Plasticisers
Plasticisers, or rather softeners, are substances that are added to brittle resins (thermosets) and plastics (thermoplastics) to make them more pliable and elastic in use or further processing. Vinyl is made from (PVC / polyvinyl chloride), it is a solid plastic in its original form. To form a glove out of it, plasticisers have to be used. This gives the glove the necessary softness and flexibility. Care should be taken when vinyl gloves are to be used with greasy or oily foods. Fatty and oily foods in particular can dissolve the plasticisers out of the vinyl and become embedded in food. This means that the glove is only suitable for handling food to a limited extent.