Best Scrubs for OR & Surgical Staff: What Actually Matters in the Operating Room

Shopping for OR scrubs is different from shopping for ICU or ER scrubs.

In many perioperative environments, the most important question isn’t:

“Which brand makes the best surgical scrubs?”

It’s:

“What does your facility require you to wear?”

Operating rooms, procedural areas and sterile environments can have specific policies covering scrub apparel, laundering, jackets, head coverings, footwear and personal clothing worn underneath surgical attire.

AORN’s current perioperative guidance specifically addresses how surgical apparel should be selected, worn and laundered, and recommends facility-level processes for managing clothing worn in restricted and semi-restricted areas.

So before buying a beautiful stack of premium scrubs for the OR, make sure you’re actually permitted to wear them there.

Affiliate disclosure: Suitcases & Scrubs may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Quick Picks for OR & Surgical Staff

Our Overall Pick: Facility-Issued Scrubs

For many OR nurses and surgical staff, our first recommendation isn’t a brand at all.

It’s the scrubs your facility provides or specifically approves.

AORN’s surgical-attire guidance addresses scrub apparel in semi-restricted and restricted environments and includes recommendations around laundering and contamination control. AORN notes that contaminated attire should remain at the healthcare facility for appropriate laundering rather than being taken home.

Local policy may be even stricter.

Why facility-issued scrubs make sense

• They meet the hospital’s attire requirements
• They can be laundered through approved systems
• You don’t destroy your own expensive scrubs
• Replacement is straightforward
• Color and styling are standardized

So if your hospital hands you OR scrubs every morning, use them.

Spend your money on the things you can actually choose—such as approved footwear, compression socks or off-unit workwear.

1. Cherokee Workwear — Best Personal Scrubs Where Allowed

Check current price on Amazon

If your facility permits personally owned scrubs in your role or procedural environment, practical Workwear styles make a lot of sense.

You generally want:

• Simple construction
• Easy laundering
• Comfortable fit
• Low replacement cost
• Straightforward pockets

There’s little reason to wear expensive fashion scrubs into an environment where clothing may become heavily soiled.

Best for

• Outpatient surgical settings where personal scrubs are permitted
• Pre-op or PACU roles depending on facility policy
• Procedural staff with approved personal uniforms
• Backup scrubs

Shop: [Amazon affiliate link — Cherokee Workwear Scrubs]

2. Cherokee Infinity — Best Stretch Option Where Permitted

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If your workplace lets you choose your own scrubs and you spend much of your shift moving equipment, positioning patients or standing, stretch becomes valuable.

Cherokee Infinity provides a more athletic option than basic Workwear.

Why we’d consider it

• Flexible fabric
• Athletic fit
• Multiple pant styles
• Good mobility
• Practical pockets

Again, approval comes first.

A wonderful scrub isn’t useful if local perioperative policy doesn’t allow it.

Shop: [Amazon affiliate link — Cherokee Infinity Scrubs]

3. FIGS FIONx — Best Premium Personal Option

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Where personally purchased scrubs are permitted, FIGS can work well for surgical staff who prefer a softer, fitted uniform.

Current FIONx scrubs combine four-way stretch with moisture-wicking, anti-wrinkle and odor-resistant characteristics.

Those qualities are useful during long shifts.

But we would not buy an expensive FIGS OR wardrobe until confirming workplace policy.

Best for

• Approved outpatient settings
• Procedural roles permitting personal attire
• Pre-op/PACU staff where allowed
• Nurses who already know FIGS fits them well

Shop: [Affiliate link — FIGS Scrubs]

Surgical Attire Is an Infection-Control Issue

This is where the OR differs from most of our other scrub guides.

Perioperative clothing isn’t purely about comfort.

AORN’s current guidance treats surgical attire as part of infection-prevention practice and addresses:

• Scrub apparel
• Head coverings
• Footwear
• Personal clothing
• Jackets
• Personal electronic devices
• Laundering
• Contaminated attire

AORN’s 2026 perioperative guideline set continues to include surgical-attire guidance among its evidence-based standards.

Your hospital’s policy should therefore outrank anything you read in a shopping guide—including this one.

Don’t Automatically Take OR Scrubs Home

This deserves its own section.

AORN states that surgical attire contaminated with visible blood or body fluids should remain at the healthcare facility for laundering and should be appropriately contained where used.

More broadly, the current guidance addresses healthcare-accredited or otherwise appropriately regulated laundering of scrub apparel used in perioperative environments.

So don’t assume your OR scrub routine should work like your ordinary hospital-uniform laundry.

Follow your facility.

What About Scrub Jackets in the OR?

Again:

Policy first.

