Bulk Scrubs Sizes: How to Collect Staff Sizes Accurately
Custom Uniforms team · · 4 min read
The most reliable way to collect sizes for a bulk scrubs order is to let staff try on a physical size set, record their choice on one shared sheet, and check the totals before you confirm. Asking people to guess their size from memory, or from a chart on a phone, is the cause of most sizing problems. A little organisation at this stage saves a lot of exchanges later.
Why sizing goes wrong
Scrub sizes vary between manufacturers. A medium from one supplier can be a large from another, and the fit of a V-neck top or drawstring trouser is different from everyday clothing. So when staff are asked “what size are you?”, they answer with the size of whatever they last bought, which may not match your new scrubs at all.
Other common problems:
- Sizes collected over WhatsApp messages, with some lost or duplicated.
- One size given for the whole set, when the person needs a different size in tops and trousers.
- Staff who are on leave or night shift being missed, then guessed.
- Requests for length changes that are noted informally and forgotten.
Before you start: a size set and a scrubs size sheet
Step 1: Get a size set
Ask your supplier for a size set: one top and one trouser in each size you are likely to order, made in the same style as your order. If the full set is not practical, even a size chart with measurements in centimetres is far better than size labels alone.
A size set lets people feel the fit across the shoulders, chest and hips, and see where the trousers sit. It removes most of the guesswork in a single afternoon.
Step 2: Make one sizing sheet
Use one spreadsheet or one printed sheet per department. Keep the columns simple:
| Column | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Employee name and ID | Avoids duplicates and helps with name embroidery |
| Department | Needed if colours differ by department |
| Top size | Many people need a different top and trouser size |
| Trouser size | Recorded separately from the top |
| Trouser length | Regular, short or long, if your supplier offers it |
| Name or title for embroidery | Spelled exactly as it should appear |
| Number of sets | If entitlement varies by role |
Ask each department head to own their sheet and return it by a fixed date.
Collecting and checking bulk scrubs sizes
Step 3: Run a try-on session
Set up the size set in a room near the staff changing area for two or three days, and include times that suit night staff. Ask people to try the top and trouser on, not just hold them up.
A few tips for the session:
- Encourage staff to bend, reach and sit while wearing the sample. Scrubs need to move with the work.
- Remind them that scrubs are often worn with a vest underneath and may shrink slightly in the wash, depending on fabric.
- Have one person from HR or administration write the sizes down, rather than leaving the sheet for people to fill in themselves.
Step 4: Handle the people you missed
There are always a few people on leave or on rotation elsewhere. Rather than guessing, give them a deadline to try the size set, or ask for body measurements taken with a tape. If neither happens, order them a common size and agree that it can be exchanged, so the gap is planned rather than accidental.
Step 5: Check the totals before confirming
When the sheets come back, add up the quantities by colour, style and size. Look for anything that seems odd: a department with almost all extra-large, a name that appears twice, a trouser size with no matching top. A quick review with each department head catches most errors.
Add a small number of spare sets in the most common sizes. New joiners arrive every month, and having a few spares avoids a small rush order later.
Step 6: Approve a sample before bulk
Once sizes are confirmed, approve a sample in your final fabric and colour so that the fit you checked on the size set is the fit you receive. Our guide on why sample approval matters explains what to check on it.
Special cases
Maternity. Plan for staff who will need a larger size or a different style for part of the year.
Different styles in one department. If some nurses prefer a tunic and others scrubs, record the style alongside the size. Our guide to nurse uniform styles can help you decide what to offer.
Custom sizes. Very tall or very petite staff may need adjusted lengths. Ask your supplier whether this is possible and note it on the sheet.
How we handle sizing for bulk scrubs
We make scrubs to order at our unit in Konni, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, so sizes can be produced to the breakdown you send rather than limited to what happens to be in stock. We can work with custom sizes, add name embroidery from your sheet, and make a sample before bulk production, with any sample charge stated in the quote. We keep your size breakdown on record along with fabric, colour and style, which makes the next order quicker to plan.
To start planning sizes for your team, read about our medical uniforms or send us your requirements.