What to Look for in Performance Scrubs

Quick answer: Before you buy performance scrubs, check six things: the fabric blend, how many ways it stretches, mobility details in the cut, pocket placement, length and fit options, and how it holds up to washing.

If you have ever finished a long shift feeling like your scrubs worked against you instead of with you, you are not alone. Performance scrubs are designed to fix that, but the words on the label do not tell you much. Here are the six things worth checking before you buy.

1. The Fabric Blend

Start with the fiber percentages on the tag. Polyester helps a garment hold its shape and color through repeated washing. Rayon adds a softer drape and better airflow. Spandex adds stretch. A blend that combines all three usually feels softer and moves more freely than a fabric with little or no stretch.

2. How Many Ways It Stretches

Two-way stretch gives in one direction, usually side to side. Four-way stretch gives both side to side and up and down, which matters when you reach overhead, bend over a bedside or squat to a low shelf.

3. Mobility Details Built Into the Cut

Look beyond the fabric at how the garment is made. Back yokes, side panels and side vents all give your shoulders, hips and legs room to move. Knit cuffs on jackets and joggers help the garment stay put while you work.

4. Pockets That Match Your Job

Count the pockets, but also check where they sit. A chest pocket with a pen slot, deep front pockets and a hidden inner pocket all serve different needs. A bungee loop at the shoulder seam gives you a place to clip a tool within easy reach.

5. Length and Fit Options

The right length changes how a set feels all day. Look for regular, petite and tall options on pants, and decide whether you prefer a straight leg, a jogger or a flare. Try tops both tucked and untucked, since the hem length affects how they sit.

6. How It Holds Up

Read the care label before you buy. Ask how the fabric handles frequent washing and whether it keeps its shape and color. If you can, try the garment on and move around in it, because stretch you can feel is more useful than stretch described on a tag.

Where Tempo Fits

Tempo was designed around these same priorities: a 78 percent polyester, 16 percent rayon, 6 percent spandex blend with four-way stretch, plus back yokes, side panels, vents and a shoulder bungee loop on many styles. Tempo is now on the floor at both of our stores, in Philadelphia and Blackwood, NJ. You can see every style on our Tempo collection page.

ScrubHaven. Made to Move. Built to Empower.