Wine scrubs: smart and practical

Wine is the colour for people who want their scrubs to look a little different without looking casual. It is a deep red with a hint of purple, sometimes called maroon or burgundy, and it has a warmth that navy and grey do not.

It is also more practical than it first seems. Dark enough to hide the small marks of a long shift, it keeps a polished look from morning handover to night.

Why people choose wine

Nurses who pick wine usually mention two things: it looks smart, and it is easy to spot in a busy ward.

• Smart: the deep tone looks closer to formal wear than bright colours do.
• Practical: like navy, it hides light dust, creases and minor splashes better than pale shades.
• Distinct: if your unit lets staff choose, wine stands out from the sea of blue.

Some institutions also use wine as a colour for a particular role, such as supervisors or a specific department, because it is easy to tell apart from blue and green.

Does wine show stains?

Wine hides general wear well. Blood, however, can be hard to see on a dark red, which is not always a good thing; it means you need to check your scrubs carefully after procedures rather than rely on a glance. Change any scrub that has been soiled, whatever the colour, and follow your hospital’s infection-control policy. For cleaning, see our guide to removing blood stains from scrubs.

Pairing wine

Wine pairs best with neutrals:

• A white doctor coat or lab coat on top.
• A wine scrub cap for a matched look, or navy for contrast.
• Black or white footwear.

Avoid pairing a wine top with bright blue or green pants; it tends to look like two different uniforms.

Keeping wine rich

Red-based dyes can bleed slightly in the first few washes and fade in strong sun. A few habits help:

• Wash the first couple of times on its own or only with other dark reds.
• After that, wash with similar dark colours, warm up to 60 °C as the label allows.
• No bleach on coloured scrubs.
• Turn inside out and dry in shade; take it in once dry.
• Warm iron, inside out if you want to avoid shine.

Is wine right for your workplace?

If your hospital or college sets colours by role, check first and follow their uniform policy. Where you can choose, wine works well for staff nurses, clinic staff, dental assistants and anyone who wants something smart but less formal than navy.

Wine in our range

Wine is one of the four colours of our Women’s V-Neck Scrub Set, along with navy, teal and ceil blue. It has a waist-shaped V-neck top with three pockets and a drawstring pant with an elastic back. The tie-back scrub cap comes in wine too. You can see the full range on the scrubs page.

In short

Wine gives you a warm, polished look that still copes well with long, busy shifts. Treat it gently in the first washes and it will stay rich for a long time. If you are unsure of your size, send your measurements on WhatsApp or check the size chart before ordering your wine set.