What Materials Are Surgical Gowns Made Of?

Material selection for surgical gowns requires consideration of protection, comfort and cost-effectiveness. Common materials can be divided into six categories, with different materials suitable for different scenarios:
1.Traditional material: cotton scrubs.
Features: good breathability, low cost, but weak barrier protection function, easy to flocculate, poor washing resistance, easy to break after repeated washing.
Applicable scenarios: Routine surgery with low protection requirements, or as a transition option for disposable surgical gowns.
Data support: Cotton is susceptible to siphoning, while wet cloths can form a route of bacterial transmission, increasing the risk of cross-infection.
2. Modified synthetic fibers: high-density polyester fabric
Features:
conductive materials is embedded in the surface, the antistatic effect is remarkable, and the wearable comfort is improved.
Strong hydrophobicity, not easy to remove flocculation, high reuse rate rate.
It has good antibacterial effect and meets the requirements of sterile operation room.
Applicable scenarios: Surgery requiring repeated use and high protection, such as orthopaedics and general surgery.
Data support: High-density polyester fabric passed standard tests such as the YY/T and EN 13795 with excellent waterproof, breathable and antistatic properties.
3. High-performance composite membrane: PE/TPU/PTFE multilayer composite membrane scrubs
Features:
Excellent protection, can effectively block the infiltration of blood, bacteria and even viruses.
Good breathability, the medical staff skin can produce water vapor through the medical film, reducing the feeling of stuffiness.
Applicable scenarios: High-risk surgery (such as organ transplantation, cardiovascular surgery) or highly infectious surgery.
Data support: The AAMI PB70 standard classifies surgical gowns into four levels of protection, and the composite material can reach Level 3-4 (the highest protection level).
4. Low-cost disposable material: PP polypropylene spunbond
Features:
Low price, antibacterial and antistatic properties better than cotton.
Low resistance to hydrostatic pressure and poor viral blocking.
Applicable scenarios: Short-term, low-risk surgery (e.g. outpatient minor surgery, ophthalmic surgery).
Data support: PP spunbond surgical gowns have a market share of over 70% in the United States, but only 30% in Europe, mainly due to inadequate protective measures.
V. Special processing material: Polyester fiber and wood pulp composite spunlace
Features:
It is used only as a disposable surgical gown material and is inexpensive.
Soft to the touch, not irritating to the skin, but weak in protection.
Applicable scenarios: Scenes that require more comfort but less protection (e.g. pediatric surgery and plastic surgery).
Data support: Sprint scrubs account for about 15% of the U.S. and European market and are primarily used for low-risk procedures.
6.New composites: SMS/SMMS nonwovens
Features:
Polypropylene injection molding molding molding molding molding molding composite structure, with high resistance to hydrostatic pressure, alcohol, blood and oil.
After antistatic and antibacterial treatment, protection and comfort are balanced.
Applicable scenarios: High-end surgical gowns, widely used in high-end medical institutions at home and abroad.
Data support: SMS nonwoven surgical gowns account for over 60% of the market in Europe and the United States, and their share of the domestic market is increasing year by year.
Material selection recommendations
High-risk surgery: Preferred PE/TPU/PTFE composite membranes or SMS nonwovens to ensure protective performance.
Routine surgery: High-density polyester fabric or PP spunbond fabrics (depending on whether reuse is needed).
Low-risk surgery: Cotton or spunlace fabrics (cost-sensitive scenarios), or PP spunbond fabrics (cost performance preferred).
Environmental protection and costs: Reusing surgical gowns can reduce resource consumption (water and energy by more than 50%) but requires rigorous cleaning and disinfection procedures; single-use surgical gowns reduce the risk of cross-infection but also generate more medical waste.