Choosing the right material and features for your medical lab coat often becomes overwhelming. Should you go for 100% cotton or a polycotton blend will be better? Do you need fire resistance? What is the meaning of flame retardant? Well, this post is here to help you find exactly what you need in terms of medical lab coats.
A straight answer to all these confusions is the type of medical setting you work in will determine the type of medical lab coat that is best for you. Let us know how.
Which Lab Coat Material Is Right For You?
The fabric you choose for the medical lab coat will make a huge difference. Here is a simple guide that will walk you through the most common fabrics used for medical lab coats.
100% Cotton Lab Coats
These are highly comfy, lightweight, and long-lasting. Cotton is a breathable fabric, although when it comes to maintenance, it is better to opt for an alternative that is frequently combined with polyester.
100% Polyester Lab Coats
Polyester is a synthetic material that is robust and long-lasting. It’s easier to maintain and dries faster than cotton while providing a good “barrier” to biological contaminants. This is because, unlike cotton, it does not absorb liquids.
Cotton Lab Coats Treated With Flame flame-retardant coating
The chemical treatment added to these fabrics gives the flame-retardant properties. This chemical treatment makes the fabric flame retardant and maintains the feature throughout the medical lab coats’ lifetime as long as you are washing and maintaining it properly.
Polyester/Cotton Blend Lab Coats
These make the cheapest lab coats. It’s breathable, super light, and easy to wash. Polyester-cotton blends come with at least 35% cotton and these are appropriate for use in medical atmospheres without open flames. Remember that these may not be as soft and breathable as 100% cotton.
Nomex Lab Coats
Nomex is considered one of the more expensive options and it is ideal for environments with significant fire hazards, electric arc hazards, or pyrophoric compounds. It is not likely to ignite and has a fire and heat barrier.
Nomex IIIA Lab Coats
This interlock knitting fabric is made with 93%Nomex, 5% Kevlar, and 2% P-140. Nomex IIIA is a flame-resistant fiber which is also a high-temperature-resistant fiber that never melts or drips.
Well, these fabrics are just to name a few. When it comes to medical lab coats there are many other fabric options such as nylon blends, modacrylic blends, rayon blends, Tyvek, and more.