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Does it matter what fabric your nursing scrubs are made up of? The answer depends on what you want.

When purchasing a new pair of scrubs, it’s important to know how the scrubs feel, how they will hold up over time, and how they move. Just knowing what kind of fabric your nursing scrubs are made from can answer a lot of questions.

Cotton Scrubs

Pure cotton is a soft, breathable, absorbent, and natural choice. It’s easy to launder and takes well to ironing, which is good for sanitizing your nursing scrubs. It’s also durable and won’t build up static electricity.

However, there are some things you may find frustrating about 100% cotton nursing scrubs.

The material wrinkles easily in the wash. If you weren’t planning to iron you may have to anyway.

Cheap kinds of cotton can shrink and fade with laundering. Make sure you’re purchasing your scrubs from a trusted provider the uses high-quality cotton.

Polyester Scrubs

A synthetic fiber made from coal, air, water, and petroleum; polyester is a high-tech nursing scrub fabric that resists stains and wrinkles, is highly durable, and does not stretch or shrink.

Although it’s high-tech, polyester does not take heat well, and should only ever be ironed on an appropriately low setting. However, it is less likely to need ironing for aesthetic reasons, since it dries quickly and stays smooth.

Polyester can sometimes be less comfortable on the skin than other traditional cotton nursing scrubs. It can feel a bit rough and it builds static easily. Still, the colors in the polyester fabrics are exceptionally long-lasting and the material is easy to care for.

Spandex

Another synthetic fiber used in nursing scrubs, spandex shares some of the same properties found in scrubs made with polyester.

Spandex nursing scrubs are more resistant to perspiration and stains. When it’s blended with other fabrics, the addition of spandex fibers creates a nursing scrub that has stretch properties.

Stretch fabrics usually have between a 2% to 7% spandex blend with other natural or synthetic materials. Activewear may have an even higher percentage.

However, when a fabric blend is made with more than 10% Spandex it does not wear as well, nor is it very breathable. This means that it’s unusual to see fabric made with a very high percentage of spandex.

Rayon

Rayon is a man-made fiber made from the regenerated cellulose fiber found in wood pulp, which can be made to mimic the properties of natural fibers like silk, wool, and cotton.

Rayon is soft and absorbent, but unlike polyester, it wrinkles easily and can stretch when wet.

The best benefit of a nursing scrub with a rayon blend is that it provides some of the same properties of a cotton blend at a lower price point.

Fabric Blends

When your nursing scrubs or other garments are produced using a fabric blend, the manufacturer is trying to balance the positive and negative aspects of different fibers for an optimal result.

For instance, Sanibel Scrubs are made with a polyester and cotton blend. The cotton provides softness and breathability and the polyester provides durability and wrinkle-resistant properties.

Finding the perfect nursing scrubs is all about your preferences. Comfort, mobility, breathability, and durability are all important factors to consider when choosing your next nursing scrubs. Whether you want polyester, cotton, or a comfortable blend, The Uniform Outlet has something for every buyer.