SAEDNEWS: Hospital uniforms for healthcare professionals are made from a variety of fabrics. In addition to differences in material, these garments can feature different textures and undergo various finishing processes.
According to Saednews, The most important fibers used in the production of hospital clothing include cotton, polyester, spandex (Lycra), and viscose. Three of these four fibers—cotton, polyester, and viscose—can be used individually or blended with other fibers to manufacture practical and functional medical scrubs. Therefore, it is useful to first examine the characteristics of these four major fiber types in detail.
Medical coats are traditionally white and designed without unnecessary decorations or embellishments. However, bright white clothing can cause visual discomfort and eye strain. For this reason, operating-room staff commonly wear blue or green garments. Green also provides visual contrast, helping surgeons avoid prolonged exposure to the color red, particularly the color of blood. Constantly focusing on red can gradually reduce visual sensitivity to the color, which may create difficulties during surgery. In pediatric departments, colorful medical clothing is often preferred to create a more cheerful and comfortable environment for children.
Cotton is undoubtedly one of the most widely used and practical fibers for producing various types of clothing, including hospital uniforms. Its popularity can be attributed to several characteristics, including its light weight, softness, smooth texture, good strength, and relatively low tendency to generate static electricity.
Although cotton fabrics can be lightweight and thin, they can still provide good durability. Garments made from cotton also tend to have an attractive drape and appearance when worn. Cotton is particularly well suited to warm seasons such as spring and summer.
However, cotton garments can also be suitable throughout the rest of the year. Printed patterns and designs generally appear clearly and with good quality on cotton fabrics. On the other hand, the color of cotton garments may gradually fade with repeated washing and use. Improper washing can also reduce fabric quality and increase wrinkling.
Because cotton fibers absorb considerable amounts of moisture, they can be more susceptible to staining. Nevertheless, washing cotton scrubs is generally straightforward and does not require complicated maintenance. Cotton garments can also be easily air-dried by hanging them.
Hospital uniforms made from 100% cotton are available on the market. However, cotton is often blended with fibers such as polyester to improve washing performance and reduce the fabric's tendency to wrinkle.
Polyester ranks immediately behind cotton in terms of popularity and use. This synthetic fiber is produced through chemical processes involving petroleum-based materials. Because polyester is a synthetic fiber, it does not provide the same natural feel associated with cotton. Nevertheless, it offers several useful characteristics, including high strength, good wrinkle resistance, easy maintenance, and rapid drying.
These properties are particularly valuable when producing uniforms for healthcare professionals. Polyester fabrics are also highly resistant to shrinkage and stretching, which is one reason polyester is commonly blended with cotton. Such blends combine useful characteristics from both fibers.
Polyester also has relatively low moisture absorption. With certain fabric technologies and construction methods, moisture and perspiration can be transported away from the surface of the skin rather than being absorbed into the fiber in the same way as cotton.
Some people do not prefer the feel of garments made from 100% polyester. Static electricity is another potential disadvantage. However, fabric softeners used during washing can help reduce this effect.
Polyester garments are generally better washed in lukewarm water with fabric softener. Low-speed machine drying can be used when appropriate. Turning polyester garments inside out before washing is also recommended because it can help reduce surface pilling over time.
Viscose rayon is a regenerated cellulosic fiber produced from wood pulp through a series of chemical processes. It can provide a distinctive appearance and feel and is often valued for its soft, smooth characteristics.
Scrubs made from viscose can offer a wide range of qualities and appearances. In general, viscose has good drape and a silk-like hand feel. However, it does not have particularly high elasticity.
Viscose scrubs can wrinkle relatively easily, and the dimensional stability of garments made from this fiber can be affected by washing. Consequently, extra care should be taken when laundering viscose garments. When using a washing machine, a temperature of around 30°C is generally recommended, and tumble drying should be avoided whenever possible.
Spandex, also known as Lycra or elastane, is a familiar fiber used in many types of clothing. It is lightweight, durable, and highly elastic, allowing garments to stretch while maintaining their original shape.
When a garment containing spandex is worn, the fiber stretches with body movement. Once the garment is removed, the fibers recover their original form, helping the garment retain its shape.
The primary purpose of wearing protective clothing in healthcare environments is to provide a physical barrier against potential hazards. Medical garments can then be categorized according to their intended users, such as doctors, nurses, and operating-room personnel.
The four fibers described above are often blended in different proportions to create fabrics with specific performance characteristics. Two of the most common combinations are polyester-cotton and polyester-spandex.
The combination of polyester and cotton is one of the most common blends used to manufacture many types of clothing fabrics, including hospital uniforms.
The polyester component helps the fabric maintain its shape and appearance. It also improves resistance to staining and wrinkling. Cotton, meanwhile, contributes softness and comfort.
A blended fabric will never possess all the properties of each individual fiber in their pure form. For example, a cotton-polyester fabric will not provide exactly the same breathability as 100% cotton. The performance of the fabric depends significantly on the percentage of each fiber in the blend.
Nevertheless, combining cotton and polyester can produce a versatile and durable fabric suitable for demanding healthcare environments.
A well-designed blend can also retain its color and printed patterns reasonably well during repeated washing and use. To maintain the quality and lifespan of cotton-polyester garments, extremely high washing temperatures should be avoided. Washing at approximately 30–40°C and using a moderate machine-drying setting can help preserve the fabric for a longer period.
Polyester-spandex is another effective combination for fabrics used in healthcare uniforms.
In this blend, polyester contributes durability, strength, and shape retention, while spandex provides stretch and greater freedom of movement. Polyester-spandex fabrics generally offer greater wrinkle resistance than cotton-polyester blends.
The quality and performance of the finished fabric can vary depending on the blend ratio, as well as the quality of the yarn and fibers used during production.
Care instructions for polyester-spandex garments can vary according to the amount of spandex and the overall fabric construction. Since spandex is relatively sensitive to high temperatures, washing temperatures should be selected carefully. Lower-temperature water and a dryer setting with no heat or low heat are generally preferable.
Overall, selecting the appropriate fiber or fiber blend for medical scrubs depends on the desired balance between comfort, durability, moisture management, stretch, wrinkle resistance, ease of care, and dimensional stability.
