The 21 Scrubs team have created a range of stylish and fashion savvy scrubs that are practical, flattering, comfortable and durable, and cater for workers in a range of industries including dental scrubs.

“As a dentist, scrubs are essentials as we are dealing with body fluids and materials that are quite hard to remove if you accidentally drop them on your scrubs,” said Dr Johanna Ramon from Burwood Diamond Dental.  

“In the past I have found that the dental scrubs I have purchased aren’t durable and easily stained. I see multiple patients a day and wash them after one wear. They need to be water, stain and crease-proof, good quality yet still smart and comfortable.”

Enter 21 Scrubs, the brainchild of twin sisters and veterinarians Drs Audrey and Alison Shen and fashion expert and entrepreneur Rebecca Lau Marsh. 

After working in the veterinary industry for over 15 years and wearing old-fashioned scrubs, the sisters became frustrated with the lack of choice, and in particular, the material and style of scrubs available.

Initially the sisters started researching materials in the hope of just making their own scrubs for work. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, they quickly realised there was a market for fashion savvy scrubs and a desperate need for them among all essential workers. 

“We are incredibly proud of the scrubs range we have created,” Dr Alison said. 

“Each style has their own defining cuts and features, and all scrubs are made from stretchy, crease-proof, durable, comfortable and eco-friendly lightweight fabric, that most importantly is hair, water and stain repellent; fast-drying and squat-proof.”

As for Dr Ramon, she has been wearing 21 Scrubs now for four months and says the experience has transformed how she thinks about her everyday work attire.

“I used to think dental scrubs were boring but necessary for my profession but now I can truly say they feel very comfortable, they look professional, and they’re flattering—but still give me the protection I need.”

The 21 Scrubs team have created a range of stylish and fashion savvy scrubs that are practical, flattering, comfortable and durable, and cater for workers in a range of industries including dental.

“As a dentist, scrubs are essentials as we are dealing with body fluids and materials that are quite hard to remove if you accidentally drop them on your scrubs,” said Dr Johanna Ramon from Burwood Diamond Dental.  

“In the past I have found that the scrubs I have purchased aren’t durable and easily stained. I see multiple patients a day and wash them after one wear. They need to be water-, stain- and crease-proof, good quality yet still smart and comfortable.”

Enter 21 Scrubs, the brainchild of twin sisters and veterinarians Drs Audrey and Alison Shen and fashion expert and entrepreneur Rebecca Lau Marsh. 

After working in the veterinary industry for over 15 years and wearing old-fashioned scrubs, the sisters became frustrated with the lack of choice, and in particular, the material and style of scrubs available.

Initially the sisters started researching materials in the hope of just making their own scrubs for work. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, they quickly realised there was a market for fashion savvy scrubs and a desperate need for them among all essential workers. 

“We are incredibly proud of the scrubs range we have created,” Dr Alison said. 

“Each style has their own defining cuts and features, and all scrubs are made from stretchy, crease-proof, durable, comfortable and eco-friendly lightweight fabric, that most importantly is hair, water and stain repellent; fast-drying and squat-proof.”

As for Dr Ramon, she has been wearing 21 Scrubs now for four months and says the experience has transformed how she thinks about her everyday work attire.

“I used to think scrubs were boring but necessary for my profession but now I can truly say they feel very comfortable, they look professional, and they’re flattering—but still give me the protection I need.”

Reinventing the traditional scrubs and changing the way we view our essential workers

Dr. Audrey and Dr. Alison are already famous for their role on the popular TV show, Bondi Vets. These twins have been working in the vet industry for over 15 years, and are no strangers to the ups and downs of their work.

One of the things that frustrated was the scrubs. What should have been a professional uniform that was comfortable, clean, smart, durable and practical for every day was quickly becoming a hairy, soiled, uncomfortable mess.

After years of wearing ill-fitting scrubs as veterinarians, identical twin sisters Dr Alison and Audrey Shen took matters into their own hands and launched 21 Scrubs with the help of their long-time friend and fashion expert, Rebecca Lau Marsh. The brand specialises in medical workwear that’s both stylish and functional and comfortable, including a fashionable jumpsuit that can go from day to night.

We chat with the team behind 21 Scrubs about the development process behind their collection, what the workwear landscape is like and their plans for the business in the future.

Why do we wear scrubs? Scrubs have become the uniform for a range of industries spanning from medical to beauty. But these scrubs are so much more than just a uniform. They are worn not just to protect the wearer, but their patients too.

In particular, scrubs worn during surgery have strict requirements to maintain a sterile environment in theatre from the type of material, to how they are worn and when they are worn. The guidelines for surgical attire by the American Society of Anaesthesiologists state that “when choosing scrub material, consider both containment of shed skin particles and comfort”. 

We all shed dead skin and hair cells continuously. An average human will shed 10,000 keratinocytes from our epidermis per minute when walking. We also shed between 50-100 hairs a day on average. The problem with these sheds is that they are potential “reservoirs for infectious particles”.

So how do we stop our shedding skin cells and hair from contaminating our theatres? The key is to contain them under our surgical attire securely so they cannot escape. The scrubs material must be impermeable to skin cells and hair. It is well known that surgical caps perform this function for hair and masks to prevent the spread of pathogens from our nose and mouth. The scrub material also plays a vital role.

 So, what makes a good surgical scrub material:

1. Comfort and stretch - determines how much friction and rubbing occurs with our movements. The less rubbing, the less shed.

2. Breathability - is important to allow body heat to escape and prevent overheating, but must still contain the shed skin cells.

3. Lint-free - to prevent shedding of the material onto surgical site and theatre.

4. Tightly woven - 100% cotton is not recommended as they have large pores which will risk the release of skin cells into the environment. (AST Standards of Practice for Surgical Attire, Surgical Scrubs, Hand Hygiene and Hand Washing)

 How should we wear surgical scrubs?

This must be put on in a designated changing area just prior to surgery. A head cover should be worn when putting on the scrub top to prevent shedding of microbes on to the scrub.

If wearing a two-piece scrub (top and pants), the scrub top must be tucked into the scrub pants to contain skin cells and prevent them falling out during surgery.

 When to change into surgical scrubs:

Scrubs which are to be worn in surgery must only be donned just prior to entering surgery. Separate scrubs must be worn for general day to day wear (in consultation, clinic or hospital) and during surgery.