Choosing the right glove for the right use is important and BFI Products, Inc. can make your selection process easy. Consider your preference of material, texture, thickness, color, and length as you choose a glove. Material: Latex or Nitrile Traditionally, latex gloves have been very popular as a medical exam grade glove. In the early 1990’s the demand for gloves increased dramatically primarily due to healthcare professionals needing protection from the HIV virus. To keep up with demand, some manufacturers neglected quality control and as a result many gloves began showing pinholes and started tearing. In 1976,the FDA began regulating the production of latex gloves for quality reasons. Gloves that do not meet FDA medical quality standards are described as non-medical general purpose or industrial quality gloves.