Updated: November 2016

“I’ve realized is that regardless of the material and construction, sooner or later, they all end up reaching the point of no return thanks to pointy knife tips, chemical deterioration or simple wear and tear. What I didn’t realize is that synthetically processed (as opposed to naturally derived) latex is the norm among conventional brands and that even when it’s the latter, in some cases, the material is taken without regard toward maintaining the fragile balance of forested areas such as Brazil’s Amazon region.

It’s possible to green up my kitchen habit by specifically seeking out Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified natural latex options that ensure that rubber tappers are compensated with fair trade wages when they responsibly utilize forest resources. So many natives live in poverty and are forced by their circumstances to profit in any way they can from the diminishing resources they can extract from the Amazon, but there is a better way.

The bad news is that truly eco-friendly waterproof household gloves are very challenging to find. There are just a few manufacturers right now that offer reasonable options, such as:

• If You Care Household Gloves: These cotton-lined, naturally biodegradable lime green gloves, dipped in FSC-certified latex, are packaged in a fully recyclable cardboard box printed with nontoxic ink and sealed with equally planet-friendly glue.
• Green Tips Fair Trade Latex Household Gloves: Described as flock-lined, ethically sourced 100% latex gloves, this FSC-certified option is also bright green in color and packaged in a fully recyclable/equally compostable container.”

– By Elizah Leigh on 1800recycling.com

“Before throwing away your rubber gloves, take another look because that glove may be useful in new, unconventional ways. By recycling rubber gloves, you’ll get more bang for your buck and discover a useful item for your household. Since rubber gloves are non-slip and waterproof, they are perfect to cover slippery surfaces and to open jars, and they can even be useful in first-aid kits.”

– By Becca Janet on eHow

Below a few ideas to reuse the old/broken rubber/latex gloves, click on each image to go to the original source and tutorial:

For Kids:

Some useful tips:

More inspiration:

More ideas without pictures:
• Greener Latex Gloves and Recycling Inspiration! on 1800recycling.com
• 15 Unconventional Uses for Rubber Gloves on cleanones.com
• How can I reuse or recycle rubber gloves? on recyclethis.co.uk

Do you have more ideas?
Share them with us! 🙂