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Export rubber gloves

Latex household, industrial and medical gloves, mostly from Kerala; small exports spread over Africa, the Gulf and Europe.

Free to exportHS 4015
HS code
4015
Gloves and other clothing of vulcanised rubber — medical examination and surgical gloves (4015.12), household and industrial gloves (4015.19, 4015.90).
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 as checked in November 2026. No licence is needed. Confirm your exact 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you ship.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 75.2 mn
to 136 countries

What is exported

Kerala, the centre of India's natural rubber, has most of the latex glove plants, with others in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 75 million under HS 4015; the UAE led, followed by Kenya, Tanzania, Spain and the USA. Malaysia and Thailand dominate world glove trade, so Indian makers compete on household, industrial and surgical gloves rather than mass nitrile examination gloves.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Household glovesFlock-lined latex gloves for kitchen and cleaning.
  • Industrial glovesHeavy-duty latex, nitrile and neoprene gloves for chemicals and handling.
  • Surgical glovesSterile latex surgical gloves, powdered or powder-free.
  • Examination glovesNon-sterile latex and nitrile gloves for clinics.

Where it is grown or made

  • KeralaKochi, Kottayam and Thrissur
  • Tamil Nadu and KarnatakaChennai and Bengaluru
  • Gujarat and MaharashtraAhmedabad; Mumbai region

Export packing

  • Household gloves in pairs on header cards or poly bags; examination gloves in dispenser boxes of 100; surgical gloves in sterile pair packs.
  • Shipper cartons with size, lot, expiry and standard; keep cool and dry.

Who buys abroad

  • Janitorial and household-goods distributors
  • Industrial safety (PPE) suppliers
  • Hospital and medical distributors
  • Supermarket private labels

The quality buyers ask for

Material
Natural rubber latex, nitrile or neoprene; powdered or powder-free
Size and thickness
Length, palm width and thickness (mm) per size; tolerance per EN 455-2 or ASTM
Freedom from holes
AQL 1.5 for examination gloves under EN 455-1; lower AQL for surgical gloves as the buyer specifies
Strength
Tensile strength and elongation before and after ageing (ASTM D3577/D3578, D6319)
Protection levels (industrial)
EN 388 abrasion, cut, tear and puncture levels; EN ISO 374 chemical permeation

Certificates

  • CE under EU MDR (medical gloves)Often askedRequired for examination and surgical gloves sold in the EU.
  • CE under EU PPE Regulation 2016/425 (protective gloves)Often askedRequired for industrial and chemical protection gloves in the EU; Category III needs a notified body.
  • US FDA 510(k)Often askedRequired for medical examination and surgical gloves sold in the USA.
  • CDSCO licenceOften askedIndian licence for makers of medical gloves.
  • ISO 13485 / ISO 9001Often askedQuality systems for medical and general gloves.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

A 40-ft container typically holds about 2,000–3,500 cartons of examination gloves depending on carton size; household gloves vary by pack type.

How it travels

Sea freight.

Storage

Cool, dry, dark storage away from ozone sources such as motors.

Shelf life

Latex gloves typically carry a 3–5 year shelf life as stated by the maker.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Material, size, quantity, lot, expiry and maker on each box; "contains natural rubber latex" warning where it applies.
  • EU: CE mark (with notified-body number where needed), standards met and protection pictograms for PPE gloves.
  • Sterile surgical gloves: sterilisation method and "sterile" symbol.
Where to get it tested

The Rubber Board's testing laboratory in Kottayam and NABL-accredited rubber and polymer labs test gloves for physical properties and pinholes (search 'rubber' in the NABL directory). Biocompatibility and sterility tests for medical gloves need NABL medical-device labs.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CAPEXIL"Rubber manufactured products" are listed under CAPEXIL in Appendix 2T; take your RCMC from CAPEXIL.capexil.org ↗
  • CDSCO (medical gloves)Examination and surgical gloves are medical devices; the maker needs a licence under the Medical Devices Rules, 2017.cdsco.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Medical gloves: EN 455 and CE under the EU Medical Device Regulation; US FDA 510(k) for examination and surgical gloves; ASTM D3577/D3578 for latex gloves.
  • Industrial gloves: EU PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 with EN ISO 21420, EN 388 (mechanical) and EN ISO 374 (chemical) tests.
  • Pinhole (AQL) tests, protein content for latex and sterility records for surgical gloves.
How to start small

Household and industrial latex gloves for Gulf and African distributors need no device registration and are the easiest start. Buy from a Kerala maker with EN test reports and ship mixed sizes in one container.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Selling examination gloves without a CE or FDA clearance — buyers and customs reject them.
  • Heat and humidity in transit making latex sticky; pack with liners and avoid long port storage.
  • Fake or expired test reports — buyers verify them with the lab.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 4015 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2) and SCOMET list (Appendix 3)
  4. CAPEXIL — official site
  5. European Commission — Medical devices sector (MDR (EU) 2017/745)
  6. US Food and Drug Administration — Medical devices
  7. Rubber Board, Ministry of Commerce & Industry — official site

