If you’re new to Scrubs, it may seem like a minefield out there. Post-Covid, many of you in the Medical, Care and Beauty industries who previously didn’t wear Scrubs, are now having to wear extra PPE to protect yourselves and your clients.
Whether you’re new to buying Scrubs or you just need to update your professional appearance you may need some guidance on what’s best for you and your team, and what is available on the market.
At Work in Style, we’ve put together this Ultimate Scrubs Buying Guide to take you through all your options including style, brand or material. We’ll help you make the best and most informed decision on your new Scrubs.
The main things you should consider when buying your Scrubs are;
- Fit
- Style
- Material
- Practicality
- Brand
- Personalisation
We'll go into detail on each of these points but first let’s take a look at what Scrubs are and who wears them.
What are Scrubs?
Scrubs are clothing designed to be worn by medical professionals and more specifically by those providing patient care. Scrubs are easy-to-wear and easy-to-wash garments that are designed to create a barrier between the wearer and any hazardous substances/chemicals they come into contact with. This greatly reduces risk of contamination and infections.
This type of clothing became known as Scrubs because they are used in a sterile (scrubbed) environment
Scrubs have been worn by surgeons in the US for many years but have only recently become popular in the UK in the past 10 to 20 years, replacing the classic tunic style we may be used to seeing in hospitals and on our TV screens. Since the Covid 19 pandemic we are seeing increasing numbers of healthcare professionals wearing Scrubs for daily use.
Scrubs are a great tool in large hospital settings to separate staff from patient or to identify team members. Scrub top and Scrub bottoms come in many brands, colours and sizes which can be mixed and matched, or to differentiate between job roles and departments.
Who wears Scrubs
?
The NHS have been using Scrubs for many years but are now being joined by an array of healthcare professions;
Nurses
Scrubs are great for nurses as they provide comfort and ease of movement on their long demanding shifts. Read all about nurses scrubs here.
Doctors
Great for doctors and surgeons as the Scrubs can be washed at high temperatures to further prevent any risk of infection or spread of contaminants.
Many of our Scrubs have fabric technologies such as soil release and anti-static, which makes it super easy to wipe off hair, fluff and dust and guarantees you won’t end your day covered in animal hair (although we suspect that may come with the territory).
Dentists love our Scrubs. Especially the antimicrobial and fluid barrier properties which repel unwanted fluids which may come flying their way. Read all about dental uniforms here.
Traditionally seen in tunics, care workers are now making the move to Scrubs after seeing a greater focus on infection control (post Covid).
Midwives
It goes without saying that midwives will want some serious barrier protection between themselves and their patient, and Scrubs are perfect for this.
A new player on the block since Covid–19, the beauty and hair industries have begun to take extra precautions to protect themselves and their customers by investing in Scrubs for their teams.
Alternative therapists
Think sports therapists, physios, Reiki masters and acupuncturists - there are dozens of alternative therapists out there who now encourage wearing Scrubs for protection and comfort.
Students
We supply scrubs to nursing students all over the country who wear their very first set of Work in style Scrubs with pride.
What to consider when buying your first/next set of Scrubs;
Fit
Scrubs are designed to be comfortable and unrestrictive to make your life and job easier.
When choosing your Scrub set study the product descriptions to ensure you are choosing the right fit for you. Perhaps you need a loose top so you’ll go for a size up in a Unisex top. Want something more fitted? Then choose a ladies top with rib-knit panels which are more fitted to the body to accentuate shape and look more fashionable and flattering.
Whilst most of our Scrub trousers are straight leg, we also have jogger-style trousers, which are designed to be extra comfortable and wrinkle-free for ease of care.
We have men’s, ladies and unisex Scrubs available. And remember that our men’s styles can be considered unisex. Just make sure you use our size guides and you’ll get the perfect fit every time (and if you don’t, we offer free returns on all UK mainland orders).
Style
Your usual Scrub set will consist of a V-neck scrub top with short dolman sleeves and straight leg Scrub trousers with an elasticated or drawstring waist. However, this can vary when looking at the more premium Scrub styles. Here’s a few examples of different styles of Scrub tops and bottoms;
A range of scrubs that is quickly becoming synonymous with style, comfort, and durability as well as making a rather stylish fashion statement is Grey’s Anatomy Evolve. If you’re looking for great form, functionality and sustainability in your everyday workwear, then you may want to check out the Grey’s Anatomy by Barco range here.
