Ask any glove supplier for a general-purpose glove and you will be offered three coatings: PU, nitrile and latex. The liner (13G polyester, 15G nylon, HPPE) and the coating together decide grip, durability and comfort — and the price. This guide compares the three coatings on the factors that matter on the shop floor, with a decision table at the end.
PU (polyurethane) coating
A thin PU foam coating — typically 15–25 g per pair — applied to a fine-gauge liner. PU gloves feel almost like a bare hand: lightest of the three, most flexible, best for precision assembly and inspection.
- Grip: Excellent in dry conditions; weaker than nitrile when wet or oily.
- Abrasion: Moderate — PU is the softest coating and wears fastest on rough surfaces.
- Chemicals: Resists oils and many solvents; not for strong acids/alkalis.
- Comfort: Best breathability of the three — the usual choice for hot environments and long shifts.
- Watch out: PU is the most price-competitive segment globally — many suppliers, thin margins. If your requirement is only “cheap PU”, a specialist PU line in China will beat a mixed factory every time.
Nitrile (NBR) coating
The workhorse of industry. Nitrile is thicker than PU, with a sandy (textured) or foam finish. It is the default for construction, logistics, metalwork and any job involving oil.
- Grip: Strong wet and oily grip — the sandy micro-texture is the key. Foam nitrile is softer and more flexible.
- Abrasion: Best of the three coatings; the reason nitrile gloves outlast PU in abrasive handling.
- Chemicals: Good resistance to oils, greases and many hydrocarbons (better than PU and latex).
- Comfort: Slightly thicker and warmer than PU; still acceptable for full shifts in most climates.
- Watch out: Price varies widely by coating weight (a 40 g sandy nitrile can cost twice a 25 g foam nitrile) — always compare coating weight, not just “nitrile”.
Latex (natural rubber) coating
Natural rubber latex — crinkle or foam finish — offers excellent elasticity and dry grip at low cost.
- Grip: Very good dry grip; degrades with oil contact (latex swells in oils and hydrocarbons).
- Abrasion: Moderate, between PU and nitrile.
- Chemicals: Weak against oils and fuels — the main reason nitrile has replaced latex in most industrial jobs.
- Comfort: Snug fit, good dexterity for dry work.
- Watch out: Protein allergy — latex is a known allergen. In the EU, latex gloves must carry allergy labelling; many buyers have switched to nitrile or PU for this reason alone.
Head-to-head summary
| Factor | PU | Nitrile | Latex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry grip | Good | Very good | Very good |
| Wet / oily grip | Fair | Excellent | Poor |
| Abrasion life | Moderate | High | Moderate |
| Dexterity | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Breathability | Excellent | Good | Fair |
| Oil resistance | Good | Very good | Poor |
| Allergy risk | None | None | Protein allergy |
| Relative price | Low | Medium | Low |
The 30-second decision guide
- Assembly, electronics, inspection, hot environments → PU on a 13–15G liner.
- Construction, warehousing, metal, anything oily → sandy nitrile; foam nitrile if comfort matters more than abrasion.
- Dry general handling with a tight budget → latex crinkle — unless allergy rules apply.
- Cut protection required → switch the liner to HPPE and keep the coating that matches the job (nitrile sandy is the common A4–A6 choice).
Where Mesian fits
We run all three coatings on our own dipping lines in Changsha — PU, sandy nitrile and foam nitrile, plus latex on request — over 13G/15G liners and HPPE cut-resistant liners. That means one factory, one quality system and one contact for a mixed programme (for example a distributor carrying a PU assembly line alongside an A4 sandy-nitrile line). Private label from 500 pairs per style. See the cut-resistant range or send us your coating question — samples are US$19.90 worldwide and credited to your first bulk order.
