Student Lab Coat Guide: Choosing the Right Protection and Fit

Choosing the right lab coat is more than just picking a white garment-it’s about finding the right balance between function, fit, and professional appearance. Whether you're a medical professional, student, or researcher, knowing how to choose a lab coat ensures you stay comfortable and protected throughout your workday. From style and fabric to fit and length, there are several key factors to consider. Understanding the importance of a lab coat is essential when learning how to choose a lab coat that fits both your role and responsibilities. A lab coat is more than a uniform-it provides safety, professionalism, and convenience in various settings.

The Importance of Lab Coats

A lab coat is essential for safety, professionalism, and convenience in healthcare, research, and academic settings. It serves as a protective barrier, safeguarding skin and clothing from hazardous materials. Moreover, a clean and well-fitting lab coat projects a professional image, instilling trust in patients and colleagues. The right lab coat also offers practical benefits, such as ample pocket space for tools and notes.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Lab Coat

When considering how to choose a lab coat, it's crucial to identify its intended use. Choosing the right lab coat ensures comfort, safety, and professionalism in any healthcare or scientific setting. Here are some key factors to consider:

Fabric

The fabric plays a critical role in comfort and safety. The best fabric for lab work is breathable, durable, and stain-resistant. Common materials include:

Polyester/Cotton Blend: This is the most common blend, often around 80/20 or 65/35 (polyester/cotton). It offers a balance of comfort, breathability, and durability. A minimum of 65% polyester is recommended for chemical research lab settings. However, it burns readily and should not be used for handling pyrophoric chemicals.
Flame-Resistant (FR) Treated Cotton: This fabric is treated to resist burning, making it a better option than poly/cotton blends in labs with fire hazards. However, it is not necessarily fluid-resistant and can be degraded by acids.
Nomex: This is a flame-resistant fabric suitable for work in labs with elevated fire risk or for work with pyrophoric liquids. It offers limited splash resistance but is breathable. Flame resistance is an inherent quality of the fabric, maintained even with laundering, provided bleach is not used.
Shieldtec (FR/CP): This fabric offers flame resistance and good chemical resistance to corrosives and polar solvents.
100% Cotton: This fabric burns less readily than poly/cotton blends but still burns. It is not fluid-resistant or fluid-proof but is more resistant to solvents. It's suitable for labs where acid handling is limited, splash resistance isn't a concern, and there is some work with flammables, heat, and flame.
Polypropylene: This material is not flame-resistant and offers no splash/chemical resistance. Intended for protection from dirt, grime, and dry particulates in relatively non-hazardous environments.

Fit and Size

Wondering what lab coat size should I get? Lab coats come in various fits-unisex, tailored, and gender-specific. A well-fitted coat ensures mobility and a professional look. A perfect lab coat should fit well at the shoulder seams and have the correct sleeve length. The overall length should offer adequate coverage without hindering mobility, which is vital for ensuring both safety and comfort in the workplace.

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How to Measure for the Right Fit

To ensure the best fit, accurate measurements of chest, waist, sleeve length, and coat length are necessary. Before you start, make sure you have a soft measuring tape. If you don't have one, you can use a piece of string or ribbon and a ruler or yardstick to take your measurements.

Chest: Wrap the measuring tape around the widest part of your chest, under your arms, and across your shoulder blades. Make sure the tape is parallel to the floor and is not too tight or too loose. This measurement determines the most important part of the coat's fit.
Waist: Measure around your natural waistline, which is typically located just above your belly button and below your rib cage. Don’t suck in your stomach-stand normally, and ensure the tape is snug but not tight.
Sleeve Length: To measure sleeve length, start at the base of your neck (center of your shoulders) and measure down your arm to where you want the sleeve to end, typically just past your wrist. Remember, you might want slightly longer sleeves for a lab coat than for a regular shirt to provide additional protection.
Coat Length: Decide on the preferred length of your lab coat. Lab coats come in various lengths ranging from hip to knee-length. To measure, start at your shoulder and let the tape fall down your body to the point where you want your coat to end. This is largely a matter of personal preference and professional requirement.

With these measurements, you can now compare them against the sizing chart of the brand you're looking to purchase from. Remember, different brands may have slightly different fits, so it's essential to check each brand's specific sizing guide. This will ensure you get a lab coat that fits well and looks professional, enhancing your comfort and confidence while at work.

For men, consider the following:

If you are taller than 6’1”, consider purchasing a garment that is 44” or longer. A 44” coat on a man of above-average height hits at the knee, which means it never looks too short. This style also evokes an instant air of confidence, elegance and authority.
Men of average height should pick a coat that is between 38” and 42” for the best fit. The classic cut is often considered to be 40”, which means you cannot go wrong with a lab coat of this length. If you want a coat that looks shorter, choose one below 36”.
Shorter individuals may prefer a 36” to 38” fit.

Durability and Maintenance

A high-quality lab coat should withstand frequent washing and daily wear. Choose a fabric that's machine-washable and stain-resistant. According to section VI of UAMS Administrative Guide 4.4.21 (Dress Code/Appearance), “Lab coats should be well fitting, clean, odor-free, and without rips, tears, and missing buttons.

Personnel are not allowed to launder lab coats at home. Clean non-disposable soiled lab coats routinely by use of a laundry service or work area washers and dryers.

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Safety Regulations

For laboratory or hospital use, ensure the lab coat meets your workplace’s safety regulations. In healthcare and dental settings, lab coats must prioritize hygiene, ease of movement, and professional appearance. In research and pharmaceutical environments, safety is paramount. Lab coats here often need to be made from flame-resistant or chemical-repellent fabrics.

