A case of nitrile gloves quoted at the lowest price on the sheet can be the most expensive case you buy this year. In 2026 the gap between the quoted price and what actually lands on your dock is the widest it has been since 2020, and three things drive it: tariffs, ocean freight, and the expiration dating on the product you are handed.
Here is what changed, with the figures, and how to compare quotes so the number you approve is the number you pay.
Tariffs: what the schedule says
The U.S. Trade Representative finalized its Section 301 four-year review in September 2024. For medical products from China the schedule, as summarized by Wiley Rein, is:
| Product | Rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and surgical gloves | 50 percent in 2025, then 100 percent in 2026 | January 1 of each year |
| Textile face masks and respirators | 25 percent, rising to 50 percent in 2026 | September 27, 2024, then 2026 |
| Syringes and needles | 100 percent | September 27, 2024 |
| Enteral syringes | Excluded through January 1, 2026 |
Industry sources confirm the glove rate took effect: GloveSaver reported that tariffs on medical-grade gloves from China hit 100 percent as of January 2026, up from 50 percent in 2025, and that Malaysian and Thai manufacturers raised their own prices by roughly 15 to 25 percent as demand shifted toward them.
The practical effect is that country of origin is now the single largest line in a glove's landed cost. A quote that does not state origin cannot be compared with one that does.
Freight: the summer spike
CenterPoint Group's August 31, 2026 analysis reported that baseline nitrile glove costs rose 31.1 percent in 2026, with nitrile latex input costs doubling early in the year. On the freight side, CenterPoint reported ocean rates climbed about $5,000 per forty-foot container between late May and early July 2026, with Asia to U.S. West Coast rates near $7,600 per FEU by late August. Suaid Global put the Asia to East Coast lane near $9,000 per FEU over the same period, citing Red Sea diversions, longer routings, and tight carrier capacity.
A forty-foot container holds roughly 1,000 to 1,400 cases of exam gloves depending on packaging. At $7,600 per container, freight alone adds several dollars to every case before drayage and inland delivery.
Dating: the cost nobody puts on the quote
Gloves, respirators, and diagnostic tests carry expiration dates. A pallet with 18 months of dating that turns in 12 months is fully usable. The same pallet with 9 months of dating leaves a third of it at risk of write-off. Short-dated lots often sit behind the lowest quotes. Ask for the dating in writing, and value the quote on the cases you will actually consume before expiry.
The landed cost worksheet
Compare every PPE quote on the same seven lines:
- Product price per case, with pack size stated.
- Country of origin and the duty rate that applies to it, including Section 301 for Chinese-origin goods.
- Ocean freight per container, converted to a per-case figure, or the supplier's stated delivered price.
- Port and inland charges: drayage, chassis, fuel, and delivery to your dock.
- Dating on the lot being offered, and the share you expect to consume before expiry.
- Payment terms: a Net 30 quote and a prepay quote are not the same price.
- Lead time and reliability: a cheaper case that arrives after your par runs out costs a substitute buy at spot.
If a supplier cannot fill in lines two through five, the quote is a starting point, not a price.
What buyers are doing about it
CenterPoint's recommendations match what Keystone sees across accounts: diversify source regions, lock pricing through fixed-term agreements rather than spot buys, track the leading indicators (nitrile butadiene rubber prices, freight indices, energy), and hold a buffer of critical items rather than running lean. GloveSaver's guidance is similar and adds a warning against panic buying, which creates artificial shortages and spikes prices further.
How Keystone quotes
Keystone quotes PPE delivered to your dock, with country of origin, lot dating, and pack size on the quote, and with USA-made and non-China nitrile lines offered alongside the lowest-price option so you can see the trade-off. Stocked items ship from Edina, Minnesota. Volume and pallet pricing is confirmed on the quote, and approved accounts get Net 30 terms.
Browse exam gloves, respirators and masks, or request a landed-cost quote with your annual volume.
Sources
- Wiley Rein, "USTR Releases Final Section 301 Modifications in Four-Year Review": https://www.wiley.law/alert-USTR-Releases-Final-Section-301-Modifications-in-Four-Year-Review
- GloveSaver, "2026 Nitrile Glove Tariffs: How 100% Duties Are Changing Prices": https://glovesaver.com/blogs/news/2026-nitrile-glove-tariffs-how-100-duties-are-changing-prices-and-what-smart-buyers-are-doing
- CenterPoint Group, "Why nitrile glove costs rose 31.1% in 2026" (August 31, 2026): https://www.centerpointgroup.com/blog/why-nitrile-glove-prices-are-rising
- Suaid Global, "International Shipping Costs 2026: By Mode": https://suaidglobal.com/insights/international-shipping-costs-2026/
