Sustainability seems to be the buzzwork, in the realm of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives. The global glove industry, lead by Malaysian manufacturers, has been investing heavily in the past 10 years. R&D that pertains to manufacture of sustainable gloves, be it natural or synthetic. Such development in the industry, is driven by the joint efforts of Malaysian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (MARGMA), Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) and Malaysian Rubber Council (MRC). To achieve the sustainability goal, the three pillars of sustainability namely economic, social and environment must be integrated optimally even though in the real world.

It is often not the case as countries or business organizations tend to give more focus on economic sustainability at the expense of social and environmental sustainability. Innovation, as far as the Malaysian glove manufacturers are concerned, has a huge slant towards sustainability. This paper gives an overview of the various sustainability initiatives as well as innovations within the industry. The nexus between innovation and sustainability cannot be understated, especially when discerning end users, look forward to more sophisticated functional applications of gloves, brought about by innovation and the narrative that fits the cradle to grave journey.