Polycotton fabric is a great combination material comprising of artificial polyester and the natural cotton fibers. Due to this unique hybrid approach, you get the best elements of synthetic polyester and natures finest cotton.
Polyester brings the sturdiness and durability which makes any clothing item more dependable and last much longer. Combined with the soft and moisture-absorbent qualities of Cotton – this fabric is a clear cut above the rest. Of course, this combination also enhances the ability to care for your medical scrubs, as maintenance is a breeze. Polycotton fabric can typically be spot cleaned, hand washed or even tumble dried if you really need to get some tough stains out.
A popular split within the clothing manufacturing industry for polycotton is 65% cotton and 35% polyester. This further proves how important comfort is to anyone wearing scrubs, or any other clothing for that matter.
Polycotton blends also cost lest than 100% pure cotton and provide much more comfort – probably the reason it is so popular among retailers and small businesses alike.
Though some manufacturers do prefer a 50/50 even split, Scrubd has found that a higher percentage of cotton works best and facilitates comfort more than adequately whilst still maintaining the durable properties of synthetic polyester fabric.
If a combination approach is what you’re after, then this best of both worlds material will do all you need and more.
Advantages of Polycotton
Below are some of the advantages of polycotton in the context of medical scrubs.
Affordable
100% cotton is more expensive than synthetic polyester. Since polycotton is a blend between the two, the price point is much more affordable to scrubs manufacturers as well as medical professionals purchasing it.
Durable
Polyester fabric is much more durable than cotton, but does tend to stick to the skin a bit more in more humid conditions such as Durban. However, by combining the polyester with cotton, the polycotton blend caters for the comfort while at the same time maintaining the durable aspects of polyester. It is also less likely to shrink after multiple washes due to the nature of the unique fabric combination, meaning your scrubs will last even longer.
Easy maintenance
As mentioned previously, polycotton scrubs have much less shrinkage than pure polyester or cotton scrubs. They can be spot cleaned, washed and dried a large number of times without ever losing their shape or specific fit – making it perfect for scrubs. Basically, it works well with items that need to be washed frequently and will have no negative effect once cleaned.
In addition, polycotton scrubs are also relatively crease resistant – meaning you may not even need to iron your scrubs once they’re out of the wash. Great news for us lazy – I mean hardworking – medical professionals!
Breathable
Since cotton has breathability and more softness associated with it, those elements are carried into polycotton fabric as well. Pure cotton is breathable, but has much less durability especially in warmer climates. Polyester is more durable but a lot less comfortable. Polycotton has both qualities, making the overall experience of wearing polycotton scrubs much more pleasant and your skin will definitely thank you for it.
Some other features:
Due to the above advantages, Polycotton is very popular for manufacturers of comfortable clothing (such as Scrubs) as well as house items like bedsheets, pillows and even certain styles of curtains.
Scrubd offers a range of Polycotton scrubs in various colours to get you started. Head on over to the shop and check it out.