U.S. Safety Gloves Market Size & Share 2020 to 2026
Market Size by Product (Mechanical [Multi-Purpose, Cut Protection, Oil Repellent, Specialized, Back Hand Impact Protection], Chemical & Liquid Protection [Chemical Solutions, Single Use/Disposable], Thermal [Arc Flash], Special Protection), by Material (Nitrile Gloves, Natural Rubber Gloves, Vinyl Gloves, Neoprene Gloves, Polyethylene Gloves), by Application (Commercial Construction, Transportation [Air, Road, Railways], Manufacturing [Automotive, Food & Beverage, Pulp/Paper], Healthcare & Medical, Oil & Gas [Downstream Chemicals, Upstream Chemicals], Mining), Industry Analysis Report, Growth Potential, Price Trend, & Forecast.
Download Free PDF

U.S. Safety Gloves Market Size
U.S. Safety Gloves market size exceeded USD 6.5 Billion, globally in 2019 and is estimated to grow at over 5.5% CAGR between 2020 and 2026. Increasing awareness among workers regarding hand injuries coupled with steady growth in the manufacturing sector and favorable regulations towards workers safety coupled with increasing spending on healthcare will spur product demand.
Stringent regulations pertaining to labor safety along with modifications in safety standards such as ANSI is propelling the U.S. safety gloves market share. In 2016, the ANSI standards for glove testing were updated, adding new cut-level classifications from A1 to A9. The key end-use industries for safety gloves include healthcare, construction, mining, manufacturing, oil & energy, and transportation. Surge in oil & gas production has resulted in increased employment in the sector.
Necessity to minimize the number of accidents in workplaces has led to increased adoption of personal protective equipment (PPE). Safety gloves account for a large share in the U.S. PPE market. Upgraded monitoring to enhance workplace protection and reduce any incidences across industrial sector is anticipated to generate new growth opportunities for the U.S. safety gloves market manufacturers. Accidents result in huge losses for the families, and to companies in the form of reimbursements to families, legal issues, and damage to the existing infrastructure.
Improved PPE testing standards supported by favorable government policies have propelled the requirement of safety gloves. Safety gloves protect from chemical burn, heavy metal objects, metal cuts, and high-temperature. Also, gloves offer protection against hazards such as microbial contamination, radiation, and electric shocks associated with the industrial environment. Moreover, technological advancements in the industry along with innovations of new materials offering improved hand protection are augmenting the U.S. safety gloves market landscape.
The OSHA has enlisted a set of standards that are required to be observed by the industries. They also provide information on worker's protection at workplaces, thereby enhancing the execution of rules and augmenting the adoption of safety gloves. Majority of key market players are constantly accentuating the adherence to green production processes & technologies. Recent trend of utilization of green and recyclable raw materials for manufacturing safety gloves will instigate the U.S. safety gloves market growth.
U.S. Safety Gloves Market Analysis
Mechanical safety gloves contributed nearly major revenue share in 2019. Mechanical gloves provide excellent protection from cuts, backhand impact protection along with offering oil resistance. Cut-protection gloves account for over 40% share of the U.S. mechanical safety gloves market. Whereas, back-hand impact protection mechanical gloves are anticipated to be the fastest growing sub-category, anticipated at nearly 11.5% CAGR from 2020 to 2026.
Upgradation in ANSI standards pertaining to impact & cut-protection along with wide application outlook across sectors such as mining, oil & gas, commercial construction, automotive, and transportation are escalating the U.S. safety gloves market segment share. The oil & gas industry has a strong requirement for mechanical gloves in the upstream as well as the downstream industry.
Chemical & liquid protection products are anticipated to grow at a substantial pace between 2020 to 2026. Single use chemical & liquid protection gloves hold over 70% the segment revenue share owing to large demand from the U.S. medical & healthcare and the food & beverage sector. These gloves offer hand protection from varied chemicals, and microorganisms while handling diverse applications.
Key properties such as water resistance, reduced allergies, and improved grip are also projected to drive the segment growth. Workers especially from the oil & gas, petrochemical, and chemical industries are exposed to hazardous chemicals and liquids for daily operations boosting the U.S. safety gloves market demand. Along with the high risk of chemical burns, a strong grip on wet conditions is instigating the demand for chemical protection safety gloves products.
Nitrile gloves are expected to witness the highest revenue growth at over 6% CAGR through 2026. They offer exceptional tactile sensitivity, chemical resistance, puncture resistance, comfort, and dexterity when compared to vinyl and rubber gloves. They are majorly used in manufacturing, chemical, and automotive industries. They possess superior flexibility owing to the use of elastic materials in the product.
Nitrile gloves are easier to remove due to innate resistance to friction, can be worn beneath a pair of gloves to create waterproof hand wear, and provides enhanced comfort as it reacts with body temperature to conform to the shape of the hand.
Natural rubber gloves hold the highest market share at over 45% in terms of volume. Latex naturally offers resistance against most acids, bases, formaldehyde, iodine, and chlorine. Industrial grade natural rubber gloves are widely used in food processing, manufacturing, and automotive applications. They provide high durability, comfort and dexterity.
