Nitrile glove made in France Kolmi Medicom

Why relocate nitrile glove manufacturing to France?

For years, industrial relocation has led to situations where our dependence on certain products from the Asian continent has become a strategic issue.
The Covid crisis has exposed the weaknesses of our supply chain, particularly for surgical masks and gloves. It has highlighted our inability to control our supplies in France and, more broadly, in Europe.
Disposable gloves, and more specifically disposable nitrile gloves, have reached price peaks during this period, with boxes of 100 gloves costing over 20 to 25 euros , while their "stabilized" price is more like 3.50 (average price depending on quality) . It is in this context that Kolmi , which is part of the Mondial Medicom group, has decided to invest massively in a high-quality nitrile glove production line in France.

Kolmi Medicom nitrile gloves and the environment

The manufacture of nitrile gloves in France makes it possible to meet the strong requirements in terms of CSR commitment from a manufacturer like Kolmi.
Reducing the ecological footprint
First of all, it is a reduction in transport , because most of the gloves are imported from Malaysia, China, etc., which means an average of 45 days by boat with a significant transport impact.
There also remains the point of the "conditions" of manufacturing and the level of decarbonization of these countries on manufacturing in general.
The carbon footprint of a nitrile glove manufactured in France will therefore be largely beneficial from a carbon footprint point of view in all cases.
The other point that is often overlooked is the use of chlorine in manufacturing...
The main manufacturers of Nitrile gloves use 100% pure concentrated chlorine .
The production of 1000 pairs of gloves requires 130 grams of pure chlorine.
Transposed onto Kolmi's annual French manufacturing capacity of 900,000,000 pairs of gloves, this would be equivalent to 117,000,000 grams of chlorine.
If we want to give an idea of this quantity, it corresponds to the annual maintenance of 64 Olympic swimming pools (i.e. all the Olympic swimming pools in Europe...).

The comfort of the Kolmi France nitrile glove

Comfort was one of the key points in the specifications for the design of the nitrile glove by the Medicom Kolmi group. Easy donning is achieved thanks to a specific polymer coating.
A smooth finish to make putting on the glove quick and to limit the risk of tears when, on certain products, the user forces and pulls on the glove.

Minimized risks of nitrile glove allergy

When we talk about wearing gloves, the first reaction of users is the risk of skin allergies, especially considering the number of hours or times they will be worn. Whether in medical, healthcare, hospital or food industry settings, kitchens, restaurants, gloves have become a requirement to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, but allergies can be a major obstacle to their use.
The manufacturing specifications for the Kolmi glove make it possible to considerably reduce these risks .
Thanks to the innovative PureFlex technology , Kolmi's Nitrile range is guaranteed to be accelerator-free and chlorine-free (as seen in the previous section).

Summary of allergy risks on single-use gloves

1/ Latex allergy type I

Latex allergy is the most common allergy, and not just when it comes to gloves. Even the personal protective equipment we've been offering at Voussert for years, such as hairnets, caps, and hairnets, can cause an allergy, even just the elastic band used to secure them.
This latex allergy is directly linked to products made from natural rubber latex .
This is an immediate type of IgE (antibody) hypersensitivity that occurs immediately or in
the hour following exposure to an allergen.
People with a predisposition to this type of allergy generally report it, but a preventative approach with a selection of equipment that minimizes these risks is by nature common sense...

2/ Allergy to type IV chemicals and the use of vulcanization accelerators

Chemical allergy is an allergy to specific chemical residues. It is also known as allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) . It is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to a specific allergen, which triggers a cellular response at the site of contact.
This allergic reaction typically appears a few hours to several days after exposure of a person already sensitized to the allergen, especially in cases of prolonged and repeated use.
Studies have shown prevalence rates of up to 20% in the general population.
Genetic factors and environmental exposures may increase the risk of
development of the disease in some people.
This type IV allergy can occur regardless of the nature of the main material of the glove : natural rubber latex or synthetic rubber such as nitrile .
The most common allergens responsible for type IV allergies associated with disposable nitrile or latex gloves are vulcanization accelerators . Approximately 80% of cases of allergic contact dermatitis due to the use of disposable gloves are related to these accelerators .
The most allergenic accelerators are thiurams, dithiocarbamates and benzothiazoles.

The two nitrile glove manufacturing processes

The manufacture of a nitrile glove is linked to a series of operations which impact on CSR commitment including in particular the environment, allergies, sustainability and compliance with standards, particularly food standards in this field of possible migrations.
This Voussert comparison will allow you to note the important differences between a glove manufactured using the Medicom / Kolmi process and a process used as standard in Asian factories.

Protective performance of the France Medicom nitrile glove

The Medicom Hopen range of protective gloves, made in France, offers an uncompromising range of chemical protection with a list of 20 products already tested.
Also resistant to Cytotoxycs (ASTM D6978-05) for glove references 1142 , 1144K , 1140.

Kolmi France glove chemical risk standards

• ISO 374-1:2016+A1:2018 which refers to “Terminology and performance requirements for
chemical risks”.
• EN 16523-1:2015+A1:2018 which refers to “Permeation by liquid chemical in
continuous contact conditions”.
• ISO 374-2:2019 which refers to “Determination of resistance to penetration”.
• ISO 374-4:2019 which refers to “Determination of resistance to degradation by chemicals”/ (% change in puncture resistance before and after chemical exposure).

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