Finding Inclusive Scrubs: How to Tell If a Scrub Brand Truly Focuses on Fit & Body Diversity

I don’t trust brands anymore, not automatically. Companies that sell clothing, in particular, tend to have a habit of changing the meaning of words to suit them. Look at “inclusivity” for instance. There are hundreds of businesses out there that say they sell “inclusive scrubs” and promote body diversity.

I’ve only seen a handful of them actually prove it.

99% of the time, inclusivity ends up being a marketing term and nothing else. A brand might use models with different body shapes in their photos, and offer a handful of extra sizes, but when you really dive deeper, you find out they’re doing the same thing as everyone else.

As someone who thinks body diversity really is a big deal, that annoys me.

That’s why I decided to create this mini crash course. My guide to spotting whether a scrubs brand really cares about designing for everyone, or they’re just jumping on the marketing bandwagon.

What an “Inclusive Scrubs Brand” Actually Is

First up, an inclusive scrubs brand isn’t just a company that offers a lot of sizes (that’s just part of it). They actually cater to different needs and body shapes. A whole spectrum.

Yes, the size range is usually bigger, but you get specific lengths in scrub pants for petite women and taller girls too, different style options to suit your body type, materials that accommodate your needs with stretch that bounces back, even thoughtful extras, like bonus pockets.

So, let’s start with the most obvious green flag.

Inclusive Scrubs Start With Size Range

Again, a lot of companies think “more sizes” automatically equals more inclusive. It doesn’t, but it’s still the starting point. What I recommend looking for here is a company that goes beyond the basics.

Not just “XS”, but XXS scrubs in every style. Not just “plus-sized” but sizes up to 6XL and beyond.

Take a look at a few size charts and you’ll see the difference between brands pretty quickly.

“Got this in XXXSmall Petite Short 25” and it fits exactly how it should!! It’s very comfortable to wear.”

Watch out for plus-size scrubs replacing curve scrubs (or vice versa) too. I know a lot of women who have problems here, because the issue isn’t that there isn’t enough fabric, it’s that the fabric is in the wrong places. Extra width added evenly doesn’t help if your hips, thighs, bust, or waist don’t scale evenly. Real bodies don’t.

A truly inclusive brand doesn’t just offer more numbers. They think about who those numbers belong to. They design for people, rather than forcing us to fit into industry patterns.

Sometimes, they even go a step further, with maternity options, or carefully curated collections. That’s how you know they’re thinking about real people.

Leg Length Makes a Huge Difference: From Petite to Tall

You can be wearing the “right size” and still feel off all day, and most of the time it comes down to length. Not in a fashion way. In a why do my pants feel weird every time I sit down way.

I’ve watched people blame themselves for this for years. “Maybe I should’ve sized up.” “Maybe I should’ve sized down.” “Maybe this brand just runs funny.” Meanwhile, the real issue is simpler than that: the pants were never built for their body in the first place.

If you’re taller, you already know the drill. You stand up and things seem fine. You sit, bend, move, and suddenly you’re aware of your ankles in a way you didn’t ask for.

Shorter people get it just as bad, just in a different way. Fabric bunching where it shouldn’t. Knees landing too low. That weird sag in the front that makes you feel sloppy even when you’re not. It’s subtle, but it’s constant.

Inclusive companies offer variety. Leg lengths from 25 inches to 36 inches and beyond. Some, like Dolan even offer free hemming. That’s designing for body diversity.

“After 7 years of nursing I FINALLY came across the BEST scrubs ever! I’ve never been so happy and CONFIDENT!!! Thank you DOLAN!”

One Shape Has Never Fit All: Look for Style Options

This is where I think the whole conversation around inclusive scrubs usually goes sideways.

For a long time, the industry acted like there was one “default” body and everyone else was a variation of it. Same pattern scaled up or down. Same rise. Same hip curve. Same shoulder slope. If it didn’t work for you, the unspoken answer was basically: that’s a you problem.

But real bodies don’t scale evenly. Anyone who’s ever tried on women’s scrubs knows that. Hips show up before waists agree. Thighs exist. Busts pull fabric forward. Some people are straight-shaped. Some aren’t. Some are curvy and short. Some are tall and narrow. Some live permanently between two sizes that never seem to exist at the same time.

Style options give you ways to match your silhouette:

·       High-waisted pants for when you want to look professional,

·       Joggers for when you need movement and comfort

·       Wide-leg pants (like the Palos pants), for an on-trend look.

Tops should offer just as much variety. You might pick the Mayfair V Neck for a sleek vibe, or the Mel top for something crisp and modern.

You build the outfit that matches your shape. That’s what works.

Inclusive Brands Combine Form and Function

Companies selling inclusive scrubs shouldn’t just be thinking about “fashion”, they should be designing for real people in the medical industry. That means that designs need to be functional.

Good scrubs stretch when you need them to, then pull themselves back together. They don’t keep growing as the day goes on. They don’t feel shiny or stressed in high-movement areas. You can squat, reach, twist, sit on the edge of a bed, and stand back up without feeling like the fabric is negotiating with you.

The fabric manages to be breathable, but not flimsy too. That matters when you’re rushing between hot and cold environments every day.

“I’m so excited to share my thoughts on the new scrubs I received from DOLAN! 💙 From the moment I put them on, I could tell these weren’t your average scrubs. The fabric is super soft, stretchy, and breathable, which makes those long shifts so much more comfortable.”

Pockets tell on bad design too. When they’re placed without thinking about weight or gravity, they drag everything down. Phones pull on waistbands. Scissors tug at hips. By mid-shift, the pants are sitting somewhere they weren’t meant to.