Trade data

Indian rubber gloves exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 75.2 mn
-7.6% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +9.2%
US$ 68.8 mn → US$ 75.2 mn
Buyer countries
136
Average export price
US$ 0.12
per kg · 6,09,658 tonnes shipped · US$ 0.13 the year before
United Arab Emirates: US$ 6.3 mnKenya: US$ 4.6 mnTanzania: US$ 4 mnSpain: US$ 3.8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 3.6 mnPoland: US$ 3.5 mnNepal: US$ 2.8 mnNigeria: US$ 2.5 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.2 mnTürkiye: US$ 2.1 mnMorocco: US$ 2 mnMexico: US$ 2 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.5 mnFrance: US$ 1.3 mnIsrael: US$ 1.3 mnMalaysia: US$ 1.2 mnRussia: US$ 1.2 mnGhana: US$ 1 mnDenmark: US$ 760kGreece: US$ 760kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 6.3 mnUnited Arab EmiratesKenya: US$ 4.6 mnKenyaTanzania: US$ 4 mnSpain: US$ 3.8 mnSpainUnited States of America: US$ 3.6 mnUnited States of AmericaPoland: US$ 3.5 mnPolandNepal: US$ 2.8 mnNepalNigeria: US$ 2.5 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.2 mnTürkiye: US$ 2.1 mnMorocco: US$ 2 mnMexico: US$ 2 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.5 mnFrance: US$ 1.3 mnIsrael: US$ 1.3 mnMalaysia: US$ 1.2 mnRussia: US$ 1.2 mnGhana: US$ 1 mnDenmark: US$ 760kGreece: US$ 760kIndia
Where Indian rubber gloves goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 112 mn1122020-212021-22: US$ 133 mn1332021-222022-23: US$ 97 mn972022-232023-24: US$ 73.4 mn732023-242024-25: US$ 68.8 mn692024-252025-26: US$ 75.2 mn752025-26
India’s rubber gloves exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2025-26 — a 33% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.14 per kg2021-22: US$ 0.16 per kg0.162022-23: US$ 0.15 per kg2024-25: US$ 0.13 per kg2025-26: US$ 0.12 per kg0.122020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian rubber gloves · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 112 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 133 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 97 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 73.4 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 68.8 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 75.2 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 59.2 mn (US$ 48 mn – US$ 73 mn)592026-272027-28: US$ 52.5 mn (US$ 41.6 mn – US$ 66.3 mn)522027-28
India’s rubber gloves exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 52.5 mn

Likely range US$ 41.6 mn to US$ 66.3 mn.

Trend
-11.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.73
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United Arab EmiratesUS$ 6.3 mn+15.2%
2UnspecifiedUS$ 5.2 mn+65%
3KenyaUS$ 4.6 mn+43.5%
4TanzaniaUS$ 4 mn+104.6%
5SpainUS$ 3.8 mn-19.8%
6United States of AmericaUS$ 3.6 mn-32.8%
7PolandUS$ 3.5 mn-6.4%
8NepalUS$ 2.8 mn+30.4%
9NigeriaUS$ 2.5 mn+208.5%
10BangladeshUS$ 2.2 mn+95.5%
11TürkiyeUS$ 2.1 mn+26.8%
12MoroccoUS$ 2 mn+53.1%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. NigeriaUS$ 820k → US$ 2.5 mn+208.5%
  2. TanzaniaUS$ 2 mn → US$ 4 mn+104.6%
  3. RussiaUS$ 580k → US$ 1.2 mn+100%
  4. BangladeshUS$ 1.1 mn → US$ 2.2 mn+95.5%
  5. AngolaUS$ 590k → US$ 1 mn+72.9%
  6. UnspecifiedUS$ 3.2 mn → US$ 5.2 mn+65%
  7. MoroccoUS$ 1.3 mn → US$ 2 mn+53.1%
  8. KenyaUS$ 3.2 mn → US$ 4.6 mn+43.5%

Low demand

  1. BelgiumUS$ 1.3 mn → US$ 310k-76%
  2. GreeceUS$ 1.2 mn → US$ 760k-33.9%
  3. United States of AmericaUS$ 5.3 mn → US$ 3.6 mn-32.8%
  4. EgyptUS$ 1.1 mn → US$ 740k-32.1%
  5. SpainUS$ 4.7 mn → US$ 3.8 mn-19.8%

New buyers: Countries that bought nothing from India in 2024-25 and did in 2025-26.

