Glove Intelligent Assistant
06.10.2025
In the food industry, glove color is more than just a cosmetic choice — it’s a strategic tool for preventing contamination, managing allergens, and improving food safety practices.
While not every food processing facility uses color-coded gloves, the practice is gaining traction as a best practice and is increasingly taught in food safety programs. Color coding helps workers and managers quickly identify which gloves are used in which areas, reducing the risk of cross-contamination and helping enforce hygiene protocols, especially in environments handling allergens or ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.
One of the most common reasons for using different glove colors is allergen separation. For example, a plant may require workers in a room handling nuts to wear orange gloves, while workers in other areas wear blue. This helps supervisors and line workers easily verify that gloves used in one zone aren’t entering another, minimizing the risk of allergen transfer across the production floor.
Color coding is also essential in RTE areas, where avoiding any contamination is critical. Using distinct colors ensures that gloves used in raw processing areas aren’t mistakenly worn in sections dealing with finished, consumer-ready products.
Glove color also serves a visibility function. Blue is the most commonly used color on production floors because it contrasts well with most food products — making it easier to spot if a glove is torn or a piece ends up in the product. Black gloves are often reserved for maintenance teams, creating a clear visual separation between support staff and production-line workers.
In larger operations, glove color can even support traceability. For example, if a piece of a glove is found in a product like chicken meat, the glove’s color may help identify the plant or production line it came from. Some companies designate different glove colors for each plant or line, creating an extra layer of accountability in the quality assurance process.
While there’s no universal system where a specific glove color always means the same thing, most companies develop internal color-coding protocols based on their processes, risks, and allergens.
Common approaches include:
Each facility may develop its own internal protocols, often customizing additional glove colors like yellow or red for specific production lines or allergen risks.
SW Sustainability Solutions offers a wide range of color-coded gloves to support evolving food safety practices. While PF-95BL (blue), PF-95BK (black), PF-95OR (orange), and PF-95TL (green) are popular choices, we offer additional color options and glove styles to fit your facility’s needs — including various thicknesses, grip textures, and lengths.
Our gloves are made with food safety in mind, offering excellent durability, visibility, and comfort to help you maintain hygiene and efficiency from processing to packaging.
Food safety in every color starts with the right glove.
At SW, we are committed to leading the glove industry in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. Our innovative EcoTek® technology exemplifies our dedication to sustainable solutions, while our expertise in sweat management ensures comfort and performance. We also offer specialized chemical compatibility support, assisting customers in selecting gloves tailored to their unique needs. Our mission is to provide products that prioritize safety, health, and environmental responsibility for our customers and the planet.