Material
Materials will vary throughout brands and ranges, and most of our Scrubs will be made with a mixture of Polyester and Cotton with spandex added for stretch and comfort. However, some of our brands are now using recycled materials made from plastic bottles to create a diverse range of scrub clothing. Barco One and Skechers Scrubs are saving billions of bottles from landfill every year with their recycled material range.
An important factor in Scrub materials are the fabric technologies used, all aimed at keeping your scrubs clean, stain resistant and extra comfortable. For instance;
2 or 4-way stretch fabric
Stretch fabric is achieved with small amounts of spandex in the fabric. The gentle stretch gives your Scrubs the perfect fit and added comfort.
Anti-microbial
Providing long-lasting freshness and protection against bacteria, antimicrobial fabric technologies inhibit the growth of bacteria, algae and yeast, minimise odours and stains and therefore prolong the useful life of your Scrub set.
Fluid barrier
The fluid barrier technologies are designed to resist spills for long-lasting protection and to make your clothing more breathable and durable. This feature is especially beneficial for dentists and vets due to the nature of their work.
Anti-static
The anti-static technologies in our Scrubs is particularly useful for vets as it allows fluff, dust and hair to release quickly from the surface of the fabric.
Soil release
Soil release is achieved with a chemical finish that helps to easily remove dirt from the garment, while soil release will not prevent dirt from touching your scrubs, it will make it super easy to wipe and wash away with no special laundering needed.
Practicality (pockets, panels, technologies)
Whilst looking and feeling good in your Scrubs is great, their practicality is the most important factor, and Scrubs are most definitely practical.
You’ve already read about their many uses for a variety of professions, medical and otherwise. You’ve read about their unique materials and fabric technologies to keep you clean and safe at work. We also have a great range of fits, styles and sizes for all body types, but let’s delve a little deeper into the small details which make Scrubs the perfect choice for healthcare and medical professionals.
All of our Scrubs come with pockets, so if you’re over-encumbered with utensils and other work-related paraphernalia our Work in Style Scrubs have chest pockets, pen slots, patch pockets and media loops on our Scrub tops. Our Scrub trousers are bursting at the seams with pockets and storage options – back pockets, front pockets, cargo pockets, hidden zipper pockets, media loops and more. Check out the descriptions on our product pages to see exactly what pocket and storage options each of our Scrub items include. And you can read about the benefits of cargo trousers here.
Many of our Scrubs have side vents and panels which create extra space and movement in your Scrub sets. This extra ease of movement is so valuable on long, busy shifts, the comfort of our Scrubs is one of their most important features!
Brands
We sell a range of Scrub brands here at Work in Style. Perhaps you already have a favourite Scrub brand or maybe you’ll see a trusted brand name here which you’ll recognise.
Skechers
Famous for footwear, but they do plenty more. Skechers Scrubs have already taken the US by storm and are now coming for the UK with sportswear-inspired fabrics and fashionable-yet-comfortable designs.
Barco One
Barton One Premium Scrubs for the modern healthcare professional, using the latest technologies and ultra-soft and comfortable fabrics.
Cherokee
The number one player in the Scrubs industry, we have been stocking Cherokee for many years and have hundreds of customers who are converted for life.
Dickies
A trusted brand, you may think of workwear trousers when you think of Dickies, but we can assure you, their Scrubs brand are just as robust and durable as the workwear they are known for.
Work In Style
Key Scrubs, our very own Scrubs and where it all started. We pride ourselves on classic and affordable Scrub sets, worn by many thousands of healthcare professionals across the UK.
Brand features
Our go-to range
The Balance collection from Dickies Scrubs UK is a go-to scrubs range that ticks all the boxes. Dickies deliver on-trend details, a comfortable and flattering fit and in-demand fabric and performance features. Check out our Dickies Balance scrubs here. Dickies also make choosing easy by selling scrubs as a full set, helping us to give you even better value for money.
Our Eco-scrubs
Work In Style are constantly striving to improve our eco-footprint, recycled scrubs is something we are really passionate about – This is why we chose to stock Skechers Scrubs & Barco One Scrubs.
If you're looking to improve your eco footprint then you can opt for our Skechers Scrubs. Skechers are known for their footwear but they have now expanded into the world of scrubs with their stylish, sporty and comfortable scrubs made with recycled fabrics and have an array of great features. Skechers recycled Scrubs are made with rPet fabric, which is produced from using plastic bottles. Just 1 garment from the Skechers Scrub range saves 14 plastic bottles from going to landfill. You can read all about Skechers Scrubs here.
Barco have created fabrics which are made with 43% recycled plastic bottles without compromising on the high quality you would expect from this brand. Barco have recycled over 40 million plastic bottles since 2016, and this is just the start of their Eco journey.
