There are hundreds of different nursing uniforms and medical scrub designs on the market today, each manufactured with specific groups in mind.
What’s popular among healthcare professionals in the States, for example, may not work for doctors and nurses in Singapore.
Faced with an overwhelming variety of choices, how do you select the best nursing scrubs for you or your clinic staff?
We’ll go through exactly how to evaluate medical scrubs for a Singapore context -- and recommend the 14 best nursing scrubs in our book.
What to Look for in Nursing Scrubs for Singapore
1. Comfort, Mobility, and Fit
Most Western scrub designs run large for Asian body types, which is important to note if you’re considering imported brands. The best nursing scrubs should provide protection, facilitate movement without exposing you, and stay comfortable throughout the day.
2. Functionality
This refers to pockets, zippers, loops for ID tags, and other bits of functionality that scrubs offer. Nursing uniforms with too few pockets (or awkwardly placed pockets) are impractical for those on the job.
3. Material and Breathability
For Singapore’s humid climate, we’d recommend a lightweight scrub fabric with a polyester-cotton blend. This type of material keeps you cool and dry throughout the day while also allowing for undershirts or scrub jackets according to your preference.
Your requirements will also differ from ward to ward. Certain wards may require a more breathable, moisture-wicking material for its nurses, for example. Others may require a thicker material offering more protection from fluids, chemicals, and sharp objects.
4. Care, Maintenance, and Durability
Do the seams hold up to the requirements of the job? Does the colour run in the wash? Does the scrub fabric pill over time?
These are good questions to answer if your main concern is durability and maintenance. And if you’re purchasing scrubs for hospitals, you may also want to know how well the material holds up in high-temperature washes.
5. Value
Price isn’t everything. Sometimes it’s better to invest in nursing scrubs that will last for years, rather than purchasing something cheap that needs to be replaced every six months. We’ll point out scrubs with which you get good value for money.
Top 14 Medical Scrubs Singapore
Without further ado, here are our top picks for medical scrubs.
We’ve split these into two lists (one for men and the other for women) and ranked them in order of what we’d recommend:
Scrubs for Men
1. Men’s Cherokee Workwear Professionals Four-Pocket V-Neck Scrub Top
Our top pick for Singapore is the Cherokee WW Professionals line for its comfort, durability, and value.
There are several designs within the Cherokee Workwear Professionals line, but our favourite by far is the Four-Pocket V-neck scrub top.
This is a straight cut, meaning it’s not as fitted a look but still heaps more flattering than the ‘potato sack’ design of typical hospital scrubs. The polyester-cotton-spandex blend makes the scrubs both moisture-wicking and breathable while also giving it good stretchability.
So far, we’ve found the Cherokee scrubs last a minimum of two years on average, which makes this scrub top excellent value for money in our book. The one downside is that the fabric is best washed cold and certain colours may run initially (e.g. red).
Pockets: 4
Scrub pants to go with: Cherokee Infinity Men’s Fly Front Pants or Cherokee WW Professionals Drawstring Cargo Scrub Pants
Cost: S$50-S$60 for the whole set
Read more: [Cherokee Scrubs Review] How Good Are These Scrubs?
2. Men’s Cherokee Infinity V-Neck Scrub Top
The Cherokee Infinity line strikes a good balance between comfort, functionality, and value.
Most of the male doctors we spoke to report that the Infinity V-neck scrub top looks and feels premium. The polyester-spandex blend is breathable with good stretch for everyday tasks, though the material is a bit heavy for Singapore’s weather.
Just note that Cherokee scrub sizes run large for Singapore, and the cost of the Infinity line is on the higher end of the range.
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Cherokee Infinity Men’s Fly Front Pants or Cherokee WW Professionals Drawstring Cargo Scrub Pants
Cost: S$75-S$100 for the whole set
3. Men’s YH V-Neck Scrub Top
Designed and manufactured by a homegrown uniform company, the YH medical scrub top is best for hospitals or clinics that buy in bulk and have to regularly sterilize their staff scrubs.
The polyester-viscose blended fabric can go through high-temperature washes with minimal shrinkage and typically lasts a minimum of two years. While not as stretchy because of the lack of spandex, the material is both breathable and moisture-wicking.
The nursing scrubs are tailored with an Asian body type in mind, so you can simply select the size you’re used to.
It’s not the most comfortable right off the bat, but the material softens over time. The roomy straight fit comes with side vents and a shirttail hem -- which just means it allows you to squat, bend over, or reach in various directions without riding up or exposing you.
