Top 6 Lab Coats for Singapore [including FR & CP]
The type of protection you need will determine the lab coat you choose.
Whether you’re dealing with arc flashes, biological substances, or hazardous chemicals, you need to make sure the PPE you’re wearing is up to the task.
In this post, we’ll share our recommendations on:
- Lab coats for students
- Fire-resistant lab coats
- Chemical-resistant lab coats
- Fire-resistant and chemical-resistant lab coats
Best Lab Coats for Students
We know how tricky it can be to find a coat that meets your lab requirements while not breaking the bank. That’s why we’ve shortlisted a few budget-friendly options for students:
1. YH Unisex White Lab Coat
Designed and manufactured by a Singapore brand, the YH Unisex Professional Lab Coat is a durable option for medical students, researchers, pharmacists, and more.
Lab Coat Material: 65% polyester, 35% cotton
Type of Closure: Front buttons
Lab Coat Length: Long
Sleeve Length: Long
Cuffs: Open
Pockets: 2 side pockets and one chest pocket
Good For: Medical professionals and students looking for a budget-friendly lab coat. The YH unisex lab coat features four easy-on buttons for quick removal. The open cuffs allow for unrestricted arm movement, while the polycotton fabric enables easy laundering with minimal shrinkage.
Available at: Lazada, Shopee, MF Asia
Price: S$28-30
2. NUS Co-op Long Sleeve Lab Coat
Students in Singapore’s tertiary education scene will be no strangers to the NUS Co-op, which offers discounted school supplies. It has a limited selection of lab coats, mainly designed to fulfill the strict requirements set by the NUS Safety Office. We’d recommend the NUS Co-op Long Sleeve Lab Coat for those majoring in Life Sciences.
Lab Coat Material: 65% polyester, 35% viscose
Type of Closure: Velcro
Lab Coat Length: Long
Sleeve Length: Long
Cuffs: Elasticated
Pockets: Two side pockets
Good For: Labs with no open flames or flammable hazards, such as those dealing with biological contaminants. The polyester-viscose material is durable, breathable, and easy to wash, though it doesn’t offer protection from fire or chemical spills. The velcro closure aids in easy removal, while the elastic cuffs offer better protection at a lower risk of accidentally coming into contact with containers.
Available at: NUS Science Co-op or the online store
Price: S$37
Best Flame-Resistant Lab Coats
When working with fire hazards, it’s best to ensure that all street clothing is fully covered. Any exposed cotton, polyester, or other fabrics commonly used in street clothing could potentially ignite and continue to burn. That means getting an FR lab coat that:
- Is long with a high collar
- Has an adequate arc rating for the potential fire threats wearers will encounter
- Is made of a fabric that will retain its fire resistance through regular washes
If fire hazards are mostly above the wearer’s waist, an FR lab coat is sufficient. But if there’s a possibility of fires or hot air originating from below, we’d recommend getting FR pants to go with the FR lab coat.
Here are our recommendations for long FR lab coats:
3. Bulwark Flame-Resistant Lab Coat
This Bulwark FR Lab Coat features a 100% cotton fabric that’s been treated to be flame resistant. It sits in the middle of the weight range of Bulwark’s FR offerings, but offers a decent arc rating of ATPV 7.7 cal/cm².
Lab Coat Material: 100% cotton, EXCEL FR® Flame-resistant, 7oz. (235 g/m²)
Type of Closure: Front buttons
Lab Coat Length: Long
Sleeve Length: Long
Cuffs: Open, hemmed
Pockets: One chest pocket and two side pockets
Good For: Labs with extreme flammable hazards or industries such as petrochemical and oil drilling, where workers are in danger of fire accidents or explosions. The long Bulwark FR lab coat creates a fire-resistant layer that both minimises and extinguishes the flames. This coat can either be professionally laundered or washed at home, but should be washed apart from non-FR clothing.
Available at: Amazon Singapore
Price: S$80-$120
4. VF Workwear Bulwark Nomex™ IIIA HRC1 Lab Coat
The VF Bulwark Nomex™ IIIA HRC1 Lab Coat is lighter weight and carries an arc rating of ATPV 5.6 calories/cm². It also provides some protection against chemical spills, though we’d recommend an FR/CP lab coat if handling liquid hazards on a regular basis.
Lab Coat Material: Dupont Kevlar™ aramid fiber, Nomex™ IIIA, 6oz.
Type of Closure: Front buttons
Lab Coat Length: Long
Sleeve Length: Long
Cuffs: Open, hemmed
Pockets: One chest pocket, two waist pockets, side vents
Good For: Labs with extreme flammable hazards or industries such as petrochemical and oil drilling, where workers are in danger of fire accidents or explosions. It forms an effective barrier against flash fires and pool fires, giving wearers an extra few seconds to escape. The Nomex fabric carries inherent thermal protection that won’t wear off with regular washes.
Available at: Fisher-Scientific
Price: S$150-$200
Best Chemical-Resistant Lab Coat
CP lab coats are either made with a fabric with inherent resistance or treated so that they gain a protective coating. If the danger of a splash hazard is high, wearers can also use a chemical-resistant apron on top of the lab coat.
Here’s our recommendation for a chemical-resistant lab coat:
5. Workrite™ Chemical Splash Protection Lab Coat
Lab Coat Material: 100% polyester, Milliken® ShieldCSR™
Type of Closure: Snap front closure
Lab Coat Length: Mid-length
Sleeve Length: Long
Cuffs: Knit rib cuffs
Pockets: One chest pocket, two side pockets with flaps, and a splash-resistant side pass-through for access to inner pockets
Good For: Labs with no open flames or flammable hazards, instead primarily dealing with chemical hazards. This protective apparel was designed to resist liquid penetration and repel accidental chemical splashes. The collar rests close to the neck so as to minimise street clothes exposure to hazards.
Available at: Fisher Scientific
Price: S$100-120
Best Fire-Resistant and Chemical-Resistant Lab Coat
While most lab coats offer some degree of chemical protection, a lab coat that’s been treated for chemical resistance may not be resistant to fire. Very few lab coats offer both fire and chemical resistance, so many labs adopt two separate PPE to guard against these hazards. As you can imagine, this is inconvenient and uncomfortable.
Workrite is one of the few companies that produces a lab coat that combines both flame-resistant (FR) properties and chemical-splash (CP) protection:
6. Workrite™ ShieldCXP® with Nomex®
Lab Coat Material: Nomex™ IIIA fabric with ShieldCXP™ Chemical Splash Protection, 4.5oz.
Type of Closure: Snap front closure
Lab Coat Length: Mid-length
Sleeve Length: Long
Cuffs: Nomex knit cuffs (FR but not CP - typically covered by gloves)
Pockets: One chest pocket, two front pockets with snap flaps, and a splash-resistant side pass-through for access to inner pockets
Good For: Laboratory environments that require protection against short-duration thermal incidents and emergency exposure to flames while resisting chemical penetration.
Available at: Fisher Scientific, Workrite
Price: S$200-220