Like most things in today’s world, there is a wide variety of options for consumers in whatever category they are researching or “looking up”, be it cars, computers, toothpaste, soap, audio visual gear and all types of apparel with numerous competing categories and subcategories for each. Who today has not
heard of global brands like Nike, McDonald’s, Apple, Coke, or BMW? These corporations have gained international recognition over the years and have many loyal followers that swear by their particular brands that in some way help form and shape their own identity.
When you look at this from a global perspective, there are many competing regional brands that may not be so well known in one part of the world, but is very popular across a specific geography or location. Having travelled a bit, you can definitely see some local brands that would compete, and in many cases surpass in popularity versus global brands like for example, Brahma, a Brazilian beer that outperforms many of the international brands consumed year over year in total sales and consumer loyalty within Brazil but that few even heard of in Canada.
When it comes to medical scrubs, the global landscape is no different. There are a variety of factors at play when it comes to the success of any brand, be it at a regional or global level. In the medical uniform or “scrub” category there are a few brands that clearly stand out within North America from a brand recognition standpoint. However, like any other product or brand that is associated with it, there are pros and cons that consumers will surely figure out over time that will tell weather the brand is in fact “the best” based on form, functionality, price, sustainability, and overall value, or whether it is all just a bunch of hype driven by a large marketing budget that has been invested in pushing out product to the masses by appealing to the identities that some aspire to achieve.
On top of the list for North America is a brand called FIGS. FIGS is a popular brand that is well known for its modern stylish scrubs designed for healthcare professionals that come in a variety of vibrant colours with simple yet sleek designs that appeal to many of those that follow typical apparel trends. With its headquarters in Santa Monica, California, FIGS provides their products only online. That means that they are direct to consumer, straight from their warehouse and do not work with retailers to promote their current or newly launched products.
FIGS has decided to operate with this model, in line with the increasing trend for online shopping and has invested large sums of money within their marketing budgets to help achieve sales by specific target marketing. The simple downfall of this model is that the consumer, without the opportunity to touch, feel and try on their product beforehand, may be less than satisfied with their purchase if ordered online as every collection fits and feels differently. You can check out any Facebook marketplace to see all of these brand-new scrub sets for sale. Obviously, it’s cheaper and easier to try to sell it via marketplace then trying to return it.
Next on the list is a brand called Grey’s Anatomy. This brand is actually a sub-brand of Barco Uniforms and is inspired by the popular TV series “Grey’s Anatomy”. Grey's Anatomy scrubs are well known for their soft, luxurious fabrics and very stylish and contemporary designs. They are highly comfortable and durable, making them a favorite among healthcare professionals who prioritize both functionality and fashion.
Barco Uniforms is also headquartered in Gardenia, California and has taken a different business approach to attain brand recognition. Barco Uniforms works with select retailer partners, for example BodyMoves Scrubs Boutique to support their efforts in importing product into Canada and helping retailers promote the brand and with training and guidance on company core values and training on new collections and trends happening across the globe. This approach puts more ownership on the individual retailer in providing what is required to satisfy a specific target customer base while having Barco Uniforms support in all areas of new product development and logistics to import into Canada for example.
When looking at overall market trends, Barco Uniforms comes in as one of the “best brands” in the medical uniforms category. As mentioned above, Barco Uniforms offers a diverse range of scrub collections, including the popular Grey's Anatomy collection, Barco Skechers, and Barco One lines. Their scrubs are crafted from high-performance fabric that is both comfortable and durable, with features such as moisture-wicking and soil-release properties. Barco scrubs are available in a variety of styles and sizes to suit different preferences and the various needs that health professionals require satisfied. In Canada, specifically, Barco Uniforms works with a select few partners like BodyMoves Scrubs Boutique
to bring Canada the best uniforms to the Canadian market.
Cherokee, and Dickies are popular brands that have been well established in the work-wear industry for many years offering a diverse selection of scrubs known for their durability and comfort for the medical working professional. Little may be known that both of these brands, along with Med Couture and Heartsoul, offering trendy and fashionable modern scrubs that feature updated fabric technologies, vibrant colors, and thoughtful details, all fall under the same company umbrella called Carismatic Brands. BodyMoves Scrubs Boutique also works with Carismatic Brands to bring specific collections into Canada depending on regional and local customer demand. There are other notable scrub brands that have gained some popularity in various regions within North America and abroad. Some notable mentions are WonerWink, Mobb,Urbane, Luna, and Carhartt a legendary brand that builds on its reputation of rugged workwear.
Although this is not and exhaustive list of popular medical uniform / scrub brands, it touches on some of the top contenders in the industry, each offering its own unique branding proposition to customers. To determine what is in fact the “best” scrub brand is a very subjective question as it depends on how the word “best” is defined and by who’s standard? If looking at competing companies, the “best” metric may be based on the collections that brought in the most revenue for that year.
If “best” is to be reflected by the consumer, the competing brands may rank in areas derived from consumer reports or polls that may be a compilation of data giving insight into the overall customer experience, rate of returns, or some metric around the overall attributes or satisfaction that their medical scrubs derived. Speaking as a consumer, I would suggest that the metric to determine “best” would come from a brand that can deliver value, style, selection, comfort, functionality and consistency to meet the diverse needs of any healthcare professional.
When choosing the “best “scrub brand for you, consider factors such as fabric quality, fit, durability, and any specific features or design preferences you may have and weather or not you can touch, feel, and try the scrubs on before you buy, so that your experience is a positive one when leaving the store. Furthermore, an experienced retailer like BodyMoves Scrubs Boutique can provide some insight and consultation on what may work best for you. Far too often the disappointment of purchasing something online only to realize upon delivery that what was purchased did not meet expectation and that becomes too much of a hassle to return has your new scrubs end up in a drawer until your next spring cleaning.
