Why OT scrubs are green

Step into an operating theatre almost anywhere and the team will be in green. Nurses who move from the ward to the OT notice the change straight away: the blue and wine of the corridors give way to one plain, muted green. There are sensible reasons for it, and they are worth knowing if you are new to theatre work.

A short history

Surgical teams once wore white, like the rest of the hospital. White looked clean, but under bright theatre lights it was hard on the eyes, and every mark showed sharply. Over time, many hospitals switched theatre wear to green and blue shades. Green became the familiar “OT colour” in many places, including much of India.

The eye-comfort reason

The most common explanation is about vision. A surgeon or scrub nurse spends a long time looking closely at a red and pink operating field under strong light. When they glance up at a white gown or wall, the eyes can briefly see a faint greenish after-image, which is distracting.

Green sits opposite red on the colour wheel. Looking at green surroundings is generally thought to:

• reduce glare compared with white under theatre lights,
• make after-images less noticeable,
• help the eyes refresh between close-up tasks.

The practical reasons

• Marks look less stark. Splashes appear darker and duller on green than bright red on white, which is less alarming for everyone in the room.
• Easy to identify. A single theatre colour makes it obvious who is dressed for the OT and who has come from outside. This supports the rule that theatre clothes stay in the theatre area.
• Simple to standardise. One plain colour, one simple cut, easy to stock in many sizes.

What OT green does not mean

Colour alone does not make a garment protective. A woven green scrub set is a reusable uniform worn under sterile gowns; it is not itself certified surgical PPE. Gowns, masks, gloves and caps for procedures follow your hospital’s infection-control policy and its approved suppliers.

It is also good practice to change into OT scrubs on arrival and out of them before leaving the theatre area. Our post on changing in and out of OT scrubs explains the habit in more detail.

Do all theatres use green?

No. Some use blue, and some institutions use different shades to separate theatre staff by role. What matters is your own hospital’s rule. If you are setting this up for a whole department, other OT colours are possible for institution or bulk orders; see the bulk hospital supply page.

Caring for green OT scrubs

• Wash after every use, warm up to 60 °C as the care label allows, separately from street clothes.
• No bleach on coloured scrubs.
• Dry fully before storing, especially during the monsoon.
• Follow any laundering procedure your hospital sets for theatre clothing.

Our OT green set

The OT Green Surgical Scrub Set is a plain green, unisex set with a V-neck top, one chest pocket and a drawstring pant, sizes XS to 3XL, in a poly-cotton plain weave. A matching OT green tie-back scrub cap is also available.

The takeaway

OT scrubs are green mainly for eye comfort under bright lights, for calmer-looking marks and for easy identification of theatre staff. If you are moving into theatre work, pick the right size so you can move freely through long cases, and order your OT green set once you have checked the size chart.