Vinyl gloves are primarily made up of two materials: PVC paste and a plasticizer which softens the PVC to make it pliable. Plasticizers are from the phthalate family of chemicals.
Up until early 2014, we used DINP (diisononyl phthalate) in the manufacturing of our gloves. Ever since Omni International started selling vinyl gloves, we had sold only DOP/DEHP-free vinyl gloves. (A quick note: DEHP stands for diethylhexyl phthalate, and DOP stands for dioctyl phthalate.)
The reasons included the fact that DINP was a more acceptable phthalate, and we wanted you to be able to sell your gloves in any state in the U.S. without a warning label. DOP/DEHP gloves needed a warning label in California due to that state’s Proposition 65. As a result, until early 2014, our gloves did not need a warning label.
Then, the State of California added the plasticizer we had used exclusively – DINP – to the list of chemicals that necessitate a warning label, only for California. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with DINP; it only means that California has added DINP to a list of thousands of chemicals listed on Proposition 65. This information only relates to sales in California on shipments after December 20, 2014.
However, no matter where you are, you cannot sell gloves into California that do not have an approved phthalate unless you have the appropriate warning label on the box.
In order to protect our distributors that send vinyl glove products to many states besides their own – especially into California – Omni International continues manufacturing our vinyl gloves with an approved phthalate. The phthalate we have used since early 2014 is called DOTP (dioctyl terephthalate).
We will continue to be a market leader now with DOP/DEHP/DINP-free gloves. Or as you will see in our literature, our glove information will read “California Proposition 65 Compliant.” No warning labels are necessary if your company buys any vinyl gloves from Omni International.
Do you have any additional questions about what “California Proposition 65 Compliant” means or about DINP, DOP, DEHP, and/or DOTP? Let us know in the comments below!