Scrub Colours Explained: What Each Colour Means in Healthcare
Did you know the colour of your scrubs can say a lot about your role — and even influence how patients feel around you? From calming blues to confident blacks, each colour has its own professional meaning. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right hue for your team or workplace.
💙 Blue Scrubs – Calm and Trustworthy
Blue is the most common scrub colour for a reason — it’s associated with calmness, cleanliness and trust. It helps reduce stress for both patients and staff, making it a go-to choice for nurses, hospitals and clinics.
Best picks: Cherokee and Wink offer a wide range of blue tones, from navy to royal, in soft stretch fabrics.
💚 Green Scrubs – Healing and Refreshing
Green represents growth, renewal and health — perfect for medical environments. It’s also easier on the eyes under harsh lighting and helps reduce visual fatigue during long shifts. Green has always been associated with doctors or surgeons.
Try: Dickies and Cherokee lines in surgical green or teal for a fresh, professional look.
🤍 White Scrubs – Clean and Classic
White symbolises purity and precision — ideal for lab and clinical staff. However, it requires careful laundering to stay crisp and bright (check our Scrub Care Guide for tips).
Best for: Dentists, oral hygienists, lab technicians and administrators who prefer a timeless, professional appearance.
💜 Purple Scrubs – Caring and Compassionate
Purple conveys empathy, wisdom and creativity. It’s often worn by paediatric, midwives, maternity or aged-care teams because it feels friendly and approachable.
Top choice: Wink offers modern, feminine purples that combine style and comfort.
🖤 Black Scrubs – Professional and Confident
Black scrubs give a sleek, modern look — perfect for clinical managers, administrators and allied health professionals. They project confidence and authority while staying practical. Often worn by Emergency Specialists or FACEM's in Australian Emergency Departments.
Our picks: Dickies and Cherokee both carry tailored black options with fade-resistant fabric.
🌸 Pink Scrubs – Friendly and Uplifting
Pink scrubs communicate warmth, empathy and optimism — often chosen for paediatrics, women’s health, and breast cancer awareness campaigns.
Try: Wink and Cherokee for modern pastel tones and stretch fabrics that stay vibrant wash after wash.
🩶 Grey Scrubs – Neutral and Balanced
Grey is calm, balanced and sophisticated. It pairs easily with any accent colour, making it ideal for mixed teams or clinics that prefer a minimalist palette.
Best for: Multi-disciplinary practices or uniforms that require consistent but non-distracting tones.
Choosing Colours for Your Team
When selecting scrub colours for your clinic or department, think about both **function and emotion**:
- Match colours to specific roles for clarity (e.g., blue for nurses, green for doctors).
- Choose calming colours for high-stress areas like ED and ICU.
- Incorporate brand colours to strengthen your clinic’s visual identity.
Find the colours that match your role and style — from calming blues to confident blacks.
FAQs
What is the most popular scrub colour?
Blue is the most popular worldwide for its calming and professional tone.
Can I mix different scrub colours?
Yes — many clinics use colour-coding to identify departments or roles while keeping a cohesive look.
Do scrub colours fade over time?
Quality fabrics from Cherokee, Dickies and Wink are designed to resist fading with proper care.
