Medical Scrubs Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Medical Uniforms and Nursing Scrubs), By Usage (Disposable and Reusable), By End User (Hospitals & ASCs, Specialty Clinics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2023-2030

The medical scrubs market size was valued USD 46.15 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow USD 48.41 billion in 2023 to USD 73.10 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.1% during 2023-2030. Asia Pacific dominated the global market with a share of 43.61% in 2022.

Healthcare agencies and governing bodies in various countries are focusing on improving the healthcare infrastructure, with an aim to provide at-par healthcare facilities to patients. These efforts have resulted in the rapid expansion of the healthcare resources and personnel in these countries. This rapid increase in the number of healthcare professionals is further associated with the rise in demand for medical clothing.

Several healthcare facilities have adopted certain policies and regulations concerning medical scrubs. The guidelines include adopting specific color codes for nursing staff, surgeons, and others. However, non-compliance with the institutional policies, further breaching infection protocol, contributes to growing hospital-acquired infection cases. Therefore, the lack of adherence to the regulation of medical infection control and the lack of reimbursement provided by insurance companies is restraining the market's growth.

Moreover, the growing number of patient's visits to healthcare centers to undergo surgical procedures majorly contributes to the rising cause of hospital infection. Many hospital regulatory authorities have adopted stringent policies to prevent disease and control this growing number of infection cases, spurring the demand for these products in the market.

• Also, according to the report published by the Centers for Disease and Prevention in 2021, there was an overall increase in surgical site infections (SSIs) among patients in 2021 compared to 2020.

COVID-19 IMPACT 

Growing Number of COVID-19 Cases Contributed to the Spurring Growth of the Market 

The impact of COVID-19 resulted in the positive growth of the market in 2020. The increased cases of COVID-19 infections led the emphasis on healthcare professionals to focus on the adoption of hygiene practices. The primary aim was to prevent the spread of disease. The antibacterial and antiviral properties of medical scrubs played an essential role in protecting healthcare professionals against pathogens during the pandemic. 

• For instance, according to an article published by M3 USA Corporation in February 2023, a study by the Irish Journal of Medical Science found that 76% of hospital physicians preferred using scrubs rather than white coats during the pandemic. Also, around 74% of them permanently wanted to change their standard attire to scrub.

These factors contributed to a rapid increase in the demand for scrubs globally, due to which many of the manufacturers depicted a positive surge in their revenues. This growing demand was also supported by some industries associated with government authorities, playing an essential role in meeting this rapid surge.

• For instance, FIGS, Inc. generated a revenue of USD 263.1 million in 2020, witnessing a 138.1% growth compared to USD 110.5 million in 2019. The revenue growth was primarily due to a surge in demand for these scrubs. 

The trend of rising demand for medical scrubs along with other medical clothing continued post-pandemic too. Healthcare institutions demonstrated increasing demand for these products, owing to the increasing healthcare workforce and rising emphasis on medical clothing. Moreover, several donation campaigns and awareness programs organized by the key players operating in the market also played an essential role in promoting and encouraging the appropriate use of scrubs in healthcare facilities. 

• For instance, in March 2020, Barco Uniforms, a U.S.-based healthcare apparel company, pledged to donate 10,000 medical scrubs to the frontline healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients during the pandemic.

LATEST TRENDS 

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Increasing Focus of Market Players to Develop Fashionable Products

The growing medical workforce for supporting the healthcare infrastructure of many developing countries is the primary factor contributing to the market's growth. Moreover, the increasing demand for comfortable medical scrubs among new-age medical students, doctors, and other medical staff is spurring market growth.

This growing demand contributed to the increasing competition among manufacturers and emphasized them to introduce new fashionable scrubs. For instance, in February 2023, Fabletics, Inc., launched Fabletics Scrubs, an activewear scrubs in the medical apparel category for healthcare professionals. The company has developed this scrub using insights from around 6,500 medical professionals. As a part of a new launch company distributed around 25,000 scrub sets to healthcare professionals in the U.S.

Thus, the growing demand for fashionable products bought the attention of many clothing stylists in the industry, contributing to the entry of new market players into the medical clothing industry.

