The Infinite Variety of Discount Scrubs Fashions and Colors

When specialized medical apparel first came into widespread use in the mid-twentieth century, it was almost always made of white fabrics which represented cleanliness and sterile conditions. The glaring lights in operating rooms reflecting back off of a wholly white environment, however, caused eyestrain in many surgeons and medical professionals and as a result the scrubs which are worn in surgery came to be made from solid-colored, light green or blue fabrics. Nowadays hospitals in the United States and Canada require polyester or cotton scrubs for most of their personnel, whereas in Europe most nurses still wear a uniform of trousers or dress and tunic and most doctors wear street clothing with a white lab coat outside of the operating room. Surgical scrubs are usually owned by the hospital rather than the wearer, which obviates problems of sterility which might be present in home laundering. If not owned and laundered by the hospital, they can be leased by the hospital from commercial linen services.

Some larger hospitals and acute care facilities have relaxed regulations regarding the wearing of non regulation scrubs outside the operating room. Discount scrubs not specifically designed for operating room use come in a wide variety of colors, styles, and patterns. These range from officially issued uniforms to custom-made, stylish designs in printed patterns. Some hospitals use the different colors of scrubs to differentiate between different patient care departments, such as Emergency, Labor and Delivery, Surgery, etc. or between patient care staff and support staff (e.g. dietary, porter, supply, etc.). Scrubs decorated with cartoon characters and other cheerful, upbeat prints are often found in children’s hospitals and pediatricians’ offices. Special prints celebrating the different holidays are available also. University hospitals sometimes feature scrubs bearing the school’s logo and colors.

Scrubs are so practical and comfortable, and are now available in such a wide range of styles, colors, and fabrics, that they have begun to gain acceptance outside of hospitals as an item of casual dress. Discounted scrubs are commonly used as workout clothing, loungewear, or pajamas. Backpackers sometimes use them in order to reduce weight load. In fact, scrubs have become so popular as relaxed, everyday wear that some hospitals have had to imprint their logo or name on their scrubs to prevent theft.