Disposable Gloves Ireland: Nitrile vs Vinyl, Sizes & Wholesale Buying Guide
Disposable gloves are one of the highest-turnover consumables in Irish hospitality. Choose the wrong material and you either overspend on strength you never need, or watch thin gloves tear mid-service. Choose the wrong size and staff waste boxes changing pairs that do not fit.
This guide explains how to buy disposable gloves in Ireland for catering and food service — when nitrile beats vinyl, which sizes to stock, how case packs work, and how PrintNPack's gloves Ireland wholesale range ships from Ashbourne to Dublin, Cork, Galway and nationwide.
Why Irish kitchens buy gloves by the case
Unlike custom printed packaging, disposable gloves are plain wholesale stock. There is no artwork proof or print minimum — you order cases of nitrile, vinyl, deli-fit or poly gloves and restock when service volume climbs. That suits restaurants in Dublin, delis in Cork, cafés in Galway, and catering kitchens that need reliable food-handling gloves without waiting on a special order.
PrintNPack stocks powder-free blue and black nitrile, Spirit LP and PF vinyl, deli-fit gloves, embossed poly gloves and long-sleeve rubber gloves for heavy washing-up. Orders dispatch across Ireland; local buyers can also collect from Ashbourne, Co. Meath.
Nitrile vs vinyl — which glove for which job
Material choice is the decision that most affects cost and performance. Match the glove to the task, not the cheapest box on the shelf.
- Powder-free blue nitrile — the default for food prep and catering. Better puncture resistance than vinyl, and the familiar blue colour for kitchen hygiene zones. SAFE TOUCH lines typically pack 10 × 100 per case in S–XL.
- Powder-free black nitrile — same performance family with darker contrast, popular where grease or dark food needs a visible glove, or for multi-use catering teams.
- Vinyl (Spirit LP and PF) — the economical option for light food handling, sandwich prep and general counter work. Clear and blue options in S–XL, usually 10 × 100 per case.
- Deli-fit gloves — looser fit for fast counter changes; often 20 × 100 per case for busy sandwich and deli lines.
- Poly embossed gloves — for very light, short-contact tasks. High count cases (100 × 100) suit sites that go through pairs quickly on simple jobs.
A practical Irish stock mix is nitrile for hot prep and butchery-style tasks, plus a vinyl or deli-fit case for front counter work. Browse blue and black nitrile on the nitrile gloves Ireland hub, and Spirit vinyl on vinyl gloves Ireland.
Glove sizes Ireland — S to XL at a glance
Fit drives waste. Gloves that are too tight tear; gloves that are too loose slow staff and catch on equipment. Stock the sizes your team actually wears.
| Size | Best for |
|---|---|
| Small (S) | Tighter fit for smaller hands and precision food prep |
| Medium (M) | Most popular size for general catering and kitchen teams |
| Large (L) | Comfortable everyday fit for most adult hands on deli and prep lines |
| Extra Large (XL) | Larger hands and high-volume prep where Medium/Large feel tight |
For most Irish food businesses, Medium and Large cover the majority of the team. Keep a smaller case of Small and XL so nobody is forced into the wrong size during a busy Friday service.
Case packs and how wholesale pricing works
Gloves are sold by the case with tiered volume pricing — the more cases you take, the lower the price per case. There is no custom-print MOQ because these are plain stock lines. Typical packs:
| Type | Case pack | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Blue nitrile (PF) | 10 × 100 | Food prep, catering and hygiene-critical tasks — best all-round puncture resistance |
| Black nitrile (PF) | 10 × 100 | High-visibility contrast for dark food, tattoos/beauty and heavy kitchen handling |
| Vinyl clear / blue (LP & PF) | 10 × 100 | Economical light food handling, sandwich counters and general kitchen use |
| Deli-fit (PF) | 20 × 100 | Loose-fit gloves for quick deli, sandwich and counter service changes |
| Poly embossed | 100 × 100 | Very light short tasks — sandwich wrapping and quick food contact jobs |
On the gloves hubs, wholesale case pricing is shown from about €29 per case for popular nitrile lines and from about €15 per case for vinyl, depending on size, brand and the volume tier you hit. Always check the live tier table on each product page — case tiering is how wholesale buyers reduce cost per pair without inventing one-off unit prices.
A useful buying habit for Irish kitchens is to lock Medium and Large nitrile on a standing reorder, then add vinyl or deli-fit only for counter roles. That keeps shelf space tidy and makes volume tiers easier to hit.
Powder-free gloves and food-service buying tips
Most Irish food businesses prefer powder-free (PF) gloves for food contact. SAFE TOUCH nitrile, Spirit PF vinyl and deli-fit lines in the PrintNPack range are powder-free. Spirit LP vinyl remains a cost-effective option for lighter tasks — always confirm the specification on the product page before you set a standing order.
Colour coding helps busy kitchens. Blue nitrile is the familiar food-prep standard; black nitrile gives contrast on darker ingredients; clear vinyl suits front-counter work where a low-profile look matters. If your HACCP or brand standards call for a specific colour, lock that SKU on reorder so staff do not mix boxes mid-week.
Do not confuse disposable catering gloves with long-sleeve rubber gloves. The rubber pairs in the range are for washing-up and heavy wet work — useful back-of-house, but not a substitute for single-use nitrile or vinyl on the prep line.
Delivery across Ireland from Ashbourne
PrintNPack is based in Ashbourne, Co. Meath — convenient for Dublin and Meath collections, with nationwide dispatch for Cork, Galway, Limerick and every other county. Plain glove orders move quickly because they are stock PPE, not made-to-print jobs.
Pair gloves with other wholesale catering lines — refuse sacks, biobox containers, and plain packaging wholesale — so one delivery covers hygiene and takeaway stock.
How to order disposable gloves in Ireland
- List prep vs counter tasks and decide nitrile, vinyl or a mix of both
- Count team sizes — stock Medium and Large first, then Small and XL as needed
- Confirm case pack (10×100, 20×100 or 100×100) fits your weekly volume
- Order by the case on the gloves hub — watch the volume tiers
- Take nationwide delivery or collect from Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Ready to restock disposable gloves?
Powder-free nitrile, vinyl, deli-fit and poly gloves in S–XL with tiered case pricing — delivered across Ireland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy disposable gloves wholesale in Ireland?
PrintNPack supplies wholesale disposable gloves across Ireland — powder-free blue and black nitrile, Spirit vinyl, deli-fit and poly gloves in sizes S to XL — with tiered case pricing and delivery from Ashbourne, Co. Meath to Dublin, Cork, Galway and nationwide.
Should Irish kitchens use nitrile or vinyl gloves?
Nitrile gloves offer better puncture resistance and are preferred for food prep, catering and hygiene-critical tasks. Vinyl gloves are more economical for light food handling, sandwich prep and general counter work. Many Irish operators stock both.
What glove sizes are available?
Most PrintNPack nitrile and vinyl lines are stocked in Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. Medium and Large cover the majority of catering teams; keep a small XL case for larger hands on busy prep lines.
Are the gloves powder-free?
SAFE TOUCH nitrile gloves, Spirit PF vinyl gloves and deli-fit gloves are powder-free. Spirit LP vinyl gloves are also suitable for food service. Check each product page for the exact specification.
Do you deliver disposable gloves to Dublin and Cork?
Yes. PrintNPack delivers disposable gloves to Dublin, Cork, Galway and every Irish county. Plain stock orders dispatch quickly from Ashbourne, Co. Meath, with collection available for local buyers.