• For instance, in May 2022, Rebecca Lau Marsh, a fashion stylist, collaborated with medical professionals for the launch of 21 Scrubs, which is an Australian company featuring fashionable medical scrubs.

Also, the rising partnerships and collaborations among market players to develop innovative and more fashionable products are some of the latest medical scrubs market trends expected to boost market growth in future.

DRIVING FACTORS

Increasing Number of Hospital Admissions and Surgical Procedures is Anticipated to Boost the Demand for the Product 

The rising prevalence of chronic conditions and increasing awareness along with healthcare expenditure especially in emerging countries, is leading to an increasing number of hospital admissions. The increase in hospital admissions, especially inpatient admissions, is further fueled by the realigning reimbursement policies globally, along with expansion of healthcare infrastructure in key countries.  

• According to CDC 2023 report, on average, the number of emergency department visits in the U.S. account for 131.3 million annually. Among these, 18.6 million visits result in hospital admissions, and 3.1 million visits in admission to the critical care unit.

Also, the rising number of inpatient admissions suffering from chronic and acute conditions has led to a subsequent rise in number of surgical procedures performed globally.

• According to an article published by National Center for Biotechnology Information in April 2022, approximately 13.7 million adults aged 65 years and above get hospitalized annually in the U.S. Among these, 67.0% of hospitalization are for medical conditions, 25.0% for surgeries, and 6.0% for injuries.

Therefore, the increasing focus of hospitals on developing policies for preventing cross-contamination of infection among healthcare professionals and patients is expected to boost the demand for these scrubs during the forecast period.

Rapidly Developing Healthcare Infrastructure and Increasing Number of Healthcare Professionals in Emerging Countries to Augment Market Growth

Emerging countries including India, China, Brazil, and other Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries focus on improving the healthcare infrastructure. The aim is to provide high quality healthcare facilities that will lead to rise in medical tourism. Consequently, this has led to increasing number of public-private partnerships being undertaken in these countries and various new hospital projects being initiated.

• For instance, according to a report published by NITI Aayog on "Investment Opportunities in India's Healthcare Sector" in 2021, India's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regime liberalized extensively. Under this, the non-resident investor or an Indian company does not require approval from the Government of India to invest in the hospital sector.

This rapidly evolving healthcare infrastructure is projected to lead to rise in the healthcare workforce catering to the increasing population and creating job opportunities in the sector. For instance, according to a report published by NITI Aayog National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) estimated that the health sector would directly employ around 7.5 million people in coming years, adding approximately 500,000 new jobs annually. This is anticipated to lead to increasing demand for medical clothing from the healthcare workforce in these countries.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Lack of Reimbursement is Hindering the Market Growth 

The significant increase in the adoption of medical scrubs across hospitals to prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) has majorly contributed to its increased cost. Many countries such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Germany, and France offer reimbursement for these products.

• According to an article published by Happythreads LTD., in May 2022, in Ireland, nurses can claim up to USD 1,264, and doctors can claim USD 1,199 (€1,112) tax back on uniforms over four years.

However, these policies are still lacking for developing countries such as China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Africa. As there is no reimbursement for the purchase made by the healthcare workers, it contributes to increasing out-of-pocket spending. Further leading to rise in demand for used scrubs and medical clothing in these countries.

• In India and China, large e-commerce platforms are selling used scrubs, which seems a cost-effective option to buyers but simultaneously is associated with multiple disadvantages such as infection risk, contamination potential, and non-compliance with regulations.

SEGMENTATION

By Type Analysis

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Increasing Demand for Medical Uniforms by Various Healthcare Professionals is Driving the Growth of the Segment 

Based on type, the market is segmented into medical uniforms and nursing scrubs.

The medical uniforms segment held the largest share in 2022 due to increasing focus on preventive care amongst healthcare professionals. The growing number of surgical procedures and rapidly developing healthcare infrastructure are the key factors propelling medical uniforms, primarily contributing to the segment's growth.

• For instance, according to an article published by the National Library of Medicine in September 2020, 310 million major surgeries are performed annually on a global scale and 40-50 million occur in the U.S.

