How do I determine which type of Washable Hospital Gown is right for my situation?
First of all, just as a point of understanding, hospital gowns are also referred to as patient gowns or medical gowns. We use the terms patient gowns and hospital gown interchangeably throughout our stores. Hospital gowns/patient gowns are not to be confused with surgical gowns, which is the protective clothing worn by surgeons and other staff during surgeries and other procedures.
There are many styles of washable hospital gowns to choose from. The most common hospital gown sold is a gown with a tie in the back. The main difference in hospital gowns is the cost, size, closure style, and the material being used.
- Cost – Surfing from website to website you will see a wide range of prices for hospital gowns. Look for wholesale sources that sell their hospital gowns and provide volume discounts. Our company sells pallet loads directly to facilities but will also sell a single gown to a consumer. We always suggest buying a minimum of 3 hospital gowns, this way the person can be wearing one, have one in the wash and one ready to go on the shelf.
- Size – The size of a hospital gown is measured in three basic ways. The length, sweep, and the sleeve. The length on a gown is measured from the top neck area of the gown to the bottom of the gown. The sweep is the distance around the bottom portion of the gown. A larger sweep means the gown will fit a larger person. The sleeve is measured from the armpit seam to the end of the sleeve.
Material Used
- Blended Poly/Cotton – A blended polyester/cotton hospital gown is a common type of material in a gown. A blended cloth will wrinkle less than a 100% cotton one will.
- Flannel – 100% cotton material and provides a warm soft feeling. It will shrink some after being washed.
- Please Note: The biggest complaint we hear about hospital gowns is how thin the material is in a lower cost gown. Our most economically priced gown is our lightweight blue straight tie back gown, and this gown works fine for many settings and people, however it is thin and may be slightly see through in the right lighting. Our other gowns tend to be a little thicker material and do not have this issue to consider.
- In addition to the somewhat bland patterns that many hospital gowns or patient gowns are available in, it is nice to have more attractive, colorful or eye catching patterns and colors. One of the most popular gowns our stores offer is the Ladies Designer Gowns, which come in various colors and patterns, mostly floral. These patient gowns are available in both polyester cotton blends and also in 100% cotton.
Closure Style – VELCRO® Brand/Hook & Loop Closure, Snap,or Tie?
- Tie – This closure is simply a gown that has a tie near the neck and near the midsection of the gown. These are the most popular closure styles on hospital gowns. Most of our gowns have this type of closure, as facilities often prefer them.
- Snaps – Snap closure hospital gowns are also a great option and we have been told by customers they are easier for a person to close by themselves versus ties. The snap closure gowns do require the dexterity necessary to close a snap.
- VELCRO® Brand or Hook & Loop Closure – This style of closure is often preferred by chiropractors; our understanding is that they were trained in school using hook and loop closure gowns. The disadvantage with this type of closure is that it begins to fail after multiple cycles through the laundry. We no longer carry patient gowns that have this type of closure, but if you do decide to purchase gowns with this type of closure, be sure to seal the closure (stick it together) during laundering to prolong the lifespan of the VELCRO® Brand / Hook & Loop Closure.