  • Estonia · US$ 980k

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Of a kind used for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposes4015 12 00 · Rubber, vulcanised, gloves, of a kind used for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposesUS$ 60.3 mn+7%479 mn pairsUS$ 0.13 per pairwas US$ 0.14
Other gloves,mittens and mitts4015 19 00 · Rubber, vulcanised, gloves, mittens and mitts other than surgical glovesUS$ 11 mn+13.1%119 mn pairsUS$ 0.09 per pairwas US$ 0.09
Rubber, vulcanised, articles of apparel and clothing accessories — industrial gloves4015 90 30US$ 2.7 mn+60.8%10.9 mn pairsUS$ 0.25 per pairwas US$ 0.78
Others articles. of aparl and clothing accessories for all pueposes excludinggloves/ appron and diving svits etc..4015 90 99 · Rubber, vulcanised, articles of apparel and clothing accessoriesUS$ 1.1 mn+6.7%47 tonnesUS$ 23.84 per kgwas US$ 18.84
Rubber, vulcanised, articles of apparel and clothing accessories — rubber apron4015 90 10US$ 90k+200%131k pairsUS$ 0.69 per pairwas US$ 0.40
Rubber, vulcanised, articles of apparel and clothing accessories — labels4015 90 20US$ 10k-80%0.5 tonnesUS$ 18.94 per kgwas US$ 12.39
Diving suits of vulcanised rubr4015 90 91 · Rubber, vulcanised, articles of apparel and clothing accessoriesUS$ 10k0%0.2 tonnesUS$ 61.35 per kgwas US$ 33.22

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 8.07 bn
2023
India among exporters
#13
of 142 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.9%
US$ 73.7 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 7.77 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1MalaysiaUS$ 2.61 bn 33.3%
  2. 2ChinaUS$ 1.67 bn 21.3%
  3. 3ThailandUS$ 1.29 bn 16.4%
  4. 4GermanyUS$ 316 mn 4%
  5. 5BelgiumUS$ 276 mn 3.5%
  6. 6Sri LankaUS$ 228 mn 2.9%
  7. 7IndonesiaUS$ 199 mn 2.5%
  8. 8USAUS$ 174 mn 2.2%
  9. 9Viet NamUS$ 173 mn 2.2%
  10. 10NetherlandsUS$ 108 mn 1.4%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 2.3 bn 28.5%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 529 mn 6.6%
  3. 3JapanUS$ 443 mn 5.5%
  4. 4United KingdomUS$ 265 mn 3.3%
  5. 5FranceUS$ 237 mn 2.9%
  6. 6ItalyUS$ 225 mn 2.8%
  7. 7ChinaUS$ 220 mn 2.7%
  8. 8SpainUS$ 214 mn 2.6%
  9. 9BrazilUS$ 211 mn 2.6%
  10. 10NetherlandsUS$ 209 mn 2.6%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 2.77 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 2.77 bn
GermanyUS$ 667 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 667 mn
JapanUS$ 479 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 479 mn
ItalyUS$ 299 mnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 298 mn
FranceUS$ 270 mnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 269 mn
United KingdomUS$ 265 mnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 265 mn
ChinaUS$ 240 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 240 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 238 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 238 mn
CanadaUS$ 236 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 236 mn
SpainUS$ 236 mnIndia 1.9% · gap US$ 232 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export rubber gloves

India grows natural rubber and makes latex gloves mainly in Kerala, but it is a small player in world glove trade. Malaysia is by far the largest exporter, followed by Thailand, China and Indonesia, especially in nitrile examination gloves. Demand comes from healthcare, food handling, cleaning and industrial safety, and from buyers spreading supply beyond South-East Asia. Openings for Indian makers are in household and industrial gloves, surgical gloves and niche latex products.

  1. 01Pick glove type

    Household and industrial gloves avoid device registration; medical gloves need it.

  2. 02Find a maker

    Kerala and Tamil Nadu plants with EN or ASTM test reports.

  3. 03Certify

    CE (PPE or MDR) or FDA as the market requires.

  4. 04Sample and quote

    Send size sets; quote per carton FOB.

  5. 05Inspect

    AQL pinhole and dimension checks per lot.

  6. 06Ship and claim

    File the shipping bill; claim RoDTEP and drawback.

  7. 07Payment

    Advance or LC; glove prices move with latex and nitrile costs.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting rubber gloves

Are household gloves medical devices?
No. Household and most industrial gloves are not medical devices, though EU protective gloves fall under the PPE Regulation.
Which council?
CAPEXIL (rubber manufactured products). The Rubber Board supports the rubber sector.
What RoDTEP applies?
Gloves under 4015 carry 0.9% of FOB in Appendix 4R.
Why do latex allergy warnings matter?
Some users are allergic to latex proteins; EU and US rules require a warning on natural-latex products.
Can I compete with Malaysian nitrile gloves?
On mass examination gloves it is hard; focus on household, industrial or surgical gloves and nearby markets.
Sources (6)
  1. CAPEXIL — official site
  2. Rubber Board, Ministry of Commerce & Industry — official site
  3. European Commission — Medical devices sector (MDR (EU) 2017/745)
  4. US Food and Drug Administration — Medical devices
  5. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  6. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10.10.2024 (Notification 32/2024-25); rates continued to 31.12.2026 by Notification 41/2026-27

Who buys Indian rubber gloves

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