WHY SCRUB MATERIAL MATTERS
Are you thinking of getting a new pair of scrubs and wondering which scrub material you should buy your scrubs in? Here are some of the best tips to help you choose your nursing scrubs efficiently. This guide will help you find and buy scrubs that will last you a long time while being a good as new.
This post contains all the best tips to help you choose the best scrub material for your nursing scrubs.
Nursing scrubs provide a protective barrier between your skin and anything that you come in contact with while working. As nurses, we know that scrub material choice matters to us because of the kind of pathogens and contaminated material we come in contact with.
As a standard protocol, most medical professionals wear scrubs to their workplace especially if they work in the hospital. So, whether you are a surgeon, a dentist, or a lab technician, you would be wearing scrubs to work. This is why finding the right material choice for scrubs is very crucial.
While scrubs are simple two-piece clothing, including a comfy shirt and pants, selecting the perfect one is not so simple! You need to consider multiple things before buying a pair of scrubs for yourself. This includes the fabric, the color, the quality, and so on.
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What do Nurses Look for in Scrubs?
Amongst all these things, your scrubs’ material is one of the most important factors determining their overall comfort and practicality which is what we will be focusing on.
In this blog post, we will discuss why it is important to choose your nurse scrub material wisely. Read on!
What Material are Scrubs Made of?
It wont be fair to talk about about scrub materials without first breaking down the types of material commonly used in making scrubs.
In recent years, most of these fabrics are used in combination of each other or with other types of fabrics to offer health care professionals the best.These fabric blends helps scrubs companies to make up for the deficiency of one fabric by combining it with another that has exactly what the first fabric is lacking.
Some of the leading names in scrubs have incorporated super cool technologies to give healthcare workers even better nurse scrub properties and experiences.
Jaanuu scrubs and Figs scrubs for instance feature Silvadur antimicrobial technology that adds a layer of protection to prevent nurse scrubs from picking up all the pathogens nurses encounter while working.
figs
FIGS scrubs are always ANTI-WRINKLE, RIDICULOUSLY SOFT, MOISTURE-WICKING and feature FOUR-WAY STRETCH and SILVADUR™ ANTIMICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY for odor control and fabric durability.
Types of Scrub materials
The base material or fabric used in making scrubs are Rayon, Cotton, Polyester and Spandex. Modern day scrubs are usually made with a combination of these base fabrics. Each fabric's unique quality determines the preference of a scrub company's fabric in manufacturing their line of nursing scrubs. Below are some of the unique characteristics that makes these scrub materials preferred over another.
property | Breathable | easy to clean | Durable | Moisture absorbing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cotton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rayon | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Spandex | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Polyester | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
1. Scrub Material Determines Comfort-Level
Wearing comfortable clothes is essential when working in the medical industry, which is known to be super-intense and grueling. When you are in charge of ensuring the well-being of so many patients, your comfort should be a priority. Because when you feel uneasy in your clothing, you will naturally be distracted and won’t be able to do your job in the best possible manner.
As I said before, medical scrubs come in varied materials, and different materials offer different comfort levels. For example, while cotton is the most comfortable and breathable fabric, it gets wrinkled and shrinks faster than other fabrics.
On the other hand, materials like polyester don’t shrink quickly, but they aren’t sweat-absorbent. Thus, synthetic or polyester scrubs might feel uncomfortable to many people, especially during the hotter months. Therefore, it is advisable to analyze your requirements, personal preferences, and physical activity at work before buying your medical scrubs.
2. It Affects the Durability and Lifespan of Your Scrubs
The material of your scrubs plays a significant role in determining their durability and lifespan. High-quality and expensive scrubs generally last almost twice as long as the cheaper ones. Additionally, high-quality scrubs can prevent contaminants and infections from harming you.
As a healthcare professional, you will have to work in a contagious environment, and scrubs act as your protective gear. So, naturally, they will have to undergo regular washing and disinfecting. So, they should be made from a material that can withstand intense washing and is good enough to be worn several times.
Therefore, it is essential to choose a quality-oriented material that is easier to wash and dry. Cotton is a superior fabric that is not only durable but super-soft and lightweight too. It can also easily withstand multiple uses, intense washes, and chemical-cleaning products like heavy-duty detergents. The only downside of choosing cotton scrubs is that they shrink, lose shape, and fade quickly.
Materials like linen, poly-cotton, and rayon can act as excellent alternatives to cotton.
3. It Determines Safety
When working in a medical facility, you don’t only have to work with highly contagious diseases, you also have to handle sharp tools and equipments. Your scrubs act as your armor in such an environment.
It is therefore crucial to choose the material that repels foul odors, prevents chemical stains, and doesn’t get torn easily. A thin and delicate fabric would just end up getting caught in several things and make your work harder.
