Top Tips For Buying Custom Scrub Pants

A healthcare worker’s focus should always be on their patients — not their clothes. Often an afterthought for people who aren’t working in the field, custom scrubs quietly play a major role in how these essential workers do their job, and even in how they’re perceived.

Because healthcare staff already have enough on their plate without thinking about their garments, high-quality custom scrubs ensure your team’s daily workwear doesn’t add unnecessary strain to an already demanding job. Instead, scrubs should enhance their work by providing all-day comfort and necessary functionality while contributing to a professional, unified look across your staff that builds patient trust and boosts team morale.

Whether you're outfitting a large hospital or a boutique private clinic, here are some key considerations that’ll help you make the best choice for your team — and their patients.

1. Choose the Right Fabric Blend

Since your team could be spending upwards of eight to 12 hours serving others — with much of it potentially on their feet — it’s important to get the fabric of their scrubs right. The ideal branded scrub pants for nurses, doctors, techs, and other healthcare staff will be breathable, durable, and designed to handle everything from overtime shifts on the floor to a full day behind a desk.

Here are a few options you’re likely to encounter:

• Cotton or cotton-rich blends: Soft and breathable, but may shrink or deteriorate faster with repeated wear and washing
• Polyester or polyester-rich blends: Offer durability, wrinkle resistance, and moisture-wicking properties for top-notch performance and a polished look
• Rayon: Adds a silky drape and added touch of comfort, but with a high level of absorbency
• Spandex: Adds flexibility — great for active roles and constant movement, but can be prone to relaxing with time

Keep in mind that many scrub pant options will come in some blend of the above, and can come in varying makeups. Blends can help maximize the garments by incorporating the best properties of multiple fabric types, so consider leaning toward higher concentrations of the fabrics above based on what your team’s needs are to get the perfect set of characteristics.

2. Consider Fit & Function for the Workday

Custom scrub pants are not — literally and figuratively — one-size-fits-all, and your staff's comfort depends on getting the right style and silhouette to match their essential functions. Here are some common fits to consider:

• Joggers: Modern, tapered, and ideal for roles demanding flexibility and physical activity
• Straight-leg: Classic, with a standard, no-nonsense look and plenty of room for movement
• Cargo: Utilitarian, with extra pockets and a roomy fit for long shifts on the floor
• Zip-fly: Traditional construction with a front button that fits more like a standard slack, giving it a slightly more formal appearance
• Yoga-style: Informed by the drape and fabrics of yoga pants, offering high-level softness and stretch for those who prioritize comfort

Beyond just the general styles above, there are other characteristics worth considering. When considering waist styles, for example, go with drawstrings for adjustability, or elastic waists for more ease, comfort, and flexibility. You may also want to weigh unisex vs. gender-specific fits based on your team’s preferences.

3. Account for Movement and Long Shifts

When you're buying scrubs for clinic staff, movement is everything — even for staff who spend much of their day at the desk. To ensure the whole team has the kind of fluid range of motion they need no matter what their role or shift length, consider for design and function elements like:

• Stretch panels for flexibility
• Gusseted crotches or articulated knees to hold up through heavy bending and lifting
• Breathable knits that move with the body
• Cotton, polyester, and elastic blends that maximize durability, comfort, and motion
• Tapered or cuffed legs to keep cool and support movement
• Side vents for enhanced mobility and temperature regulation

Remember that whether your staff is regularly working eight, ten, or twelve hours, whether mostly on their feet or in a seat, scrub pants for medical teams should be able to go absove and beyond their needs in terms of durability and utility. Brands like Cherokee and Dickies Medical offer performance-oriented options that hold up under pressure while maintaining a professional look, so when a shift gets tough, they’re ready for it.

4. Think About Branding & Customization

By picking the best scrubs for branding and applying customization thoughtfully, you ensure they do more than look professional — they reinforce a sense of trust from the patients, a sense of consistency across your workplace, and a sense of identity across your team. Custom scrubs with logos tell your patients, “We’re here for you,” while telling your team “We’re here for each other.”

Keep in mind that your branding options for custom scrub pants can be somewhat limited — generally on the front, so you’ll need to plan your customization carefully. A simple logo or operational name can go a long way, but you could also try segmenting customization into department, floor, role, etc. to promote and visually differentiate employee roles.

Just remember to match (or complement) your brand colors to the scrub colors, which might impact which style or brand you choose. Not every brand offers the same range of color choices, even on a product-by-product basis. So if color is important, it may be worth starting with that criteria and then considering things like fit, style, and features.

5. Order Smart for Your Team

When outfitting a whole team, you can’t rely on just guessing sizes and crossing your fingers. Ordering with efficiency takes planning to ensure you’re able to outfit everyone. Here are a few tips for getting the order right the first time:

• Use manufacturer size charts and encourage team members to take their own measurements at home.
• Offer fit kits or sample sizes for try-ons, taking the guesswork out of sizing.
• Allow staff to note fit preferences before bulk ordering, so you can ensure there are enough of each fit for everyone.
• Order extra pairs for onboarding or replacements so you’re ready (and remain on-brand) when emergencies strike.
• Take anonymous polls to see which features, fits, and colors your team prefers.
• Plan for the future by considering your goals for team size, potential branding shifts, evolution of team roles, and other factors that might influence the apparel you need.
• For smaller teams, consider letting people pick from a limited range of styles. Meanwhile, bigger teams may need more consistency and scalability by focusing on one option.
• Scrub pants are just half the uniform — it’s also worthwhile to think about scrub tops, too, so even if you’re not shopping for the whole set now, you’ll want to be able to coordinate matching colors and complementary custom branding.

Bonus Tip: Go Beyond Basics

Want to elevate your team’s image (and capabilities) even further? Consider these additional tips to help you go beyond the basic scrub pants.

• Offer embroidered names or titles for added professionalism (if embroidered scrub pants don’t work for your personalized medical uniforms, consider embroidering the custom scrub top).
• Coordinate colors across departments for easy identification, helping both team members and patients easily find who they need.
• Choose jogger or premium styles for elevated appearance in patient-facing roles, which can raise the perception or profile of your office.
• Take advantage of every customization surface, but don’t go overboard with too much text, too many colors, competing visuals, or busy designs.
• Don’t forget about pockets — simpler designs may only offer two, which is great for those looking for simple, lightweight options. But if your nurses carry a lot of items, look for scrub bottoms with more like five to seven pockets.
• Look beyond the one or two most popular brands and consider alternatives like Wink and Healing Hands to ensure you’re getting the best combination of value, features, colors, and fits.

The Right Custom Scrub Pants: Comfort, Cohesion, & Confidence

When you invest in custom scrub pants that balance function, comfort, and branded appeal, you're supporting your team’s confidence, their efficiency, and the way patients perceive your practice.

And while the right scrub bottoms aren’t the only element of custom healthcare apparel, they can alleviate the stresses of picking the right garment every day before work.

Ready to outfit your team with custom scrub pants that work as hard as they do? Contact us to get started with mockups or quotes, or jump right into a design studio to see your work in real time if you have a pair picked out already.