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Natural Rubbers

Silicone Rubber

Natural rubbers are rubber mixtures created from natural sources of rubber. There are several different trees around the world that provide the flexible material that is the base for rubber, but the most popular source is the para rubber tree, originally found in

South America. The sap from the tree is harvested and processed with water and other ingredients to produce the stretchy natural, latex rubber that we know and use today in many different applications.

The problem with natural rubbers, is that some people are allergic to the rubber. Latex can cause skin rashes, itchiness, and other problems in people with the allergy. The invention of synthetic rubbers has made this problem less of an issue for many, but no synthetic rubber matches the properties of natural rubber precisely. This can pose a problem for people who need natural rubber but cannot touch the rubber.
Most people with sensitivities to latex have an allergic reaction to the protein content inside the rubber. Eliminating much of this protein can help reduce the effects of allergic reactions in those with allergies to latex. Manufacturers around the world have come up with a formula for low-protein rubber that still retains many of the same properties as natural rubber latex.

Low-protein latex is highly useful in the medical industry, which relies on many natural rubber products for day-to-day medical procedures. The low-protein latex provides the same benefits as true latex, including excellent water protection, elasticity, strength, durability, and tactile sensitivity. Manufacturers of the new low-protein latex manufacture it away from true rubber to avoid contaminating the device. In standard protein tests, the harmful protein levels inside modified latex are nearly undetectable, and should prevent any allergy sufferer from receiving any symptoms.