100% Gloves Manufacturers & Innovator

Manufacturing Facilities

50+

Researchers Globally

6000

Employees

2.2

Billion Single Use Gloves Produced Annually

450

Millions Pairs Reusable Gloves Produced Annually

100+

Owned Patents

VERTICALLY INTEGRATED GLOBAL MANUFACTURER = SYNERGY ACROSS THE GLOBE FOR REGIONAL MARKETS BENEFITS

Showa’s Glove Factories

SHOWA GLOVES SAKAIDE, JAPAN

Founded in 2025

Employee: N/A

SHOWA GLOVES Japan

Founded in 1954

Employee: N/A

SHOWA GLOVES GUATEMALA, PUERTO BARRIOS

Founded in 1985

Employees: 500

SHOWA GLOVES VIETNAM CO. LTD.

Founded in 2003

Employees: 2000

SHOWA GLOVES MALAYSIA

Founded in 1989

Employees: 2000

SHOWA GLOVES Myanmar

Founded 2015

Employees: 800

We Are SHOWA

SHOWA is a fully industrial hand protection integrated manufacturer. We fully control our industrial ecosystem by creating all our own machinery, yarns, coatings, polymers, designs and hand formers, we control every step of our process, every step of the way – for 100% quality control at every level.

SHOWA make protective gloves for all industries and applications/usage for hand protection. Our glove PPE solutions are grouped into seven major product families or Clusters:

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General Purpose protection Gloves

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Anti-Cut protection gloves

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Chemical protection gloves

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Insulated protection gloves

Heat / Cold

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Single-use gloves

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Antistatic protection gloves (ESD)

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Impact protection gloves

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SHOWA: A PERFECT BALANCE

SHOWA literally means “finding a balance between different elements” in Japanese. This principle is much more than just a formula; it is at the heart of our approach and requires full control of all stages.

SHOWA revolutionized Personal hand protection equipment with the introduction of the world’s first PVC glove in 1953. SHOWA leads the world in innovation with the introduction of industry-firsts such as fully coated, very flexible PVC, flat-dip innovation with natural rubber, cut-resistant gloves with unmatched protection and comfort, crinkle finish natural rubber gloves that provide puncture and cut resistance over the past 70+ years.

Most notably, SHOWA developed the world’s first disposable nitrile glove, and the industry’s first biodegradable product line with our Eco Best Technology (EBT) in the glove industry across single-use and reusable product offerings.

A LEGACY OF INNOVATION: AKEO TANAKA, FOUNDER

SHOWA’s origin story begins with a soldier’s vision. Witnessing firsthand the inadequacy of hand protection, Akeo Tanaka was driven to revolutionise the industry. His breakthrough? In 1953, he invented the world’s first PVC glove – a solution blending safety with the practicality that he had learnt from his time developing PVC ink cartridges for premium fountain pens.

This innovation led to the launch of SHOWA in 1954, built on a foundation of integrity, harmony, and customer trust. Tanaka’s vision continues to shape our commitment to excellence and customer-centricity.

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR HAND PROTECTION

At SHOWA, quality and innovation are not just goals, they are our foundation. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and our comprehensive PPE expertise, we deliver the ultimate in hand protection.

This unwavering commitment to consistent excellence is why millions worldwide trust and rely on SHOWA.

KEY MILESTONES

1954

Company Founded

Manufactured the world’s first PVC gloves.

1985/1989

PU Palm-Coated Glove

Launched the first ever PU palm-coated glove, **SHOWA B0500**.

1992

Latex-Free Nitrile Glove

The world’s first 100% nitrile, latex-free glove, **Best N-DEX**, was launched.

1994

Improved Dipping Method

**SHOWA 310** developed with an improved dipping method: latex is coated onto the knitting directly, providing permanent flexibility and durability.

2005

Breathable & Waterproof

Developed and launched the first glove with breathable and waterproof technology, **TEMRES 280**.

2007

Acquisition

SHOWA acquires Best Manufacturing (founded in 1951).

2012

Biodegradable Gloves

Invented the world’s first biodegradable disposable gloves, **GREEN-DEX**.

2014

Brand Revamp

Following the acquisition of Best, the SHOWA logo was revamped to reflect a unified global brand.

2021

ChemRest Launch

Launch of **ChemRest**, an online tool to help users select appropriate chemical-resistant hand protection.

2024

SHOWA MFT PRO

Launched **SHOWA MFT PRO** ‘Performance by Design’ delivering a new standard of performance and comfort.

2025

New Factory (6th Total)

Opens a new state-of-the-art, Single Use glove factory in Sakaide, Japan, making a total of 6 manufacturing facilities.

2026

President Appointment

Yuichiro Tanaka appointed current President.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

THE JOURNEY OF PERFECTION: ALWAYS A GLOVE AHEAD
As our tagline states: “Always Innovating. Never Imitating”. Our investment in research and product development is to adapt to users’ needs and the shifts in global demand for new and innovative products. Over 100 researchers, designers and engineers devote their energy to developing new models in close synergy with production sites and customer needs. We have technical support (globally) with the expertise of our chemists, lab technicians, and R&D ownership of 58 patents.