The lack of effectiveness of traditional silver coated scrubs in the current clinical settings has contributed to the growing adoption of novel fabrics with antimicrobial coating on their surface, reducing the chances of infection.

• For instance, according to an article published by The Network Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors (NAUMD) in October 2022, Ouragins, a medical apparel company, emphasizes reinventing the medical scrub fabric with its ThreadFusion technology. ThreadFusion antimicrobial technology aids in the infusion of copper in the medical scrubs fabric and kills 99% of the germs within 2 hours after contact with the scrub surface.

On the other hand, the nursing scrub segment accounted for a substantial market share. The rising employment of the medical workforce in the rapidly developing healthcare infrastructure has contributed to the growing demand for medical uniforms in healthcare settings.

• For instance, according to a report published by The Nursing and Midwifery Council in May 2022, the Nursing and midwifery council register has grown by 96.7%, i.e., from 26,403 to 758,303 which consist of almost 705,000 nurses, more than 40,000 midwives and nearly 7,000 nursing associates.

By Usage Analysis

Adoption of New Technologies Such as Antimicrobial Properties in Disposable Scrubs is Spurring Market Growth 

By usage, the market is split into disposable and reusable. The disposable segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR owing to its clinical benefits, such as its ability to prevent cross-contamination. The use of disposable medical scrubs leads to reduced operational cost which is associated with reusable ones, majorly contributing to the segment’s growth.

Adopting electrospinning technology for manufacturing nonwoven polymer fibers provides improved comfort and protection against fluids and pathogens on hospital premises. Therefore, the comfort and safety provided by the adoption of this new technology made disposable medical scrubs one of the preferred choices among healthcare professionals and contributed to the market growth.

• For instance, according to news published by KNYA in June 2022, disposable scrubs are one of the most important investments made by a doctor, nurse, or healthcare professional as they are comfortable and made up of higher-quality fabric that can be worn for a longer duration of time.

On the other hand, the reusable segment dominated the global market in 2022. The segment is expected to register steady growth, owing to factors such as affordability, as it remains an effective cost-saving option for hospitals operating in emerging countries. In addition, the limited waste produced by these scrubs has contributed to their significant adoption in many countries.

• According to an article published by PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY, a uniform and textile laundry service provider, a hospital can save up to USD 1.4 million annually by using reusable medical scrubs and other medical textiles. It also reduces regulated medical waste by 65%, and hospitals can save around USD 105,000 in reduced waste.

By End User Analysis

Growing Number of Healthcare Facilities for Strengthening Healthcare Infrastructure is Anticipating Market Growth 

On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals & ASCs, specialty clinics, and others.

Hospitals & ASCs dominated the market in 2022. The adoption of standardized antimicrobial fabric for manufacturing medical uniforms & scrubs to prevent hospital-acquired infection primarily contributes to the growing adoption of scrubs in the segment. According to a study published by Made to Measure Magazine in September 2022, the use of antimicrobial fabric to manufacture medical uniforms is rising among hospitals. The primary aim toward using these antimicrobial fabrics is the protection of healthcare workers.

Specialty clinics accounted for a significant medical scrubs market share during the forecast period. The increasing preference toward private practice amongst medical professionals for improving medicine and medical treatments by focusing on preventing and transferring infectious diseases contributes to the segment’s growth.

• For instance, according to the report published by the Association of American Medical Colleges 2022, the sports medicine specialty saw the number of practicing physicians increase from 2,252 to 3,208 i.e., a growth of 42.5% from 2016 to 2021.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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Asia Pacific accounted for the highest share and generated a revenue of USD 20.13 billion in the year 2022. The region is anticipated to dominate the market in the upcoming years owing to the growing orientation of market players toward innovation in medical clothing products. The improved production capabilities of the medical textile industry in the region at a cost-effective price have majorly contributed to the market’s growth in the region. These capabilities also allowed the manufacturers to introduce their products internationally.

• In May 2022, Medikabazaar, one of India's largest B2B platform, launched NEXAGE, a premium scrub brand for modern healthcare workers in the country. The scrubs are available to healthcare professionals in varied colors and fabric range.

Additionally, the growing collaboration of manufacturers to meet the rising demand for the products and strengthen their position in the international market contributes to the region's growth.

