Scrub fabric weight is specified in GSM — grams per square meter — and the right number depends less on personal preference than on climate and, especially, how the garments will actually be laundered at volume.

01

GSM ranges in practice

  • Below ~120 GSM — generally too thin for professional use: near-transparent, prone to early tearing
  • ~120–160 GSM ("low") — lightweight, maximum breathability, best for hot climates or long warm-weather shifts, but less tear-resistant
  • ~160–200 GSM ("medium") — the most common industry range, balancing comfort, durability and professional drape for most clinical roles
  • 200+ GSM ("high") — durable, structured, holds shape through industrial laundering, but less breathable and warmer to wear
02

Poly-cotton blends vs 100% cotton

100% cotton is the most breathable option but wrinkles within hours of wear, shrinks significantly under hot industrial washing, and fades within roughly 20–30 wash cycles under institutional laundering — better suited to lower-intensity or cooler-climate wear than heavy daily hospital rotation.

Poly-cotton blends (commonly 65/35 or 80/20 polyester/cotton) add structural durability, wrinkle resistance and colour retention through industrial wash cycles, at some cost to breathability — blends have been documented surviving 99+ industrial wash cycles before noticeable fade, a meaningfully longer service life than cotton's roughly 20–30 under the same conditions.

03

What to weigh before specifying a bulk order

  • Climate and activity level — hot climates or high-activity wear favour lower GSM and more cotton content for breathability
  • Laundering method — institutional/industrial laundering (high heat, harsh detergents, high frequency) is much harder on lower-GSM 100% cotton than on a poly-cotton blend
  • Shrinkage tolerance — cotton-heavy blends need generous cut allowances or pre-shrinking if sized for hot-wash institutional laundering
  • Cost versus total lifespan — a higher-GSM poly-cotton set costs more per unit but can have a lower cost-per-wear than a cheaper set that wears out faster, once laundering frequency is factored in
SR

Official sources

These sources support the market or regulatory context. Supplier capability still requires product-level verification.

Important note

This guide provides general commercial education. Product-specific technical, legal and regulatory requirements should be confirmed for the selected product and destination market.