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The price of synthetic rubber gloves has risen by about 40%, reaching US$ 29 per box of one thousand units, due to the war in the Middle East which closed the Strait of Hormuz and restricted the supply of naphtha. Malaysia, which produces almost half of the gloves in the world, warns of production cuts and a possible global shortage in hospitals until the end of May.
The price of rubber gloves has just jumped 40% due to a conflict happening thousands of kilometers away from the hospitals that depend on them. The war in the Middle East has closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments normally pass, thereby restricting the supply of naphtha, the byproduct of oil refining used in the manufacture of plastics and petrochemical products that are the basis for the production of synthetic rubber gloves. According to analyst Oong Chun Sung from CIMB Securities, the average price of synthetic rubber gloves has already reached US$ 29 per box of one thousand units, and the trend is for further increases as long as the conflict persists.
The concern is not just about the price. Analysts from RHB and CIMB Securities in Malaysia warn that the ongoing disruption of supply chains could lead to a shortage of rubber gloves by the end of May, which would directly affect hospitals, clinics, and laboratories worldwide. “In any procedure we perform in a hospital, we have to use gloves. If there is a shortage, it means there will be some difficulty in providing certain services in the healthcare sector,” stated Dr. Kuljit Singh, president of the Private Hospitals Association of Malaysia. For now, suppliers are delivering normally, but the safety margin decreases with each week the conflict continues.
Why the war in the Middle East affects the price of rubber gloves
According to information from the Reuters portal, the connection between a military conflict in the Persian Gulf and the price of rubber gloves that doctors and nurses use in São Paulo, London, or New York comes down to one single ingredient: naphtha. Naphtha is a byproduct of crude oil refining and is the raw material for the production of nitrile latex, the material used in the manufacture of synthetic rubber gloves that represent the majority of the global market. Without enough naphtha, factories cannot produce nitrile, and without nitrile, there are no gloves.
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The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has driven naptha prices to record levels. With one-fifth of global oil and gas trade blocked, the scarcity of derivatives like naptha has spread throughout the petrochemical chain, affecting not only rubber gloves but also paints, polyester, plastic containers, and automotive parts. For glove manufacturers, the impact is particularly severe because nitrile represents the main production cost and there is no available substitute on a large scale in the short term.
The impact on Malaysian rubber glove manufacturers
Malaysia produces nearly half of all rubber gloves in the world, and its largest companies are already passing on costs. Top Glove, the world’s largest glove manufacturer, has stated that it intends to pass on an increase of approximately 50% in raw material costs, driven primarily by the rising price of nitrile latex, which is used in about 55% of its products. Hartalega Holdings confirmed that “glove prices have been adjusted accordingly” and expressed concern that if the war continues, there may be an impact on global supply.
Shares of Malaysian rubber glove companies reflect market tension. Top Glove and Hartalega saw their shares rise about 40% and 50%, respectively, between March 24 and April 10, driven by anticipation of purchases and concerns about shortages. However, analysts at RHB warn that the gains are “unsustainable” because the current scenario is one of cost inflation, not demand-driven price increases. “The average price increases are largely defensive, aimed at preserving margins rather than expanding them,” they explained.
The risk of rubber glove shortages in hospitals worldwide
For the healthcare sector, the most urgent question is whether rubber gloves will run out. Analysts from RHB and CIMB Securities project that shortages could materialize by the end of May if supply chains remain disrupted, a scenario that would force hospitals to ration glove use or seek lower-quality alternatives. In a clinical environment, rubber gloves are mandatory in virtually all procedures, from routine exams to complex surgeries.
The good news is that the lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic have left a positive legacy. Both hospitals and rubber glove manufacturers have begun to maintain stocks for several months after 2020, when the global shortage of personal protective equipment exposed the vulnerability of the healthcare sector to supply chain disruptions. This safety margin buys time, but it is not infinite. If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for more than two months, even strategic stocks will begin to deplete.
What happens to rubber gloves even if the war ends tomorrow
The United States and Iran have shown willingness to negotiate, but even a peace agreement in the short term would not immediately eliminate supply issues. Analysts warn that supply disruptions and inflationary pressures on rubber gloves may persist for months after the war ends, because petrochemical supply chains take time to normalize. Refineries need to resume operations, tankers need to return to routes, and naphtha production needs to return to previous levels for nitrile prices to drop.
The company Medtecs, a manufacturer of medical equipment listed on the Singapore and Taiwan stock exchanges, has already raised prices between 10% and 40% depending on the product. Rubber gloves, face masks, and surgical gowns are all subject to the same cost pressures, and the trend is for prices to remain high even after the eventual end of the conflict. For hospitals and clinics operating with tight margins, each 10% increase in the cost of basic supplies like gloves translates to compromised budgets that affect other areas of care.
What the rubber glove crisis reveals about global dependence on naphtha
The 40% increase in the price of rubber gloves is yet another example of how a geopolitical conflict in one region can affect daily life across all continents. The global health supply chain’s dependence on a single petroleum-derived ingredient, mass-produced in one country and transported through a single strait, is a vulnerability that the pandemic should have addressed, but which the war in the Middle East has shown remains intact.
Looking to the future, the rubber glove crisis raises questions about supplier diversification, the development of alternative materials to nitrile, and the creation of regional production capacity that reduces dependence on Malaysia and the Strait of Hormuz. While these long-term solutions have yet to materialize, hospitals around the world depend on a conflict thousands of miles away ending before their rubber glove supplies run out. Dr. Kuljit Singh summarized the situation with a frankness that needs no embellishment: “We are a bit cautious and monitoring.”
The price of rubber gloves has skyrocketed by 40% and hospitals may face shortages until May. Do you think Brazil is prepared for a shortage of medical supplies? Should health depend so much on a single strait? Leave your opinion in the comments.
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