While purchasing scrubs, always go for durable and slightly thicker materials. Materials like polyester-cotton blend, polyester-spandex blend, etc., are tough by nature and can withstand long working hours. In addition, they are flexible, tear-resistant, stretchable, and are easy to wash and maintain.
4. High-Quality Material Enables You to Tackle Difficult Jobs More Easily
Superior quality, soft, and comfortable scrub material empowers you to tackle your job in a more efficient way. As a healthcare worker, you have hundreds of things to worry about, and your scrubs shouldn’t be one of them!
When on duty, your complete focus should be on treating your patients. Therefore, your clothing shouldn’t distract you from doing so.
While high-quality materials like linen and cotton are way more expensive than the likes of polyester, they are worth the investment. This is because these materials are not only highly durable but will also provide you with a high level of comfort.
5. Scrub Material Can Enhance or Spoil Your Looks
The fabric of your scrubs has the power to enhance and spoil your whole appearance and looks. Gone are the days when the majority of scrubs followed the standard round-neck and white-colored pattern. Modern-day scrubs are both chic and comfortable. Therefore, you can still make a style statement in your medical uniform.
Today, scrubs are available in various attractive shades like blue, violet, pink, green, etc. They also come in multiple elegant designs like the V-neckline, slit hems, zipper detailing, belt loops, and so on!
Apart from designs and colors, material plays a vital role in deciding the overall appearance of your scrubs. A soft and lightweight material looks more attractive than a thick one. Moreover, you should also try to go with wrinkle-resistant, moisture-wicking, and easy-to-maintain fabric.
6. Boosts Your Confidence
Depending on what material or fabric used for making a nurses' scrubs, the scrubs can come out looking super stylish and chic helping to boost a nurses confident. Theres nothing better than a competent and confident nurse at the bedside. Looking good is feeling good and feeling good is being able to provide the best care for your patients.
A not so good fabric will yield a not so good scrub set. If you are left conscious about how you look while you work, it can shift your concentration from the things that actually matter at that point in time.
To prevent this, finding a nursing scrub with a good material and hence a good fit will make all the difference in. your day.
7. Make You Look Professional
After talking about the confidence you will have in yourself, it will be fair to also hit on the confidence your patients will have in you.
Looking professional has a lot to do with your mannerism and how you look outwardly. Wearing poorly fitted, wrinkled scrubs makes you look very unprofessional.
When we go in to see our patients as nurses, first impressions matter in creating that initial rapport with them. You don't want to be the nurse that will look unprofessional in the eyes of your patients even before you get the chance to care for them. Having the right scrub fabric will help you look professional and hopefully win your patients confidence in you.
FAQs
What material are scrubs usually made of?
Nurse scrubs are typically made of cotton, polyester, rayon or spandex and sometimes a blend of any these fabrics. Whatever the fabric of choice is, it should be lightweight and durable, making it comfortable to wear all day long.
Additionally, the material is should be easy to care for and can be machine-washed and dried. It should also be lightweight and breathable, to help prevent sweating.
What fabric is best for making scrubs?
There are many different types of fabric that can be used for making scrubs. While some nurses may prefer a certain type of fabric, the best choice is usually a blend of different key fabrics like the ones discussed in this blog.
To make things interesting, get the best of all these fabrics and more with recent technologies like the ones from Jaanuu and Figs to help protect you can your family.
Are all scrubs antimicrobial?
No. Not all nurse scrubs are antimicrobial.
A nurse scrub material that is not antimicrobial will only give basic protection from bacteria, germs etc., so it is important to note this when purchasing your scrubs
If your nurse uniforms are plain cotton (non -antimicrobial), they should be changed and washed on a regular basis.
Are scrubs breathable?
Yes! Most nurse scrubs in the market today are made from breathable materials to ensure the comfort of healthcare professionals. Nursing scrubs made from cotton, rayon and many others are super breathable and made with natural fibers.
Breathability is important as it prevents the sucking up of moisture from the skin, but instead wick away sweat from your body to the outside of the fabric where evaporation can take place. This allows for optimum comfort in high-heat situations.
Which scrubs are the softest?
Generally speaking, scrubs made from cotton are soft and breathable and will keep you cool in summer months. This is because cotton has natural moisture-wicking properties that are great for keeping you cool and dry.
However, there are other materials used to manufacture scrub which can be just as soft or even softer than cotton scrubs.
Scrubs made from modal, rayon & bamboo have similar wicking abilities but these fabrics also boast incredible softness. Modal and rayon are made from beech trees while bamboo is a grass plant which means they're super environmentally friendly!
Summing Up
So, that was all about the importance of scrub material for healthcare professionals. Each material has its pros and cons, and the final choice will always depend upon your preferences and job requirements. No matter what, always ensure to go for the material that is comfortable, breathable, easy to wash and maintain.
[…] often you need to replace your scrubs depends on the fabric and their overall quality. Usually, low-quality scrubs made from inferior materials get worn out […]