Disposable clothing in bulk: shoe covers, gowns, coveralls, caps
Disposable is about thickness and quantity
Here the price is almost always counted per piece or pair, so a difference of a few paise across thousands of units adds up. But the cheapest shoe covers can tear at the first step, and then the saving is gone.
The main figure is the material weight in g/m². Shoe covers and caps do fine with a light material. Gowns and coveralls for a lab or for painting need a denser spunbond or SMS. SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) holds liquids back better and is often used in medicine.
What to choose for your job
- Shoe covers — polyethylene ones tear sooner, spunbond ones are tougher, and ones with an anti-slip sole are safer on tiles;
- Gowns and coveralls — for a salon or food production people usually take spunbond, and for painting and chemical work a coverall with a hood;
- Caps and sleeve covers — often elasticated, and usually sold in packs of 100;
- Aprons — polyethylene ones for the kitchen or washing, thicker ones for work with liquids.
What to put in your request
- What exactly — shoe covers, gown, coverall, cap, sleeve covers, apron;
- Material and weight — spunbond, polyethylene, SMS, for example 25 g/m²;
- Purpose — medical, food, beauty salon, painting, lab;
- Quantity — a one-time lot or regular supplies;
- Size and colour — M to XXL or free size, blue or white;
- Packing — how many pieces in a pack and in a carton;
- Delivery city and budget — price per piece or pair.
Example: “I need 1,000 pairs of spunbond shoe covers with elastic for a beauty salon, from 25 g/m², blue, in packs of 100. Delivery to Toronto, budget up to $0.07 per pair.”
How to compare offers
Convert everything to a price per piece or pair including delivery: some sellers quote per pack, some per carton. Check the weight, size and packing. If you need papers for an inspection, ask about a certificate or declaration beforehand.
On BlaBlaPrice sellers compete for your request. They can see where their offer stands and can lower the price or improve the terms. For bulk buying this is handy, since you do not need to call warehouses one by one. The best-value offer is shown first, with seller reviews beside it. Read how it all works on the “How it works” page.
Common mistakes
People do not state the purpose, and the seller offers a material that is too thin. They compare the price per pack without noticing the number of pieces differs. They take one size for everyone, though a gown or coverall should fit loosely without dragging on the floor.
For regular work in a clinic, also look at medical clothing, and for breathing protection, respiratory protection.