Style and Features

Your lab coat should reflect your role. Opt for a style that complements your body shape and work responsibilities. Consider features like:

Pockets: Determine the number and type of pockets you need for your tools and notes.
Closures: Some lab coats have cuffs, buttons, or snaps. Some even have zippers. Think about whether these details will be of benefit to you while you work. Doctors who need to be especially careful of hygiene during exams can find a coat with cuffs or closures. Snaps for fast removal in the event of a splash; snaps extending to top of lab coat.
Pleats: Single pleats and double pleats in the back of the lab coat will help to add both style and comfort.

Limitations of Lab Coats

While lab coats offer protection and professionalism, understanding their limitations is crucial when determining how to choose a lab coat that meets your actual needs.

Limited Coverage: A standard coat only covers part of the body.
Not Always Flame-Resistant or Fluid-Repellent: Unless made from treated fabrics, most lab coats won’t provide advanced safety.
May Restrict Movement: Poorly sized or stiff materials can limit mobility.
Can Give a False Sense of Security: Some professionals may rely too heavily on their lab coat for protection.

Lab Coat Programs and Customization

Many institutions offer lab coat programs to ensure researchers and students have access to appropriate protective wear. For example, the UMass lab coat program provides researchers and students with properly fitting lab coats made of materials appropriate for mitigating laboratory hazards and offers professional laundering services.

Lab coats may be embroidered with the UAMS logo and college, service line, or institution name along with the employee’s name and title. According to section IV.C of UAMS Administrative Guide 4.4.21 (Dress Code/Appearance), “Scrub jackets and fleece jackets may be worn in black or assigned scrub colors.

UMass Lab Coat Program Details

The UMass program operates as a lab coat ownership program, in which Principal Investigators (PIs) own the lab coats, and coats can be professionally laundered as often as needed. Lab coats are personalized with the UMass logo and a name label and are delivered to the lab coat pickup/drop-off room in the building nearest or in which the lab is located. The cost of the lab coats is recharged to the faculty/supervisor’s department or school.

Users can send coats for laundering by leaving them in the hamper of a lab coat pickup/drop-off room. Dirty coats are collected on Wednesdays and sent out for laundering on Fridays. Cleaned coats are returned to EHS the following Friday and delivered back to the lab coat pickup/drop-off location by the end of the day. Laundering costs are recharged to the faculty/supervisor’s department or school.

Types of Lab Coats Available at UMass

Several different lab coat materials and styles are available, with the type of material required depending on the type of lab work to be performed.

White cotton/poly coats: Suitable for work in most labs on campus. Three different styles of these coats are available.
Blue flame-resistant cotton lab coats: Available for use in labs with low to medium fire risk.
Nomex lab coats: Special requests can be made for lab coats made of Nomex, which is a flame-resistant fabric that is suitable for work in labs with elevated fire risk or for work with pyrophoric liquids.

Available sizes vary by type of coat but generally range from XXS to 4XL with long/tall sizes also available for relaxed fits.

Obtaining a Lab Coat at UMass

Each faculty/supervisor is responsible for ensuring that lab coats are available for researchers to use while working in a laboratory. Each researcher that works with hazardous materials must have access to a lab coat. Sharing of lab coats is discouraged. New researchers in a lab should ask their faculty/supervisor if a lab coat is available in the appropriate size or whether a new lab coat should be ordered. If a new order needs to be placed, the individual should fill in a lab coat order form.

Sometimes there are extra coats in the lab, and if an extra coat fits appropriately, then this may be preferable to getting a new coat. In other cases, a certain size or type is desired but not available from EHS. In these situations, EHS can add the UMass logo, add or update the name label with the user’s name, and add a tag for the laundering program. In these cases, only a set-up fee is charged to the faculty/supervisor’s department or school.

Lab Coat Pick-Up and Drop-Off

Lab coats can be picked up and dropped off in a variety of locations on campus. Lab coats that are dropped off in a hamper in a lab coat room will have their laundered lab coat returned to the same room.

Leaving UMass

When changing labs, if the lab coat has the faculty's name on the coat, they should remain with the previous lab. Check with the new lab to see if they have a coat in your size, and if they do not, submit a new lab coat order form. If the coat has your name on it, ask your supervisor if you can take it to your new lab.

If you are leaving the university, please check with your supervisor to see if they would like to keep the coat to be re-used by a future lab member. If they do not want to keep it, hang the lab coat on the rack in between the 'Returns' markers at any pickup/drop-off location.

Additional Tips for Choosing a Lab Coat

Consider Your Field: Some styles of men’s lab coats are more popular in different specialties of healthcare. For example, medical doctors have long preferred the classic-fit coat that ends at the knee or falls just below it. Men who work in the dental field may prefer a style that is a bit slimmer and longer throughout the coat’s body. Obstetricians, laboratory technicians, and medical research scientists are some of the other professionals who tend to like longer-cut coats. Medical students and pharmacists often prefer the shorter lab coat that falls naturally below the waist.
Think About Your Work Environment: Many of the doctors who work in an office setting will have the freedom to wear a more casual white coat than one who is employed in a hospital or an outpatient clinic. In this case, a fashionable short coat with elegant folds and angles adds instant style to a dress top and slacks. Some physician lab coats for the office are even made to look like a designer sport jacket.
Look for Accents: Many lab coats come with accents like cuffs, buttons, or snaps. Some even have zippers. Think about whether these details will be of benefit to you while you work. Professionals who need pockets can find specialized coats to house all of their tools. Doctors who need to be especially careful of hygiene during exams can find a coat with cuffs or closures. Most medical professionals do not consider pleats in their purchase, but this is also an important detail. Single pleats and double pleats in the back of the lab coat will help to add both style and comfort.

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