Polythene gloves (PE gloves) are the highest-volume, lowest-cost disposable used across Singapore food courts, hawker centres, central kitchens, school and corporate canteens, supermarket fresh sections, hospitality buffets and contract catering. Phil Industries supplies Polyco Healthline polythene gloves by the case, in clear and embossed-grip versions.
Why they dominate food service
PE gloves are designed for short-duration, single-use food handling — sandwich making, fruit slicing, hawker plating, deli counter portioning. Because the cost per glove is a fraction of nitrile, polythene is the right tool where gloves change every minute and the real hygiene risk is not changing them often enough. Therefore every Polyco polythene glove we stock is food-contact compliant, so staff can change as often as the SOP requires.
Polythene, vinyl or nitrile?
| Polythene | Vinyl | Nitrile | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lowest | Low | Higher |
| Fit | Loose | Moderate | Good |
| Duration | Seconds to a minute | Short tasks | Longer tasks |
| Use for | Serving, portioning | General food prep | Demanding or chemical work |
Polythene is not a substitute for nitrile or vinyl in clinical or chemical work. Furthermore, confirm the task is genuinely short-duration food handling — anything involving heat, sharp tools or chemical contact should move to vinyl, nitrile or a cut-resistant glove.
The polythene gloves range
- Standard clear polythene — hawker, canteen and supermarket food prep.
- Embossed polythene — so grip improves on wet or oily food.
- Heavy-gauge polythene — for example slightly longer-duration food tasks.
- HDPE and LDPE variants — different stretch and tear characteristics.
- Counter-top dispenser packs — because a slow glove change is a skipped glove change.
- Bulk case packs — central kitchens and large food manufacturers.
Frequently asked questions
What are polythene (PE) gloves used for?
They are the lowest-cost, highest-volume single-use glove, so they suit brief food-handling tasks such as serving, portioning and counter work in food courts, kitchens and canteens.
Are polythene gloves food-safe?
Yes — PE food-service gloves are made for food contact. However, for anything beyond brief, low-risk handling, nitrile or vinyl gives better fit and durability.
How do they compare to vinyl or nitrile?
Polythene is the cheapest and loosest-fitting, made for very short tasks and frequent changes. In contrast, vinyl and nitrile fit better and last longer for more demanding work.
Do you supply polythene gloves in bulk in Singapore?
Yes, in case and carton quantities for food service and high-volume users, with next-working-day delivery. In addition, we support SFA, HACCP and ISO 22000 documentation.
Order polythene gloves in Singapore
WhatsApp +65 9853 9030 or call +65 6555 1745 with your monthly volume. Browse all disposable gloves.