A scrub or warm-up jacket can be useful in cold perioperative environments, but AORN includes long-sleeve scrub jackets within its discussion of surgical apparel used in semi-restricted and restricted areas.

That means the random hoodie you keep in your car isn’t necessarily an appropriate substitute.

If jackets are allowed, look for:

• Close-fitting cuffs
• Easy laundering
• Lightweight warmth
• No excessive loose fabric
• Approved construction

And use whatever your facility specifies.

OR Scrubs Shouldn’t Be Too Loose

Baggy isn’t automatically better.

Excess fabric can become irritating when working around:

• Equipment
• Carts
• Tables
• Lines
• Positioning devices

You want enough room to move without large amounts of hanging fabric.

Stretch fabric can help achieve that where personally selected scrubs are permitted.

OR Scrubs Shouldn’t Be Too Tight Either

The opposite problem is equally bad.

You may spend long periods:

• Standing
• Reaching
• Bending
• Moving patients
• Positioning equipment

Your clothing needs enough room for unrestricted movement.

The squat-and-reach test still applies.

What About Underscrubs?

Don’t assume you can wear any long-sleeve shirt under OR scrubs.

AORN’s guidance recommends facilities develop processes addressing personal clothing worn under surgical attire, including considerations such as fabric, how much material extends beyond the scrub apparel and laundering.

So this is another place where local policy wins.

Best Shoes for OR Nurses

Shoes may be a better place to invest money than scrubs if your facility supplies your clothing.

Important characteristics include:

• Support
• Slip resistance
• Easy cleaning
• Protective construction
• Comfortable standing support
• Appropriate fluid protection where required

AORN advises perioperative workers to wear protective footwear meeting their organization’s safety requirements and dress code, with additional fluid-resistant shoe covers or boots when gross contamination can reasonably be anticipated.

We’ll cover footwear separately in our nursing-shoe guides.

Clogs vs. Sneakers in the OR

This depends heavily on your role and facility.

Clogs can offer:

• Easy cleaning
• Simple construction
• Slip-on convenience

Sneakers can offer:

• Cushioning
• Athletic support
• Lightweight movement

Whichever you choose, check workplace rules and required protection first.

Head Coverings Matter Too

Operating-room attire extends beyond tops and pants.

AORN currently recommends covering scalp and hair when entering semi-restricted and restricted areas and discusses appropriate head-cover fit and hair containment.

Your facility may provide specific disposable or reusable head coverings.

Again, follow local policy rather than treating headwear primarily as a fashion accessory.

What About Scrub Caps From Amazon?

They can be useful if your facility permits them and they meet its requirements.

Before buying one, determine:

• Required coverage
• Whether reusable caps are allowed
• How they must be laundered
• Whether facial hair requires additional covering
• Whether a particular style is required

Then shop accordingly.

How Many Personal OR Scrubs Do You Need?

If your facility supplies scrubs:

possibly none.

That’s one of the few pages on this site where buying less may genuinely be the best recommendation.

If personally owned scrubs are approved and you work three shifts per week, four or five sets may be sufficient depending on the required laundering process.

Don’t Spend $500 Before Orientation

If you’re starting your first OR job, don’t buy:

• Six premium scrub sets
• Five scrub caps
• Three jackets
• Special underscrubs

before learning the rules.

Your department may supply half of it.

Your facility may prohibit some of it.

Get through orientation and learn the dress policy first.

Then buy what you actually need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best scrubs for OR nurses?

In many restricted perioperative environments, facility-issued or facility-approved surgical attire is the best choice. Local policy should come before brand preference.

Can OR nurses wear FIGS?

Possibly, depending on workplace policy and the area in which you work. Do not assume personally purchased scrubs are permitted in restricted perioperative environments.

Do OR scrubs have to be hospital-laundered?

Policies vary, but AORN’s current guidance includes specific recommendations regarding appropriate laundering of scrub apparel used in perioperative areas. Follow your organization’s procedure.

Can I wear a long-sleeve shirt under OR scrubs?

That depends on facility policy. AORN recommends organizations establish processes governing personal clothing worn under surgical attire.

What shoes should an OR nurse wear?

Footwear should meet your organization’s safety requirements and dress code. Additional fluid-resistant protection may be required when substantial contamination is anticipated.

Should I buy my own OR scrubs before starting?

We wouldn’t. Learn your facility’s policy first.

Our Verdict

For OR nurses, policy beats brand.

If your hospital supplies surgical scrubs, those are our first choice.

If personally owned attire is permitted, practical options such as Cherokee Workwear or Cherokee Infinity make sense.

Where premium personal scrubs are allowed, FIGS is worth considering.

But this is one category where we would actively discourage buying a giant affiliate-shopping cart just because you found this page.

Learn the rules first.

Then buy only what your role actually requires.