What is the Best Fabric for Scrubs?

When working on your feet all day in any healthcare setting, it stands to reason that you’ll need clothing that’s supportive, comfortable, durable, and easy to clean. In fact, one of the main reasons our customers shop with us is to look for functional, stylish scrubs that stay comfy even after hours on the go.

But, what is the best fabric for scrubs? In this guide, we’ll take a look at the most popular choices available, and what to look for when shopping around.

Types of Fabrics for Scrubs

The most popular fabrics for scrubs include cotton, polyester, spandex/elastane, rayon, and fabric blends. They’re big hits with our customers thanks to their comfort, ease of cleaning, and flexibility.

Cotton: Pros & Cons

Comfortable and versatile, cotton is an extremely breathable fabric that’s easy to clean. They’re great for healthcare professionals who need to keep cool while moving around busy clinics and hospitals.

However, cotton is also highly absorbent, meaning it doesn’t cope well with certain spills. It can also take longer than many other fabrics to dry.

Polyester: Pros & Cons

Polyester is a great scrub fabric choice mainly because it’s extremely durable. Unlike cotton, polyester also dries very quickly, and repels water easily.

Many people prefer synthetic fabrics like polyester because they’re shrink-resistant. However, as research shows, it’s important to care for it so it retains this power:

“Synthetic fibres such as polyester or nylon are typically less prone to shrinking than others, although they are not 100% shrink-proof. It helps if they are washed and preshrunk, which helps further boost their resistance to future shrinking. The more synthetic fibres there are in a garment, the less likely it is to shrink.”

Asim Kumar Roy Choudhury

Beyond this, polyester scrubs are much less breathable than their cotton counterparts. That means you’re likely to feel hot under the collar – literally – when working fast-paced shifts.

Spandex/Elastane: Pros & Cons

Spandex scrubs are amazingly flexible, meaning they will support you as you move around during your shifts. Spandex is extremely breathable and super comfortable to wear for long periods of time, too.

However, it’s not always the best choice if you’re working in warm environments. Despite its flexibility, this material can become uncomfortable because of low breathability.

Rayon: Pros & Cons

Rayon scrubs are smooth and lightweight, and easily wick away sweat, making them a perfect choice for busy healthcare professionals. They’re very comfortable and supportive for long periods and a range of movement.

The downside is that rayon scrubs often need a little more care than some of the other fabrics we’ve looked at so far. Rayon also wrinkles with very little aggravation.

Blends: Pros & Cons

Fabric blends aim to give you the best of multiple worlds. For example, a polyester/cotton blend is often super comfortable and equally durable, while spandex blends help to make everyday scrubs that little bit more flexible. If you’re really not sure which fabric to choose, a blend can help bridge that gap.

However, there’s no guarantee that fabric blends will be especially comfortable – particularly when you compare them to the supreme softness and comfort of cotton!

Factors to Consider When Choosing Scrub Fabrics

When shopping for scrubs, we recommend prioritising comfort, durability, moisture-wicking properties, allergen-friendly options, and – of course – scrubs that fit your budget (but that aren’t so cheap that they work out being poor value).

Comfort

In a fast-paced, physically demanding environment, you’ll need scrubs that are cool and breathable, and which dry relatively quickly. It’s also a good idea to prioritise fabrics that don’t wrinkle easily, and which support a wide range of motion.

Comfort should be your first priority when looking for scrubs fabric – after all, feeling overly warm or irritated while on long shifts could impede your ability to work.

Durability

Given the nature of the work you do, you’ll be washing, drying, and ironing scrubs after each wear. Therefore, you should always look for scrub fabrics that can withstand heavy washing and that are resistant to staining, tears, and general wear.

Moisture-wicking properties

In your line of work, you are unfortunately going to sweat. That means you need your scrubs to be able to wick it away and keep you dry and comfortable as your shift continues.

Keeping yourself feeling fresh and cool will help you keep your mind on your work and less on your discomfort.

Allergen-friendly options

Many of our customers have sensitive skin, which means that some fabrics might be unsuitable for them to wear. It’s therefore worth considering hypoallergenic scrubs to stave off any itching or rashes. 

For example, some professionals wear spandex or rayon blends because they’re super hypoallergenic. Not all cotton or natural fibres are, so be sure to check labels carefully.

Budget considerations

Remember, the scrubs you buy should last a considerable time – there’s no point investing in cheap (and therefore cheaply-made) tops and pants that fray apart within weeks of buying.

It’s sometimes worth investing a little more money in high-quality scrub materials so you have a reliable wardrobe of options available for the months to come.

DIY and Customisation of Scrubs

If you want to customise your scrubs, cotton is typically the best fabric available thanks to its superb versatility and comfort. However, we also recommend polyester-cotton blends to our customers who want to alter their tops and pants.

Customising your scrubs is a great idea if, for example, you want to add a personal touch or style to your uniforms (within your employer’s remit). You could, for instance, add patches or badges to your outfits, or hem up or let down fabrics if you find they don’t fit perfectly on first wear.

Maintenance and Care Tips

Maintenance and care for your scrubs will vary depending on the fabric used, and you should always read your clothing labels. Some fabrics, like rayon and spandex, for example, will have special care instructions to ensure they last longer.

A good general tip is to wash in cold water, to use mild soap or detergent, and to avoid harsh bleaches and chemicals at all costs. We also recommend turning your outfits inside-out before washing. When drying, avoid overdoing it – direct heat can wrinkle and shrink fabric.

To prolong the life of your scrubs and to make your money travel further, we also suggest you rotate pairs regularly – always have a ‘spare’ set ready to go when needed.

Caring for stains, especially coming from a healthcare environment, can be tricky. We suggest rinsing in cold water as soon as you can, and using dish soap to pre-clean. Then, it’s worth washing your clothes in hot water – after reading the care label – as soon as possible.

Seasonal and Situational Suitability

Breathable fabrics such as cotton are ideal in spring and summer, simply because they can absorb sweat and keep air moving around your body. Lightweight options are also a must, so you can avoid feeling too warm or crowded.

For colder months, you’ll want to consider heavier scrubs – possibly lower on polyester – which keep you insulated without feeling stuffy.

And, there will always be situations where you have specific fabric needs, too. For example, in fast-paced, high-stress situations, you’ll want scrubs that can wick moisture, support a full range of movement, and resist stains well. Again, it’s also worth having extra pairs on standby.

Conclusion 

There are plenty of things to consider when buying scrub tops and pants, but fabric should be at the top of your shopping list. The best fabrics for scrubs are comfortable, supportive, and hard-wearing.

And, here at Medshop, we’ve a fantastic range of comfy, functional, and stylish scrubs from some of the best-loved brands and manufacturers. Take a look at our complete range and reach out if you’d like to learn more.

Sources

Choudhury, A. K. R. (2017). Cotton fabric – An overview. In Antishrink finishing, Principles of textile finishing. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/cotton-fabric

Medshop. (n.d.). Nursing scrub tops. Medshop Australia. https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/nursing-scrub-tops

Medshop. (2022, March 14). The ultimate guide to scrub fabrics. Medshop Australia. https://www.medshop.com.au/blogs/news/the-ultimate-guide-to-scrub-fabrics

ScienceDirect. (n.d.). Cotton fabric. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/cotton-fabric