One of the first and most important things a patient notices on entering a clinic or healthcare facility is what the medical staff are wearing. Medical staff in uniform, clean clothing create a trustworthy and competent impression. A doctor's appearance is their calling card!
Some healthcare clinics use specific colours to identify departments, roles and positions. Others give their staff more choice when selecting a uniform (tunic + trousers, tunic + skirt, dress, etc.)
The right colour, material and cut of medical clothing brings satisfaction and helps build team spirit. Medical clothing is an employee's everyday uniform, so besides looking good, workwear must be comfortable, functional, practical and made of quality material.
When choosing medical clothing, make sure the product is:
- Comfortable to wear and ergonomic
- Durable and easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Fluid-resistant where needed
- Moisture-absorbing
- Made of breathable material
- Equipped with enough extra pockets
- Attractively designed
- Reliably available, i.e. quick repeat orders possible from the manufacturer
Balancing cost and quality
Before you set out to buy medical clothing, be sure to familiarise yourself with the different materials and their quality. A higher price does not always mean a better-quality product. Even at an affordable price you can find eye-catching medical clothing made from modern, innovative materials.
Among the newer materials, one that is highly valued for medical and care clothing is the easy-care, soft, breathable and environmentally friendly wood-based eco-fabric TENCEL®! Medical clothing containing Tencel can be found in the Danish brand Kentaur's product range. You can read more about Tencel® fabric HERE.
Bear in mind that in everyday use medical clothing comes into contact with sick people, various chemicals and also bodily fluids. This in turn means more frequent and more intensive washing (60-95C). Choose garments that keep their colour, seams, shape and fabric texture.
Quality cleaning products and a laundry service certainly play their part here too.
Comfort and functionality
Medical clothing comes in many different cuts: garments designed specifically for women and for men, as well as unisex styles.
Women's medical clothing has a slightly narrower waist and a roomier bust. Men's clothing has broader shoulders and wide sleeves. Ideal medical clothing should be sufficiently roomy, breathable and practical, and allow active movement – side slits, different textile combinations, inserts and pockets are what ensure comfort and functionality. Which pockets are needed depends in turn on the medical worker's field of activity. When choosing garments, be sure to consider which pockets are necessary – a chest pocket, pen pockets, a mobile phone pocket with concealed fastening, etc.
Design and colours
Nowadays there is no longer any obligation to wear only long white lab coats. The most popular option is in fact a colourful combination of tunic and trousers. The choice of tunics and trousers is wide in terms of textiles, design and colours alike. The range of tunics for medical staff includes styles with ordinary set-in sleeves starting at the shoulder as well as kimono-type raglan sleeves (starting not at the shoulder but at the neckline). There are also tunics with a round neck, a V-neck or a stand-up collar, and both pull-on and front-fastening tunics.
The colour options for medical clothing are virtually endless. Coloured clothing is also preferable from a practical point of view, as stains are easier to wash out of coloured fabric than white.
Studies have shown that green or bluish green helps doctors keep their vision fresh, avoid eye fatigue and maintain visual acuity better than bright white. That is why green sheets tend to be used in operating theatres too. Darker and cooler colours such as navy blue and dark red are said to help patients stay calmer.
Medical clothing in different colour combinations makes it possible to distinguish departments and to group staff by role and position.
Operating theatres use scrubs that are pocketless, fluid-resistant and pulled on over the head, thereby increasing staff safety.
Family doctors, paediatricians, dentists and others prefer tunics and trousers that fasten at the front with snap fasteners or buttons and come in multiple colour combinations.
Vets increasingly value pull-on tunics, as these are again safer for the animals and more comfortable for the wearer.
The Smiletex range includes medical clothing in a variety of cuts, colourways and materials – lab coats, tunics, tops, dresses, polo shirts, aprons and trousers. Most models are available in sizes 2XS-6XL. On request, Smiletex also offers embroidery of logos, names, etc. as an additional service, as well as digital and sublimation printing.
Let us know today about your current or future uniform purchase! The Smiletex sales team will help you find the medical clothing that suits you best, based on your organisation's concept, needs and fit.