Good resistance to alcohols, ketones, and organic acid is among the key factors propelling market growth. Cost-effectiveness and environmentally friendly nature is likely to boost the U.S. safety gloves market expansion.
The healthcare segment contributes over 65% share to the U.S. safety gloves market revenue in 2019. Healthcare workers face various hazards on the job, including harmful exposures to hazardous drugs, chemicals sharps injuries, latex allergy, and back injuries. In order to mitigate such risks for gaining superior protection for workers, the major types of products used in this industry include chemical & liquid protection.
The types of materials used to produce these types of gloves include nitrile, natural rubber, vinyl, neoprene, and polyethylene. Rising prevalence of COVID 19 in the country has forced industry players to take stringent measures to contain the virus outbreak by providing superior protective equipment to their employees which in turn helps to run their business in full swing. The WHO has predicted a rise in demand for healthcare gloves by 40% in 2020.
Rising oil and gas exploration activities in the country owing to surging innovations in drilling operations including horizontal drilling which makes it easy to extract shale oil & gas should boost upstream chemicals demand. The upstream sector in oil & gas safety gloves is projected to be the fastest growing sub-segment at nearly 16% CAGR from 2020 to 2026. Increasing government focus towards energy import independence and to upsurge the number of oil exports to become the world’s largest oil producers should further boost upstream chemicals demand.
U.S. Safety Gloves Market Share
U.S. safety gloves industry is fragmented with key players including:
Companies are engaged in product launches, joint ventures, partnerships, and innovations to expand their product portfolio and cater to the rising product demand in industrial, commercial, and utility sectors. For instance, in June 2018, Hartalega Holdings Bhd. launched the world’s first non-leaching antimicrobial glove in the UK. This strategy was aimed to increase the company’s foothold in the European safety gloves market.
In 2018, MCR Safety rolled out its new TPR design-based gloves. The TPR design specially caters to the consumer demand for back-of-the-hand safety in this new product.
The U.S. safety gloves market report includes in-depth coverage of the industry trends, with estimates & forecast in terms of volume (Million Units) and revenue (USD Million) from 2015 to 2026, for the following segments:
Click here to Buy Section of this Report
By Product
By Material
By Application
Research methodology, data sources & validation process
This report draws on a structured research process built around direct industry conversations, proprietary modelling, and rigorous cross-validation and not just desk research.
Our 6-step research process
1. Research design & analyst oversight
At GMI, our research methodology is built on a foundation of human expertise, rigorous validation, and complete transparency. Every insight, trend analysis, and forecast in our reports is developed by experienced analysts who understand the nuances of your market.
Our approach integrates extensive primary research through direct engagement with industry participants and experts, complemented by comprehensive secondary research from verified global sources. We apply quantified impact analysis to deliver dependable forecasts, while maintaining complete traceability from original data sources to final insights.
2. Primary research
Primary research forms the backbone of our methodology, contributing nearly 80% to overall insights. It involves direct engagement with industry participants to ensure accuracy and depth in analysis. Our structured interview program covers regional and global markets, with inputs from C-suite executives, directors, and subject matter experts. These interactions provide strategic, operational, and technical perspectives, enabling well-rounded insights and reliable market forecasts.
3. Data mining & market analysis
Data mining is a key part of our research process, contributing nearly 20% to the overall methodology. It involves analysing market structure, identifying industry trends, and assessing macroeconomic factors through revenue share analysis of major players. Relevant data is collected from both paid and unpaid sources to build a reliable database. This information is then integrated to support primary research and market sizing, with validation from key stakeholders such as distributors, manufacturers, and associations.
4. Market sizing
Our market sizing is built on a bottom-up approach, starting with company revenue data gathered directly through primary interviews, alongside production volume figures from manufacturers and installation or deployment statistics. These inputs are then pieced together across regional markets to arrive at a global estimate that stays grounded in actual industry activity.
5. Forecast model & key assumptions
Every forecast includes explicit documentation of:
✓ Key growth drivers and their assumed impact
✓ Restraining factors and mitigation scenarios
✓ Regulatory assumptions and policy change risk
✓ Technology adoption curve parameter
✓ Macroeconomic assumptions (GDP growth, inflation, currency)
✓ Competitive dynamics and market entry/exit expectations
6. Validation & quality assurance
The final stages involve human validation, where domain experts manually review filtered data to identify nuances and contextual errors that automated systems might miss. This expert review adds a critical layer of quality assurance, ensuring data aligns with research objectives and domain-specific standards.
Our triple-layer validation process ensures maximum data reliability:
✓ Statistical Validation
✓ Expert Validation
✓ Market Reality Check
Trust & credibility
Verified data sources
Trade publications
Security & defense sector journals and trade press
Industry databases
Proprietary and third-party market databases
Regulatory filings
Government procurement records and policy documents
Academic research
University studies and specialist institution reports
Company reports
Annual reports, investor presentations, and filings
Expert interviews
C-suite, procurement leads, and technical specialists
GMI archive
13,000+ published studies across 30+ industry verticals
Trade data
Import/export volumes, HS codes, and customs records
Parameters studied & evaluated
Every data point in this report is validated through primary interviews, true bottom-up modelling, and rigorous cross-checks. Read about our research process →