Pockets: 4
Scrub pants to go with: We’d recommend the elastic waist drawstring scrub pants by YH, which come in a straight-leg fit and two patch pockets.
Cost: S$55 for the whole set
4. Men’s Figs Chisec Three-Pocket Scrub Top
If you’re going for a professional, tailored look, Figs is a good bet. Made with a polyester-rayon-spandex blend, the Chisec Scrub Top is remarkably comfortable and adequately stretchy for movement in various directions.
Just note that their designs cater more to athletic or slim body types (read more in our full Figs review), and sizes tend to run a little large for Asia.
While it doesn’t come with any zippers or ID loops, we appreciate the three functional pockets. Two are located at the waist area on both sides and are deep enough to store a mobile phone, wallet, or other similarly-sized knickknacks.
The scrub fabric and high cost might be the main sticking points. The polyester-rayon blend feels a bit warm in Singapore’s humidity, though it’s still breathable and very comfortable if you’re sitting in air-conditioning for most of the day. Figs is also one of the priciest scrub brands available on the market, though this is offset by its durability (most users report that their Figs scrubs last years).
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Figs Cairo Cargo pants (which add nine functional pockets to the total)
Cost: S$100-S$150 for the whole set
5. Men’s Figs Leon Two-Pocket Scrub Top
The Leon scrub top comes in second to the Chisec scrub top for one reason: Figs seems to have done away with the waist pockets and the two chest pockets aren’t quite as functional. If you’re the type that prefers tucking in your scrub top though, this might be the better option.
Figs uses the same soft, wrinkle-resistant, and antimicrobial fabric for all their scrubs. The material is best washed cold and hung dry (i.e. not recommended for sterilized, high-temperature washes).
As mentioned above, Figs cuts tend to run a little big for Asia, and the V-neck has a tendency to sag over time because of how the fabric was constructed.
Read more: [Figs Scrubs Review] Do They Live Up to the Hype?
Pockets: 2
Scrub pants to go with: Figs Cairo Cargo pants with nine pockets
Cost: S$100-S$150 for the whole set
6. Men’s Dickies EDS Essentials V-Neck Scrub Top
Dickies scrubs are growing in popularity because of their reputation for being near indestructible in the medical community (read more in our full review).
The scrubs aren’t great with high-temperature washes or bleach, but the fabric durability and stitching ensure they’ll stay in good condition for a number of years.
The polyester-spandex blend is lightweight and breathable with good stretch. You can either wear an inner layer or a scrub jacket with it. They do tend to run large though, so we’d recommend sizing down unless you plan on wearing an undershirt.
Dickies scrubs sit in the middle of the value range -- they aren’t as inexpensive as the Cherokee WW Professionals line or the MF Basics line, but they’re much more affordable than Figs.
Pockets: 4
Scrub pants to go with: Dickies Men’s Gen Flex Utility Drawstring Cargo Pants
Cost: S$80-S$100
7. Men’s Mizuno Mandarin Collar Nursing Scrub Top
Mizuno developed these alongside Chitose, a Japanese uniform manufacturer. Made of a lightweight moisture-wicking fabric, the Mizuno nursing scrubs maximize both form and function. Features include:
- Mandarin collar
- Zip and shoulder button closure
- Dedicated compartments for pens
- ID loop
The scrub top works well either alone or with an inner layer. While pricey, sizing is in an Asian fit and the scrub fabric is made to last -- each scrub set should be good for three years or more.
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Mizuno Drawstring Scrub Pants (Unisex)
Cost: S$110-S$170 for the whole set
Scrubs for Women
1. Women’s Figs Casma Three-Pocket Scrub Top
The Figs Casma scrub top is made with their trademarked fabric -- a soft, antimicrobial, wrinkle-resistant polyester blend with four-way stretch. Like we mentioned with the men’s scrub top above, this means a fabric that’s comfortable and breathable but which runs a little hot in Singapore’s humidity.
Bear in mind that Figs scrub designs tend to favour the tall and slim, so be prepared to order Petite sizes and size down for Asian body types. The V-neck may hang a tad low as well.
Read more: [Figs Scrubs Review] Do They Live Up to the Hype?
Functionality-wise, this scrub top offers two drop pockets with a smaller (hidden) interior pocket suitable for storing wedding rings.