• For instance, in February 2021, Gelato Pique, a Japanese loungewear brand, collaborated with Classico to develop and introduce new designs of scrubs, lab coats, and other medical uniforms to the market. This is the fourth collaboration between the two companies and they are selling their previous products due to popular demand.

On the other hand, Europe accounted for a substantial share of the market. Implementing policies for the reimbursement of protective equipment in the region has contributed to the growing adoption of these scrubs. Moreover, introducing a national healthcare uniform project as a sense of cultural sensitivity and standardizing the approach of clinical uniforms is driving market growth in the region.  

• For instance, in February 2023, Alsico UK, one of the leading workwear manufacturers in the U.K., was awarded national healthcare uniform contract. Under this contract, the company will provide standardized medical uniforms to the National Health Service (NHS) staff working in clinical roles in England.

North America accounted for a considerable share of the market in 2022. The rising demand for medical scrubs with improved functionality has brought business opportunities for new entrants. To strengthen their market position, many players focus on launching new products with unique designs, contributing to the market growth in the region. For instance, according to a press release by Forbes in May 2022, Moxie Scrubs, a medical scrub brand based in the U.S., raised USD 2.4 million and aimed to invest it to create an innovative product and reach an underserved market.

The market is projected to grow at a steady growth rate in the rest of the world. The developing healthcare infrastructure in countries of Latin America and the Middle East and Africa is primarily contributing to the growing number of healthcare professionals in the countries and spurring the market growth.  

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

FIGS, INC., to Lead the Market with Strategic Collaborations

This fragmented market comprises competitive players with a wide range of reusable and disposable scrubs. FIGS, INC.’s primary focus is on expanding its product portfolio to meet demand of healthcare professionals. As a part of its sales strategy, the company collaborates with colossal brands, contributing to its growing market share.  

• In December 2022, FIGS, INC., collaborated with highly regarded brands and medical professionals who impacted the healthcare community by driving more significant impacts in their practicing field to expand their product outreach into the market.

Kindthread focuses on acquiring significant brands operating in the market. The company primarily focuses on growing penetration of the company’s product in the market. In addition to this, the company also emphasizes collaboration with key brands operating in the healthcare sector to strengthen its market position.

• In October 2022, Kindthread declared the global expansion of its premium medical apparel brand White Cross. The company planned to launch global marketing campaigns to accelerate its growth.

The growing investment of other players in launching new fashionable products to capture customer’s traction is contributing to the growth of these company’s market share in the future.

• In August 2022, BARCO UNIFORMS introduced Barco Unify, a new and fresh collection of healthcare apparel, to the market.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• O&M Halyard (Canada)


• FIGS, INC. (U.S.)


• Superior Group of Companies, Inc. (U.S.)


• Adar Medical Uniforms, LLC. (U.S.)


• BARCO UNIFORMS (U.S.)


• Dickies Medical (U.S.)


• Matrix Workwear (U.K.)


• Cardinal Health Canada Inc. (Canada)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• December 2022 - FIGS, INC., collaborated with highly regarded brands and medical professionals who impacted the healthcare community by driving bigger impacts in their practicing field to expand their product outreach into the market.


• December 2022 - FIGS, INC., initiated an Ambassador Program, which aided them in forming business relationships with healthcare professionals.


• October 2022 - Kindthread relaunched its premier retail company Scrubs & Beyond, featuring its new enhanced website and in-store new offerings.


• September 2022 - BARCO UNIFORMS collaborated with Skechers and launched Skechers by Barco, a limited edition capsule collection of medical scrubs on the occasion of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The collaboration aimed to inspire hope and support to affected people, which involved the engagement of healthcare professionals.


• August 2022 - BARCO UNIFORMS introduced Barco Unify, a new and fresh collection of healthcare apparel to the market.

REPORT COVERAGE

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The medical scrubs market report covers a detailed analysis and overview. It focuses on key aspects such as competitive landscape, type, usage, end user, and region. Besides this, it offers insights into the market drivers, market trends, market dynamics, COVID-19 impact on the market, and other key insights. In addition to the factors mentioned above, the report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the market over recent years.

Report Scope & Segmentation