When scrubs are designed with movement in mind, you stop noticing all of this. Things stay where they started. Fabric doesn’t collapse. You’re not constantly re-centering yourself inside your clothes.

Inclusive Brands Help You Keep Your Dignity

I’m not just talking about boosting your confidence with a super-flattering style here. I’m talking about designing scrubs that aren’t going to embarrass you after a few hours, or days.

For a long time, I thought the problem was me. Or my laundry. Or the hospital AC. My scrubs would feel fine when they were new, and then slowly, they’d deteriorate. They’d cling more. Feel thinner in certain spots. Hold onto heat in a way that made no sense. By the end of a shift, I just wanted them off.

What I eventually realized is that “freshness” has almost nothing to do with perfume-y finishes or special washes. It’s about whether the fabric can survive being worked as hard as we work.

“This fabric is divine! It feels so durable and soft”

Scrubs get abused. Hot water. Fast dryers. Constant friction in the same places. Fabric doesn’t wear out evenly, it thins where there’s stress. Seat. Inner thighs. Waistbands. Once that happens, everything changes. Fit feels different. Coverage feels different. Even breathability feels different.

The scrubs that actually hold up usually feel a little more structured at the start. Not stiff. Just reliable. Durability isn’t glamorous. No one brags about it online. But it’s the difference between scrubs that quietly support you and scrubs that slowly turn into another thing you have to manage.

Brands that Sell Inclusive Scrubs Care About Their Customers

This is the part I didn’t appreciate until I started hearing how people talked after they bought their scrubs from certain brands.

Not the reviews that sound polished. The real comments. The ones that start with, “Okay, so I thought I messed up…” or “I wasn’t sure which size to order because nothing ever fits me right.”

That hesitation says a lot.

If you’ve ever lived between sizes, or had a body that doesn’t line up neatly with a chart, buying scrubs can feel like a gamble.

What separates decent brands from the ones that actually care is what happens around that moment. Do they give you a way to try things without committing (like Dolan)? Do they explain how different fits are supposed to feel? Or do they quietly leave you alone with a return label and call it customer service?

Good customer support shows that a company actually cares about supporting its customers, not just trying to “look good” for marketing reasons.

Inclusive Brands Listen Before, and After Launch

This is where a lot of “inclusive” talk quietly falls apart.

Plenty of brands will say they listen. Fewer actually do anything uncomfortable with what they hear.

Because once scrubs are out in the world, people are honest in a way they aren’t in focus groups. They complain on Reddit. They leave oddly specific reviews. They say things like, “I love these, but the waistband rolls when I sit,” or “Please restock this in my size because nothing else fits me like this.”

I’ve noticed a real difference between brands that treat feedback like damage control and brands that treat it like part of the design process. The first group responds politely, maybe offers a refund, and keeps moving. The second group changes things. Adds a length. Adjusts a rise. Expands a curve fit. Brings back a size that sold out too fast.

Just look at Dolan. They respond on Reddit, reach out to customers with questions, even invite people to test their products for them. You don’t do that if inclusivity is just a word on a banner.

One More Tip: Pay Attention to Who Gives Back

An “altruistic” brand isn’t the same as an inclusive brand. Still, I think it’s worth looking a little closer at companies that give back. The work they do tells you something. It shows they’re not just “selling for profit”, they’re trying to make a difference.

Clothing companies are in a weird position, especially in healthcare. They’re not abstract lifestyle brands. They’re dealing with uniforms. With workwear. With people who rely on their clothes to get through hard days. So when a brand understands that clothing is a basic need, not a luxury, it shows up in how they act outside of sales, like with Dolan’s Laundry Truck initiative.

They’re not giving back because they think it’ll help them sell more. They’re doing it because they genuinely believe everyone deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their clothes.

If that doesn’t scream “inclusivity”, I don’t know what does.

Inclusive Scrubs: How I’d Actually Tell If a Brand Gets It

If you’re looking for a quick checklist, here it is:

·       More than one body type actually works in their scrubs. Not “size inclusive” on paper. I mean people who are curvy, short, tall, long-legged, short-waisted, in between. The top scrubs for different body types don’t force everyone into the same cut and call it versatility.

·       There’s real support before and after checkout. Fit help. Clear explanations. Try options. Not just a size chart and a return label. Brands that care about inclusive sizing in scrubs don’t disappear once you order.

·       They adjust things after launch. Restocking sizes that sell out fast. Adding lengths. Tweaking fits. Listening when people say, “This almost works.” That’s how scrubs get better over time.

·       They don’t treat length like an afterthought. If you’re shopping for scrubs for short women or scrubs for tall women, this one’s obvious. Real options. Real proportions. Not “just hem it.”

·       They give back in a way that makes sense. Not loud. Not flashy. Practical support tied to clothing as a basic need. Brands that understand this usually design better scrubs uniforms, too.

If a brand checks all those boxes, you’re probably on the right track.

What “Inclusive” Actually Looks Like in Practice

I’m sick and tired of companies using “inclusivity” as a marketing term.

To me, that word actually means something.

Inclusive brands don’t ask you to adapt to them. They adapt to you. Slowly, sometimes imperfectly, but visibly. You see it in how many different bodies show up in their reviews. You hear it in the language people use in reviews. You notice it when the same names keep coming up among people who’ve been burned by bad fit before.

Dolan turned out to be the first brand that proved (to me, and countless others), that inclusivity is a real thing. They don’t just offer more sizes. They give you more lengths, more styles, more support choosing the right fit. Their aim is to make everyone feel confident and comfortable in their clothes, and it shows in everything they do.

For Dolan, inclusivity is an actual goal, not because it might “sell more scrubs”, because it actually matters. That’s how I know they’re legit.