From Cherokee Scrubs To Landau Scrubs: Why Those Colors?

Ever look at your scrubs (be they Cherokee, Dickies

, or Landau scrubs) and wonder why they look like that? Why choose these colors and not others? To understand exactly why scrubs have the colors they do, one must consider not merely the companies that make them, but in fact the origins of these modern day versions. Of great pertinence are two unassuming factors: 1) the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, and 2) Joseph Lister's groundbreaking antiseptic theory.

In the 19th century, unsanitary conditions were all too common at hospitals and surgeries. In fact, attempts to sanitize could even be frowned upon, as the chemicals used in doing so were sometimes considered dangerous for healing. Joseph Lister and others conducted experiments and trials showcasing the dangers of this fact, studies that still reverberate today. His paper, "Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery" gained traction after its initial delivery in 1867, slowly spreading the novel idea that cleanliness greatly reduced the onset of complications such as gangrene in patients. Cleanliness, then, is at the root of scrubs and their role in protecting patients. Later, the 1918 influenza pandemic, wherein somewhere between 50 and 130 million people were killed, encouraged medical staff to begin wearing protective clothing, specifically masks, in order to protect themselves from their patients.

Between Lister's antiseptic work and the threat of infection from patients during the pandemic, the need for extremely clean, site specific clothing arose in the medical field

But what about the colors?

The color white, from a fashion and design standpoint, is often associated with cleanliness, and early medical scrubs reflected this thinking. However, long periods of work under bright lights for surgery, coupled with all white clothing, led to significant eye strain on doctors who rely specifically on the strength of sight to complete complex medical tasks. As well, blood stands out starkly from the blankness of white clothing, adding an unneeded sense of anxiety to an already stressful environment. For this reason, more muted, neutral and cooling colors were chosen. Today, most scrubs are in calm greens and blues, colors that cause little strain on vision and which dull the effect of any residual stains. Popular brands of today like Landau scrubs all offer examples that testify to this.

Recently, other differentiations have occurred, which are evident in the newest lines from Cherokee and Landau scrubs, among others. For example, many hospitals use different colors to differentiate between departments. Also, as scrubs gain popularity as street wear, pink has been introduced as a threat deterrent. Patterns have come into vogue as well, as is evidenced in the Landau scrubs line. These are often used in the office of a pediatrician as a way to seem welcoming and calming to children. So, when you look at the popular brands like Cherokee Scrubs, Landau Scrubs and others, consider the origins of their particular look.

by: Mark Etinger

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