Our best sellers
Our best selling scrub top throughout all our stocked ranges, Cherokee is still a firm favourite with many of our customers and you can check out our range of Cherokee products here and here.
Our outstanding quality scrubs - Known for their high quality materials as well as the style of their garments, we are delighted to offer a superb selection of Dickies scrub trousers and scrub tops to buy online.
Personalisation
Want to take your Scrubs to the next level? Get them personalised with your name, job title and/or company logo. We can offer embroidery on most of our Scrub tops and we've made the process as easy as possible.
You can add embroidery to your basket when placing your order, and then a simple email to us to get your embroidery design set up before we add the embroidery in-house.
We have received fantastic feedback from our existing customers on our embroideries. It really adds a unique flare to your uniforms and is also great for big teams with different job roles. Take a look at some examples of what we have already done below;
@clareogradyholistictherapies
@marginsonmedical
Benefits
You’ll have realised that there are many benefits to wearing our scrubs. They’re easy to wear with their incredible comfort, durability and functionality, not to mention the breathability, wrinkle free and tear resistance of the fabric for the duration of your long shifts. They are easy to wash, ensuring that hygiene is always upheld. They are safe to wear, providing that all-important barrier between the wearer and any hazardous substances/chemicals they may come in to contact with – to protect you and the patient. They also provide the neat, professional appearance required of healthcare professionals and make you easily identifiable. With all these benefits in one – Work in Style Scrubs are clearly the most cost-effective choice with a diverse range of options to boot. We are committed to providing you with the best medical gear by offering you a platform to purchase them from the best manufacturers. Read more about why you should chose Work In Style for your next scrubs purchase here.
Scrubs are the best choice for comfortable and practical healthcare, with their fabric technologies to keep you and your patients safe, plenty of colours and sizes to kit out your whole team, and a whole array of options to personalise your Scrubs.
Order from our Scrubs range today, and don’t forget we offer free UK delivery on orders over £75 and free returns for our UK mainland customers
ORDER YOUR NEW FAVOURITE SCRUBS NOW
Common questions about scrubs:
What are the best materials for medical scrubs?
Most scrubs are made from a blend of cotton, polyester and Spandex. These materials give the scrubs the durability they need, while making them breathable, wrinkle free, and tear resistant. In addition to polycotton or Spandex Scrubs, Work in Style can also offer you a variety of sustainable, eco-friendly scrubs that reduce your carbon print. Skechers and Barco manufacture scrubs made from recycled plastic bottles, converted into soft fabric with the advantages of full stretch, moisture wicking and breathability, plus soil release technology, helping to keep spillages and stains from absorbing into the fabrics.
How often should medical scrubs be washed?
Ideally, your scrubs should be washed after each wear, particularly in a medical setting. And, to ensure bacteria is not spread onto other clothes, ensure they are washed separately.
What are the most popular brands for medical scrubs?
The medical uniforms available on the site are from top-tier manufactures such as the Cherokee, Dickies, Barco and Skechers. They have been in the industry for years and have immense credibility and expertise. The uniforms are comfortable, customisable, and available at very affordable prices.
How do I choose the right size for my medical scrubs?
We don’t use UK sizing, such as 10/12/14 on our uniforms as we find this type of sizing can be very unreliable and does change from brand to brand. Instead, we ask you to use your measurements with our size guides, this ensures you are getting a fit personalised to you! We usually only need your waist/hip/chest measurements.
With unique workwear from all over the world, we stock a variety of different brands for all medical professionals, each of which will offer different products with different fits. This is why you will find a unique size chart for each brand (including our own Work In Style brand) on every page;
With personalised size guides for every brand and measuring videos, it’s almost impossible to order the wrong size. But if you do end up with an ill-fitting set of scrubs we offer a free return service to get them refunded or exchanged for you ASAP!
Buyer's checklist
Things to consider when choosing your scrubs
- Material - What material/fabric do you prefer your scrubs to be made from?
- Fit and comfort - Have you checked your size for a particular brand of scrubs?
- Features - Do you need pockets, side vents or panels?
- Hygiene and maintenance - How many scrub uniforms do you need to ensure you have a fresh set every day?
- Colour and design - Which colour and design is appropriate for your profession, position?
- Customisation - Do you need your name, job or company logo embroidered on your scrubs?
- Brands/reviews - What do others say about your chosen product?
- Price/budget - Does your chosen product fit within your budget?
- Warranty/return policy - What's the exchange/return policy in case they don't fit, etc.?