations. The Malaysian companies, Top Glove Corp Bhd, Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd and Supermax Corp Bhd, all manufacture surgical gloves which account for market growth. Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd and Supermax Corp Bhd also offer specialised and private labelled products.

Recent Developments

The growing demand for nitrile disposable gloves is mainly because these products provide a better protective barrier than latex gloves and also prevent allergic reactions. In response to rising demand, manufacturers have boosted production levels and streamlined their production lines. They have also started using new, resistant materials which wont easily tear or burn. These goods are destined for use in hospitals, clinics and similar establishments. There is a move towards the use of biodegradable, eco friendly disposable medical gloves and powder free examination gloves, because of stricter sustainability targets and regulatory requirements.

May 2023 : Following the World Health Organisations declaration that the COVID 19 global health emergency no longer exists, hospitals have ceased stockpiling for emergencies and now procure disposable gloves in line with general demand. This has resulted in manufacturers producing more nitrile disposable gloves and latex examination gloves, because they are more profitable. Healthcare PPE suppliers are cutting costs.

March 2023 : The EUs decision to extend the transition period for medical devices under the Medical Devices Regulation has eased the pressure on companies that manufacture disposable gloves to meet the new regulatory requirements in the near term. This has helped to maintain the supply of sterile surgical gloves and other disposable gloves and also enabled investment in quality systems and documentation.

Impact of Industry Transitions on the Disposable Medical Gloves Market

As a core segment of the Other Healthcare industry, the Disposable Medical Gloves market develops in line with broader industry shifts. Over recent years, transitions such as Rising Shift To Nitrile Gloves and Integrated Digital Supply Chain Evolution have redefined priorities across the Other Healthcare sector, influencing how the Disposable Medical Gloves market evolves in terms of demand, applications and competitive dynamics. These transitions highlight the structural changes shaping long-term growth opportunities.

Rising Shift To Nitrile Gloves

The global transition from latex to nitrile disposable medical gloves is reshaping the healthcare landscape, driven by the imperative to mitigate latex allergies and enhance infection control protocols. This strategic shift not only simplifies inventory management and staff training across hospitals, dental clinics, and outpatient care centers but also significantly reduces contamination risks for pharmaceutical and laboratory personnel. As healthcare facilities adapt to these new standards, the disposable medical gloves market is poised for substantial growth, projected to reach $2 billion by 2030, largely fueled by heightened demand stemming from the COVID 19 pandemic. This transition underscores the critical importance of adopting advanced materials that support prolonged use in critical care settings while aligning with evolving safety regulations.

Integrated Digital Supply Chain Evolution

Following recent supply chain disruptions, makers of disposable medical gloves are turning to data driven supply planning and inventory management techniques like automated restocking. Additionally they are establishing regional warehouses to improve supply chain efficiency. Using up to the minute usage data from operating theatres and clinics, healthcare companies can now make a more accurate prediction of the need for nitrile gloves and other key supplies. By implementing this inventory management technique health centres, home healthcare providers and testing facilities can decrease stock shortages, lower emergency delivery charges and keep vital levels of protection up for the staff during flu season.