While the price point is a little high, the long-lasting nature of the scrubs does make up for it. A set of Figs scrubs should last 2-3 years or more.
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Figs Kade Cargo Scrub Pants or Yola Skinny Scrub Pants
Cost: S$100-S$150 for the whole set
2. Women’s MF Basics Stretchable Medical Nursing Scrub Top
Another design by a local uniform manufacturing company, the MF Basics nursing scrub top is made of a polyester-spandex blend that holds up well in Singapore’s weather. It’s soft, breathable, and lightweight to keep its wearer cool and dry the whole day.
The fabric is durable and made to last a minimum of two years without shrinkage. MF also offers customisation with both print and embroidery options.
Pockets: 2
Scrub pants to go with: MF Basics nursing scrub pants, which comes with a straight fit and two side pockets
Cost: S$55 for the whole set
3. Women’s Cherokee Infinity V-Neck Scrub Top
The Cherokee Infinity V-neck is a popular choice among female healthcare professionals. It’s got a streamlined, flattering fit with good stretch and two pockets (three if you count the interior pocket). We also like the added pencil and ID loop for a bit of extra functionality.
The polyester-spandex blend is soft and moisture-wicking, but the scrub material is slightly thicker than ideal for Singapore. Cherokee scrub sizes run large as well.
The scrubs should last two years at minimum and hold up well in the wash (albeit not high-temperature ones).
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Cherokee Infinity Drawstring Scrub Pants or Cherokee Workwear Professionals Cargo Scrub Pants
Cost: S$50-S$70 for the whole set
Read more: [Cherokee Scrubs Review] How Good Are These Scrubs?
4. Women’s Cherokee Workwear Revolution Mock Wrap Scrub Top
The Cherokee Workwear Revolution Mock Wrap Scrub Top is one of the better value buys you’ll find on the market. The polyester-rayon-spandex blend is soft and comfortable with good stretch, but durable enough that it’ll last a good two years or more.
The downside is that the material does hold in heat, so you might find it a tad suffocating in hot and humid weather.
Along with the two front patch pockets and instrument loop, the scrub top has a bungee loop under the logo where you can attach an ID tag.
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Cherokee Infinity Drawstring Scrub Pants or Cherokee Workwear Professionals Cargo Scrub Pants
Cost: S$50-60 for the whole set
5. Women’s Cherokee iflex V-Neck Knit Panel Scrub Top
The iflex knit panel scrub top is one of Cherokee’s most comfortable and flattering designs for women. The material is very stretchy because of the high spandex content in its polyester blend, which means that it hangs well on your frame. It’s also pretty wrinkle and stain-resistant for those concerned about having high-maintenance scrubs.
The downside is that while it does have moisture-wicking properties, it does run a little hot in Singapore’s weather.
The scrub top includes decent functionality with its two patch pockets, accessory pocket, and ID loop. It’s not the best at holding its shape however -- the stretchiness of the fabric means you can’t overload the pockets.
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Cherokee Infinity Drawstring Scrub Pants or Cherokee Workwear Professionals Cargo Scrub Pants
Cost: S$50-S$70 for the whole set
6. Women's Dickies Xtreme Stretch V-Neck Scrub Shirt
We’re fans of the Dickies Xtreme Stretch scrub top because of the functionality it includes. With two deep front patch pockets, a smaller handphone pocket, a pen slot, and even a D-ring, these fit the bill for high storage needs.
Read more: [Dickies Scrubs Review] What Do Nurses and Doctors Think?
The polyester-rayon-spandex blend has a good degree of breathability and stretch, though it runs a little warm for Singapore.
Dickies hold their shape well in the wash, though we would not recommend running them through high-temperature washes. Note that the scrubs can be a bit large for Singapore, so size down as appropriate.
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Dickies Gen Flex Cargo Scrub Pants
Cost: S$80-S$100
7. Women’s Mizuno Medical Scrub Top
The Mizuno medical scrub top has got more than just the aesthetics going for it. True to a sports apparel company, Mizuno designed the scrub material to be moisture-wicking and quick-drying. The full-frontal zip closure design means it’s easy to pair with an inner layer as well.
The sizing and cuts are designed for Asians, so you can go with the sizes you’re normally used to.
While we think it’s a little pricey, you do get what you pay for: Mizuno scrubs tend to last three years at minimum.
Pockets: 3
Scrub pants to go with: Mizuno MZ-0091 Scrub Pants
Cost: S$110-S$170 for the whole set
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