Happy Threads Irish Blog

• Clinical:  healthcare professionals are not beauticians, so the uniform, scrub or tunic must have a clinical look
• Comfortable:  you are wearing them all day and they should be designed for the active role of a healthcare professional
• Cotton:  a minimum of 50% cotton will give the garment the breathability needed
• Contemporary:  a smart contemporary uniform suggests an up-to-date practice or clinic
• Cut:  men and women are not the same shape, a unisex product is not designed for the female form. It is also important that the uniform is available in different leg lengths and that all sizes can be catered for.

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It seems that it is the end of the road for Crocs and Croc-style clogs in hospitals in the UK at least.

The rubber clogs are extremely popular in hospitals, they are easy to clean and comfortable, however they do not offer sufficient protection against sharp objects.

According to the telegraph the policy has outraged many nurses who find crocs extremely comfortable, it is also easy to wipe blood from the clogs.

This ties with a uniform policy implemented by the Welsh Government that states “that footwear used in medical and clinical areas should be an enclosed/full shoe, which provides adequate support and a stable, non-slip sole.”

Help is at hand in the form of the Algeria Debra Professional Shoe.

The Algeria Debra shoe has an anti slip sole and anti stain finish, this has been tested on blood so nurses need not worry about wearing blood stained footwear.

The Algeria shoe also feature an insole made from memory foam, guarantying comfort throughout those long shifts.

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Ever wonder how the actors and actresses on TV shows such as Scrubs, Greys Anatomy and Casualty look so good in their scrubs.

We have encountered many Dentists, Nurses and Hygienists who have brought scrubs having seen these TV shows only to find they have purchased an un-shapely, ill-fitted unflattering scrub top.

The reason, most scrubs are unisex products with high polyester content. Design is not a word that anyone had thought of.

The stars of the TV programmes would never wear an off the shell unisex scrub top, apart from sweating under those lights they wouldn’t look so good, see this short clip from the costume department from Scrubs.

The solution: designer scrubs in breathable material. These may cost a little more, but you are wearing them all day. Proper tailoring will enhance the figure, shaping in the right places

If you feel happy at work, you will look happy at work and your patients will be happy

The koi scrubs and made from a super soft cotton rich material and are fitted to the female form, the user will find them so much more comfortable at work, read our real testimonials from Dentists, Nurses and Vets.

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Happythreads are the exclusive suppliers and distributors of Cherokee uniforms in Ireland.

Cherokee workwear uniforms provide a fantastic assortment of prints and colours for their scrubs. The selection can ensure that every scrub outfit is completely different from other scrub outfits.

There are amazing colors too – solid colours like navy, royal blue, metro blue are selling well, and there are nice prints like Pet Shop Boys. There is also a great Disney range with the flexible disney prints and Big Mini ladies scrub top.  The Cherokee trousers can match or contrast with the Cherokee scrub tops.

Cherokee also provide a maternity tunic, a great design for those bumps.

Other popular items from Cherokee Uniforms’ are the lab coats. Coats, or jackets, are required by some healthcare employees.

A whole Cherokee Uniforms ensemble for the healthcare professionals consists of scrubs, vests, coats or jackets and trousers.

Nurses and Doctors, Vets and Veterinary Nurses, Dental Nurses all feel and look great in Cherokee Scrubs and uniforms.

Be happy at work!

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Dr. Abigail Moore, a paediatric dentist, shares her thoughts on maternity wear

Pre-bump I was wearing mostly koi Ashley and Katelyn tops with Karlie or Lindsey pants in size extra small (XS).

By about week 18-20 the Katelyn top was proving to be an overhead struggle in the chest area so I moved up a size!! I still found my XS Ashley roomy enough though.  At this stage I tried a patterned Kathryn top in a size small which suited the mini bump well as it tied under the bust & highlighted my new curves!  I found the Karlie pants a bit tight and high waisted so moved up to a small in the Lindseys which were really comfy as they sat low, under the bump and the elasticated waist made them easy to get on.

