Giving Medical Scrubs A Much-Needed Makeover
by Rina Raphael for Fast Company
The scrubs industry is worth $10 billion stateside and $50 billion worldwide. One in 10 people in America wears scrubs.
So why do the medical uniforms generally look so sad and sloppy? The boxy, rough cotton garb are far from comfortable or functional, let alone chic. (Nurses and doctors often complain of too few pockets or constantly drooping pants.)
That's what inspired Heather Hasson and Trina Spear to co-found FIGS, a direct-to-consumer line of reimagined scrubs. Their line comes in antimicrobial fabrics that reduce and inhibit bacterial infection and feature double the number of zippered-pockets, with easy-to-access space for tools like stethoscopes.
The duo started small: They packed a car with their creations at medical centers during shift changes. They didn’t have great expectations for selling clothing out of a trunk, but within weeks, doctors, nurses, and assistants were lining up.
Now FIGS foresees generating north of $100 million in revenue in 2018.