As global demand for rubber gloves continues to decline, the Malaysian Rubber Council (MRC) has urged glove manufacturers to shift their focus and expand into the non-medical glove segment, which still holds strong potential for growth.
According to MRC Chief Executive Officer Nor Hizwan Ahmad, the non-medical glove market offers substantial opportunities and key customers that could help make the glove industry more profitable and sustainable, rather than relying solely on healthcare-related demand.
“Companies in the sector should creatively explore new ways to make the glove industry profitable and vibrant again,” he said in a media statement.
Diversification Beyond Healthcare
Non-medical disposable gloves come in a wide range of sizes, colors, thicknesses, and textures, with applications spanning tattoo studios, laboratories, beauty salons, cleaning services, food handling, and childcare centers — indicating strong and diversified market potential.
Although gloves remain Malaysia’s top rubber-based export product, total export revenue dropped 66.2% year-on-year to 6.04 billion RM in the first quarter of 2022.
However, surgical gloves continued to perform well, with export value reaching 561.7 million RM, marking a 13.3% increase compared to the same period last year.