Poly gloves are the cost-per-pair leader of the disposable glove category — embossed polyethylene engineered for the high-turnover food-service tasks where staff change gloves every minute or two and the math on a fancier glove just doesn't work. Deli counters, buffet lines, sample prep, sandwich assembly, and any food handling where the glove's job is a single short task before disposal.
When Poly Wins
Poly gloves aren't trying to compete with nitrile or even vinyl on durability — they're optimized for one thing: the lowest cost-per-pair on a glove that's worn for under a minute before disposal. In a deli operation where one server changes gloves 30 to 50 times per shift (between proteins, between customers, after touching anything non-food), spending the same per pair as a nitrile examination glove is just burning money. Poly delivers food-safe coverage at a small fraction of nitrile cost.
The Loose Fit is a Feature
Unlike nitrile or vinyl which are sized for snug fit, poly gloves are loose-fit and ambidextrous. This is intentional — workers can pull them on without effort, snap them off without fumbling, and the same glove fits a range of hand sizes. For an environment where the goal is fast don/doff cycles between every task, the loose fit is exactly what you want. For sustained-wear or grip-critical work, see our vinyl gloves or TouchFlex Blue Nitrile instead.
Embossed Texture for Wet Grip
The polyethylene material is naturally slick — without surface texture, a poly-gloved hand on a wet lettuce leaf is a recipe for dropped product. The embossed texture pressed into both sides solves this: it gives just enough grip to handle wet ingredients, slippery proteins, and oily prepared foods without losing the cost-per-pair advantage that's the whole reason to use poly in the first place.
Food-Contact Safe
CLW poly gloves meet food-contact safety standards for direct food handling — appropriate for any food-service operation. The 500-glove box is built for the consumption rate of a deli or sandwich operation; the 20-box case (10,000 gloves) is typically a 4–8 week supply for a single counter operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use poly instead of vinyl or nitrile?
When workers change gloves every minute or two — deli service, sample handing, buffet replenishment, sandwich assembly. The math on poly only works at very high glove-change rates. For sustained wear or anywhere puncture resistance matters, <a href='vinyl-gloves.html' style='color:var(--accent);'>vinyl</a> or nitrile is the better choice.
Are they food-safe?
Yes — meets food-contact safety standards for direct food handling. Powder-free, latex-free.
How many gloves per case?
500 gloves per box, 20 boxes per case (10,000 gloves total). For a typical single-counter deli operation this is roughly a 4–8 week supply. Multi-counter operations and sandwich shops typically need 1–2 cases per month.
Why is the fit so loose?
Intentional. Poly gloves are designed for fast don/doff cycles between tasks — workers don't have time to wrestle with a snug-fit glove between every customer. Loose fit also means one glove size covers a range of hand sizes, simplifying inventory.
Can these handle anything beyond light food handling?
Not really. Poly tears under tension (intentionally — it's the tradeoff for cost), and the loose fit limits dexterity. For anything requiring grip on small items, sustained wear, or puncture resistance, step up to vinyl or nitrile.
What sizes are available?
S, M, L. Loose-fit and ambidextrous, so size selection is more forgiving than nitrile or vinyl.
