Why Your "Cheap" Disposable Gloves Might Be Costing You More: A Mechanic's Perspective

• October 17 2025

Why Your "Cheap" Disposable Gloves Might Be Costing You More: A Mechanic's Perspective

Author: Lawrence Drucker, Founder of UniSafeGloves.com Established 1999

Before I founded UniSafeGloves.com, my hands were deep in the trenches—literally. As an ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician, I spent my days covered in grease, oil, and chemicals. My most essential tool, besides a good wrench, was a reliable pair of disposable gloves.

And that’s where the problem started. The gloves available were more suited for a medical office than a mechanic’s shop and they tore instantly or they were overpriced, so-called "industrial" gloves that weren't much better. I later learned that many of these “industrial” grade gloves were actually medical grade rejects. Not all, but many. As time went on I knew there had to be a better way to provide real, durable hand protection to blue-collar workers at a fair price. That's why I started this business.

But what does "fair price" really mean? It's not about being the absolute cheapest. It's about delivering the best possible value. Here’s some of what I learned about the disposable glove industry and what truly makes us different.

The Big Secret: Why Aren't All 6 mil Gloves the Same?

The following goes for 4 mil, 5 mil, 7 mil, 8 mil and so on. On paper, a 6 mil glove sounds like a 6mil glove. Like any other product, the specs don't tell the whole story. It’s like saying 16oz of steak is 16oz of steak no matter the cut. Of course there are differences in cuts. There are differences in the way the chef prepares it as well. It’s very much the same with gloves. 

The quality of the raw materials is paramount. In a race to the bottom many manufacturers cut costs by using cheap low-quality nitrile and then add high levels of filler content to the gloves—cheap materials that pump up the thickness of a glove while doing nothing for its durability and quality. At first glance to an untrained eye they may look very similar but they are not. In fact a glove with a lot of fillers may even feel thicker at first simply because it will be harder to stretch while the glove with the higher quality materials will have a softer more flexible feel. 

Fact: Many manufacturers use up to 40% filler materials in their gloves. If they could save another 50 cents a case and advertise a 6mil glove why not, is their thinking. The problem is the glove has the thickness but lacks the elasticity and tensile strength of a quality glove, leading to rips and tears, wasted money and no protection when you need it. Besides the wasted product, think about the time spent changing gloves. Even if it only takes a minute or two the cost really adds up. If you have a lot of people changing gloves you can really multiply that long term cost of cheap gloves.

Fact: it doesn’t take that much more cost most of the time to make a glove that is significantly better. That’s what we’re aiming to do here.

What Else Is Hiding in a Low-Cost Glove?

When factories race to the bottom on price, quality and ethics are the first casualties. Here are some more of the hidden compromises you might find in cheap, low-quality gloves:

• Residual Chemicals: To save money, some factories skip crucial steps in the manufacturing process, leaving behind residual chemicals on the gloves that can cause skin irritation. Sometimes they use contaminated water to “clean” your gloves. Do you really want that against your skin all day?

• Difficult Donning: Cheaper manufacturing processes can result in gloves that are incredibly difficult to put on, especially with damp hands. This frustration adds up over a long workday.

• Higher Defect Rates (AQL): Every box of gloves has an "Acceptable Quality Limit" or, AQL which dictates the number of allowable defects. Cheaper industrial gloves often have a much higher AQL, meaning more gloves with pinholes and other flaws make it into the box. What happens when you stretch a glove with a tiny pinhole to put it on? It tears, and you're reaching for another pair.

• Forced Labor: It's a harsh reality, but some overseas manufacturers have been cited by U.S. Customs for using forced labor. 

Suddenly, that "cheaper" box of gloves doesn't seem like such a good deal when you're throwing away torn gloves and using twice as many to get through the day. 

Our Mission: The Best Value, Not Just the Lowest Price

This is where UniSafeGloves.com stands. Our goal isn't to sell you the cheapest glove on the market. Our goal is to reliably offer the least expensive glove possible for a given level of quality.

We carry different grades and thicknesses because every job has different needs. We get it; sometimes you just need a glove with “four fingers and a thumb” 🤣 but even then you want it to be at least “ok”.  For each and every category, we have fought to source and make the best possible product that delivers true value. This has been in our DNA from day one. It’s the reason we are here. We filter out the garbage so you don't have to.

We're Your Glove People. Seriously.

At the end of the day, I know it's "just gloves." But it's also a critical piece of safety equipment and a tool you might wear all day, every day. You deserve a good product, reliable savings, and a company that has your back. While many of our gloves are medical rated for quality reasons our focus has always been with gloves for blue collar workers. I feel this has been a neglected area of the market and yet one that I understand well because of my literal hands-on experience. My goal is to combine my real life experience using gloves to offer the best possible nitrile and latex gloves to the people in the trenches every day. 

Lastly, while not directly related to gloves I find it really frustrating when other companies seem to do everything in their power to not take a call from a customer. Why would you do that?  When you call us, we answer the phone. If you want to reach me, ask for me.  If there's a problem, we go above and beyond to make it right. Our policy is simple: take care of the customer, even if the customer is wrong (yes, it happens, you know it happens in your line of work as well!). We don’t want to run you in circles; we want to do the most right thing.

We want you to walk away feeling that you are spending your money with a business that actually cares about doing the right thing by you. We want to be your glove people forever.

That’s the UniSafe difference. That’s value. I hope we’ve earned your business and I thank you.

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