Today, the white lab coat is a universal symbol of the medical professional. Most are made from a 65/35 polyester cotton blend and come in many different styles. When choosing a lab coat keep in mind the particular policies of the institution you work at. Some require long or short lab coats, depending on your responsibilities in that facility. Type of lab coats required depends upon the working conditions you want to wear it in.

Lab coats are normally worn in the research laboratory to protect your normal clothing against biological or chemical spills and to provide some additional body protection beyond that provided by your normal clothing. Important considerations in selecting an appropriate lab coat are the types of hazards (biological, chemical, fire, cold, etc.) to which you may be exposed. To be effective, the fabric should be resistant to the materials you are using. In addition, a lab coat should fit properly (you should be able to move comfortably in it with the coat buttoned or snapped down the front), be clean, and have long sleeves. Lab coats are normally provided by one’s laboratory for the duration of the project.

The useful life of a lab coat worn daily, laundered regularly, and taken very good care of can reasonably be expected to be one year or less, depending on the types of chemicals to which it is exposed and the rigors of the daily use.

Lab coats should not be taken home to be cleaned in a domestic washer, nor should they be taken to a laundry service that is not equipped to handle contaminated items. If you must take your lab coat home and it is not overtly contaminated, then it must be transported in a water-soluble bag and cleaned with detergent and liquid bleach in the recommended amounts. If there is obvious contamination on the lab coat, you must use a laundry service specialized to clean these contaminates or dispose of the lab coat as waste.

Lab coats come in various sizes and designs and for different people too. There are lab coats designed specially for men and women. Lab coats can be ordinary or fashionably trendy. Lab coats are not only for doctors and people in medical field but also for doctors, technicians, medical professionals, healthcare workers and spa professionals. The Lab coats are designed to make the wearer more comfortable, taking good care that it has good looks and is comfortable.