Lab uniforms in most medical institutions and other scientific facilities would usually consist of scrubs or lab coats. Scrubs could either come as short-sleeved, above the ankle length gowns or as short-sleeved, V-neck shirts with a matching pair of drawstring pants. Generally, these come in various shades of green, but some hospitals opt for other colors to distinguish staff members of different divisions as well as visitors from actual personnel. Lab coats, on the other hand, are usually white, but more colors are also starting to be available in the market. Fabrics commonly used to produce these are polyester and polypropylene for their wash and wear quality and for their ability to resist some hazardous particles.

The use of scrubs as lab uniforms actually began in the operating room. It was around the ’50s and the ’60s that these became the standard outfits worn by medical personnel when performing a surgical procedure. Thus, it was surgeons and nurses that were first required to use these. However, as time went by, the use of scrubs also went from the confines of the operating room, to some places outside of it. Nowadays, staff members of other hospital divisions, as well as that of some dental and veterinary offices, and some nursing homes, also wear scrubs while they’re on duty because of their comfort, inexpensiveness and ease to wash and wear. Furthermore, also due to this reason, the use of scrubs have been extended to sleepwear, loungewear and even gym wear.

Lab coats are also a staple in the lab uniforms department. Lab coats are usually worn over casual clothes to protect the wearer from certain hazards related to his or her lab work. These are most commonly seen worn by doctors, scientists, dentists, medicine students, and others with jobs or studies close to the natures of those previously mentioned. Although their main purpose is to provide protection, wearing lab coats also make the users look more professional due to their clean and crisp look as well as their smart appearance. As previously stated, polyester and polypropylene are the textiles usually used in the production of lab coats because of some qualities of both the former and the latter to safeguard their wearers from certain hazardous particles. Among these two, polyester is more commonly used because it is cheaper and because it provides the same non-iron quality as the ones made of polypropylene. However, opting for the more expensive lab coats with a polypropylene finish, would be better in cases when one is constantly in front of fire, poisonous liquids and other dangerous materials, because of its ability to ward off heat, as well as most solids and liquids.

Lab goggles, bouffant-style or tie-back cloth caps, gauze or synthetic textile masks, latex gloves, and closed shoes are also commonly included in lab uniforms. Wearing these over scrubs or lab coats would add to the coverage and protection provided by the first two to the wearer, while also preventing outside contamination when dealing with patients or combustible substances.

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