Instead of powdering, some manufacturers dip their gloves into a chlorinated solution (for example, sodium hypochlorite acidified with hydrochloric acid). This makes the glove surface slippery, and therefore negates the requirement to add a powdered lubricant. Chlorination has been shown to substantially reduce protein levels in latex Citation:Dalrymple Audley Rubber Developments 1992 but excessive chlorination can also adversely affect the physical properties of the latex (tensile strength, elasticity).
Pete Phillips <pete@smtl.co.uk>