Tips for Choosing the Best Medical Scrubs for Comfort & Style

The right clothing for outstanding patient care

Healthcare professionals need medical scrubs that work just as hard as they do. They have to stand up to long hours, plenty of washings and rough treatment. They also need to be comfortable and pleasant to wear—with bonus points if they’re stylish. Here’s how to find the best medical scrubs for your workplace.

Finding the right material for scrubs

The fabric of your scrubs plays a major role in comfort, durability, and ease of cleaning. Since medical professionals work long shifts and require full range of motion, it’s important to choose scrubs made from materials that balance breathability, flexibility, and resilience. Here are some of the best options:

• Cotton: Soft, breathable and lightweight, cotton helps keep workers cool and comfortable, especially in warm weather. It will wear out faster that other fabrics after repeated washings, however. 

• Rayon: Affordable and hypoallergenic, rayon scrubs are a good fit in most medical settings. The material is breathable and doesn’t make the wearer sweat too much.

• Polyester: One of the heavier materials on this list, polyester is durable and doesn’t soak up liquids easily. That’s good in a field where biohazards are part of the job. Polyester also dries quickly, so it’s easy to wash.

• Spandex: Workers who need to bend and stretch should consider spandex scrubs. It’s a flexible, stretchy, lightweight fabric that won’t tear under pressure. It doesn’t stand up to repeated washings as well as some other materials on this list, though.

• Mixed materials: Many scrubs combine cotton, rayon, polyester and spandex to get each material’s best features. Mixed-material scrubs are often comfortable, durable, breathable and easy to clean.

For a deeper dive, check out The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Comfortable Scrubs.

Essential features for scrubs

No matter what kind of work they do, doctors and nurses need scrubs with two essential features: pockets and antimicrobial fabric.

• Pockets: Healthcare professionals carry a variety of small tools throughout their shifts—pens, notepads, phones, flashlights, and hand sanitizer, to name a few. Scrubs with multiple pockets allow for easy access to essentials without needing extra bags.

• Antimicrobial fabric: This specialized fabric helps prevent the spread of germs by stopping microorganisms from growing and transferring onto surfaces. While antimicrobial scrubs may cost more thanks to their advanced design, they enhance hygiene and safety for both staff and patients.

Workplace dress codes also play a role in scrub selection. Some facilities assign specific colors by department, while others may have restrictions on patterns or designs. Be sure to check your workplace policies when choosing your scrubs.

To learn why scrubs are a good choice for all kinds of medical workers, read Doctor Scrubs vs. Nurse Scrubs: A Comparison Guide.

Stay stylish while you work

While medical scrubs aren’t exactly high fashion, you can still find ways to express yourself while wearing them. Finding the right design, color or pattern can help you look your best and feel confident while you work.

If you want stylish scrubs, then think about:

• Body fit: Most workplaces don’t allow scrubs that are too loose or too tight. Otherwise, the fit is up to you and it can be a big part of your style. Your scrubs can be practical, flattering or anything in-between.

• Collars, sleeves and pants: While scrubs all have the same general design, the details can change a lot from set to set. For example: medical scrubs with a V-neck collar, short sleeves and elastic ankle cuffs look much different from a set with a mandarin collar, long sleeves and flared pants.

• Colors and patterns: Some medical workplaces ask each department to wear color-coordinated scrubs. Otherwise, you can choose from a variety of different colors and designs, including flowers, animals and abstract patterns.

• Customization: As long as your dress code allows it, you could also stitch your name, a patch or a simple design into your scrubs. This gives an otherwise generic outfit a personal touch.

Chic & Functional: What to Look for in Stylish Scrubs for Healthcare has more tips on how to pick the right scrubs.

Set pediatric patients at ease

Scrubs with cartoon characters or bright colors can help put kids at ease and make visits go a little easier. You’ll want your scrubs to be colorful and approachable—but you’ll also want them to be functional and durable. Look for these features:

• Familiar characters: You can buy pediatric scrubs with all sorts of cartoon and comic book characters on them. This is a great way to start conversations with young patients. If you don’t have a favorite children’s character, you can also go for bright, colorful designs.

• Stain resistance: Working with children often means working with bodily fluids. Stain-resistant scrubs are more sanitary and easier to clean.

• Elastic waistbands: Children move around a lot and you’ll need to move with them. Elastic waistbands let you bend and stretch easily. You also won’t have to worry about a knot coming untied somewhere.

As with other kinds of medical scrubs, you’ll also want comfortable fabric and plenty of pockets—perhaps for keeping a stash of handy lollipops.

Read How to Choose the Perfect Set of Pediatric Scrubs for more tips on interacting with young patients.

Buy scrubs in bulk for large medical practices

If your practice provides medical scrubs for your employees, you can make the process a bit easier by buying them in bulk. For the most part, you’ll want to look for the features we discussed in previous sections—comfort, functionality, style, fit and durability. The materials and colors you choose will depend on your particular workplace.

If you store your scrubs on-site, you’ll need a plan to clean and maintain them properly. First, make sure your workers wear disposable gloves when they handle dirty uniforms. Scrubs might have microbes on them that could spread illness. From there, wash the scrubs according to their fabric type. Cotton scrubs need cold water, for example, while polyester scrubs need warm water.

Fold the scrubs and store them in cool, dry places until your staff needs to wear them again. Proper cleaning and storage prevents wear and tear on scrubs, which means you’ll spend less money replacing them.

Purchasing managers should check out Bulk Medical Scrubs: Considerations to Make Before Investing.

Scrub up with Walmart Business

Scrubs are more than just a piece of clothing. They’re also a way to keep patients safe and express your own sense of style. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or an entire department, Walmart Business has a variety of high-quality medical scrubs to choose from. Sign up for a free Walmart Business account and you’ll be able to share an account among multiple users and see complete order histories for both in-store and online purchases. You can also set up automatic recurring orders.¹

Already have an account? Upgrade to a Walmart Business+ membership. You’ll get free shipping from Business.Walmart.com² and free delivery from local Walmart stores on orders of $35 or more.³ When you spend $250 or more on an order, you’ll also earn 2% back in Walmart Business Rewards.⁴ These perks could help your business save more than $500 per year.⁵

¹ Shipping, delivery and minimum order fees may apply. Eligible items only. Terms apply.

² Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

³ Restrictions apply. 

⁴ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁵ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).