According to Fortune Business Insights, the U.S. reusable medical scrubs market was valued at $7.11 billion in 2024 and is expected to climb to $7.54 billion in 2025, eventually reaching $12.34 billion by 2032. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3% across the 2025–2032 forecast window.
Growth in this market is closely tied to broader shifts in the U.S. healthcare system. Rising patient volumes and hospitalization rates have widened the gap between available doctors and the population that needs care, pushing healthcare systems to hire more staff and expand medical school class sizes. That expansion feeds directly into scrub demand, since new students and clinicians all need to be outfitted. Data cited from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows medical school enrollment climbed from roughly 91,000 students in 2018 to about 96,500 in 2022, illustrating this steady upward pressure on the healthcare workforce.
COVID-19's Lasting Imprint
The pandemic era left a distinct mark on this market's trajectory. As hospitals scrambled to protect overwhelmed staff, demand for scrubs spiked, and many facilities adopted stricter laundering and frequent-change protocols that favored reusable garments. Apparel companies responded in kind: Jaanuu ran an awareness campaign encouraging healthcare workers to wear proper medical apparel, while Barco Uniforms pledged to donate thousands of scrubs monthly to frontline staff. Manufacturers also used the moment to push fabric innovation, developing antimicrobial and temperature-regulating materials.
That surge, however, created an inventory glut. Once pandemic urgency faded in 2021 and 2022, hospitals were sitting on stockpiles, and new orders slowed. FIGS, Inc.'s public filings reflect this pattern clearly — explosive 2020 revenue growth gave way to much smaller gains in the following two years. The market is now expected to gradually return to its pre-pandemic growth pace.
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Trends, Drivers, and Restraints
A major trend reshaping the category is the fusion of medical apparel with athleisure design. Manufacturers are borrowing cues from activewear and fashion to make scrubs more comfortable and functional, a shift exemplified by Fabletics' 2023 entry into the scrubs category, developed using feedback from thousands of medical professionals. Reversible scrubs, which offer two color or design options in a single garment, are also gaining traction because they reduce how often staff need clean laundry during long shifts.
On the demand side, rising surgical volumes are a core growth driver. Every operating-room staff member needs sterile attire, and procedures like Cesarean deliveries have become more common — CDC data shows C-section rates rising from about 31.8% of U.S. births in 2020 to 32.1% in 2021. An aging population and continued advances in medical technology are expected to keep surgical volumes climbing.
Counterbalancing this growth is competition from disposable scrubs, which avoid laundering costs and are viewed by some studies as more effective for infection control. Price is a significant factor here too: disposable tops and pants can start under $2 each, undercutting the reusable segment and pulling some cost-sensitive buyers away.
Segmentation
By gender, female healthcare workers represent the larger share of the market, reflecting that women make up roughly 80% of the U.S. healthcare workforce and about 90% of registered nurses. The male segment is smaller but growing at a notable pace as more men enter nursing and other clinical roles.
By distribution channel, B2B sales — driven by hospitals and medical institutions purchasing in bulk — held the larger share as of 2022, supported by a steadily growing hospital count nationwide. Within the B2C side, online retail is the faster-growing channel, benefiting from discounts, broader platform availability, and consumer convenience.
Competitive Landscape
The market remains fragmented, with numerous small and mid-sized producers alongside larger branded players. Fortune Business Insights identifies FIGS, Inc., Medline Industries, Superior Group of Companies, and Careismatic Brands as leading names, alongside other notable players such as Barco Uniforms, Jaanuu, Koi Design, and Kindthread. Recent industry activity includes partnerships around AI-driven sizing technology, strategic hospital supply agreements, and limited-edition capsule collections tied to health-awareness campaigns — all signaling continued innovation and consolidation efforts as the market moves toward its 2032 forecast.