ASTM D4679-21 PDF

Full title and description

ASTM D4679-21 — Standard Specification for Rubber General Purpose, Household or Beautician Gloves. This specification establishes minimum physical and performance requirements, and related test procedures, for rubber (latex or synthetic) gloves intended for household, beautician, or other general-purpose use. It describes acceptable constructions (unsupported or flock-lined), acceptable surface finishes (smooth, textured, or patterned), and basic pairing/fit requirements (ambidextrous or matched right/left pairs).

Abstract

ASTM D4679-21 provides a short, prescriptive specification to help manufacturers, purchasers, and testers ensure consistent basic quality of rubber general-purpose gloves. The standard sets dimensional and physical property requirements (including tensile strength and ultimate elongation), requires testing before and after accelerated aging, and references relevant test methods for detection of holes and other common quality checks. It is intended as a purchasing and QC specification rather than a use or safety guide.

General information

• Status: Active standard (current edition).
• Publication date: November 1, 2021 (designated D4679-21).
• Publisher: ASTM International.
• ICS / categories: 61.040 (Headgear. Clothing accessories. Fastening of clothing); 83.060 (Rubber).
• Edition / version: D4679-21 (replaces earlier D4679 editions/updates).
• Number of pages: 3 (concise specification document).

Scope

This specification covers requirements for gloves made of rubber-like latex (natural or synthetic), either unsupported or with flock lining, intended for household, beautician, or general-purpose use. It defines dimensional requirements (width, length, finger and palm thickness by size), minimum physical properties (tensile strength and ultimate elongation), and testing before and after accelerated aging. The standard explicitly excludes instructions for safe or proper use; it is a material/product specification to ensure consistent performance and quality.

Key topics and requirements

• Applicable product types: natural or synthetic rubber gloves for household, beautician, or general use (unsupported or flock-lined).
• Dimensional requirements: width, length, and finger/palm thickness specified per glove size.
• Physical property requirements: minimum tensile strength and ultimate elongation, measured by referenced test methods, required both before and after accelerated aging.
• Aging and durability: accelerated aging procedures with post‑age physical property verification to confirm acceptable degradation limits.
• Construction and finish: gloves may be smooth, textured, or patterned on the fingers; cuffs may be rolled or cut; gloves must be ambidextrous or supplied as matched right/left pairs.
• Referenced test methods and checks: references include vulcanized rubber tension test methods, dimensional measurement practices, hole-detection methods, and other relevant ASTM/ISO test methods.
• Sampling and conformity: sampling procedures and acceptance criteria are implied by referenced test methods and inspection practices to verify conformance to the specification.

Typical use and users

Primary users include glove manufacturers, product development and quality-control laboratories, procurement and specification writers for consumer and professional products (beauty salons, household goods suppliers), compliance and inspection bodies, and retail buyers who require a basic, testable specification for general-purpose rubber gloves. It is not a medical or surgical glove standard and is not intended for primary personal protective equipment (PPE) applications requiring specialized barrier properties unless supplemented by additional requirements.

Related standards

ASTM D4679-21 references and is commonly used alongside a number of ASTM and international standards, including (but not limited to): ASTM D412 (Test Methods for Vulcanized Rubber — Tension), ASTM D573 (Rubber — Deterioration in an Air Oven), ASTM D3767 (Practice for Measurement of Dimensions), ASTM D5151 (Test Method for Detection of Holes in Medical Gloves), ISO 20057 (Rubber household gloves — General requirements and test methods), and ISO 2859 (Sampling procedures and tables for inspection by attributes).

Keywords

rubber gloves, household gloves, beautician gloves, latex gloves, synthetic rubber, tensile strength, ultimate elongation, accelerated aging, glove dimensions, hole detection, D4679-21, ASTM

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ASTM D4679-21 is a concise ASTM specification that sets minimum dimensional and physical property requirements for rubber general-purpose gloves intended for household, beautician, or similar general use.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers glove construction types (unsupported or flock-lined), allowable surface finishes (smooth, textured, patterned), dimensional measurements (length, width, finger/palm thickness by size), minimum tensile strength and ultimate elongation before and after accelerated aging, and references test methods for verification and hole detection. It does not provide instructions for safe use.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Manufacturers, quality control and test laboratories, purchasers and specifiers for household and professional consumer products (e.g., beautician suppliers), and compliance/inspection personnel use this standard to ensure consistent basic glove quality.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The D4679-21 edition (published November 1, 2021) is the current edition. It supersedes earlier editions of ASTM D4679; users should confirm they are using the latest designation (D4679-21) for procurement or compliance purposes.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: D4679-21 is a standalone specification within ASTM's portfolio for rubber products; it is related by subject matter to other ASTM test methods and practices (for example D412, D573, D3767, D5151) and to international standards for household rubber gloves such as ISO 20057.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Key keywords include rubber gloves, household gloves, beautician gloves, latex, synthetic rubber, tensile strength, elongation, accelerated aging, glove dimensions, hole detection, and general-purpose gloves.