At about 24-28 weeks my original Ashley tops were a bit tight in the midriff so a size up was called for.  As it was coming into winter I loved the extra warmth of the Harlow tops with the snuggly cotton under t-shirt.  The Kathryn was still fitting well in a small and I added another patterned top, a Rylee which was a bit less fitted and sat loosly under the bust.

I am now at 35 weeks and still growing rapidly.  I have moved up to a medium Ashley which is deffo the most comfy at this stage.  I find the more fitted tops with under bust ties aren’t working so well now as they are very big on the shoulders if they are big enough to fit the bump!  I am still in the Lindsey pants only a size up from BB (before bump).  They are so comfy and don’t interfere with bending as they are low slung.

Only 3 weeks of work left!!
Will keep you posted ……

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Anti-Bacterial fibre and cross infection control

This is a hot topic at present. While the idea of an anti-bacterial fabric may be appealing this requires a bit of investigation. How are the antibacterial properties achieved? Generally this is either via treating the fabric with a liquid chemical or introducing silver thread. The purchaser should be aware that the active chemical or silver thread will wash out of the fabric and into the environment. As much as 45% of the silver thread can be washed out, therefore the effectiveness of the anti-bacterial properties is reduced. The manufacturer should be able to provide information on the anti-bacterial qualities after a set number of washes. The danger is that the garment will have lost the anti-bacterial qualities without the wearer being aware.

There may be little point in changing into a surgical top without changing trousers or shoes, work uniforms should be a full outfit. Uniforms should be laundered together and not taken home and mixed with a domestic wash. A common sense approach should be adopted.

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Many dental practices require a more individual look and seek a uniform that reflects their personality and profession, they may wish for something more than the generic scrub top or a beautician’s tunic.

The work of the Dental Professional is active and so the clothing and footwear they wear must be comfortable, through the breathability of the fabric and the fit of the garment or shoe. Work clothing should look smart and allow the individuality of the wearer to shine through.

What does your uniform say about you? does it say, ‘I am professional, I am clean and I am happy at work’.

The dental team may wish to look different from the beautycare professionals and often find that the high polyester content of these tunics do not offer enough breathability for the active role undertaken by Dental Professional. The traditional scrub top is a unisex product that does not flatter the female figure.

Some companies have bridged this gap by providing breathable uniforms specially designed for the female figure while maintaining the correct clinical appearance, these are sometimes referred to as a designer scrub.

Many practices have a strict uniform policy and there are certain advantages to this as it creates a professional environment and lets the customer know they are in safe clinical hands. Practices may wish to have different teams in different colour schemes but with a degree of continuity.

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Koi:

Koi are a US manufacturer of fashion-forward uniforms designed for those looking for a contemporary yet professional look. When Kathy Peterson, the founder of koi, first began designing uniforms, she noticed that many manufacturers viewed design as an after-thought; she found that many healthcare professionals welcomed a more fashionable approach to uniforms.

The secret of the koi garments is the fit; a well-made and fitted garment will feel more comfortable and look better. Koi do not make unisex garments and so the garments are designed for the female (or male) body shape. The koi uniforms are made from high quality 55% cotton, 45% polyester soft twill that is easy care, hard wearing and yet so soft and comfy. In addition to the fantastic selection of tops there are three different trouser styles to choose from and each size is available in three different leg lengths ensuring the correct fit for all.

Koi produce two ranges; the fashion (or prints) and the reoradables (or solids) range. There are currently 5 different styles in the solid range including the recently launched Andie. This new style is a longer top responding to a demand in the market place. The Ashley top is the best seller and flatters all body shapes, it features a contrast trim colour which can be matched with the trousers, e.g. the Ceil top has navy trim which can be worn with navy trousers. The re-orderable are suitable for teams where continuity is required.

The fashion or prints range offer an exciting range of limited edition patterns and styles that change each season, these are particular popular with the fashion conscious Hygienist or Therapist who wish to express their individuality.

Each print features a few of the basic colours (such as navy, white, ceil or steel) so that they can be worn with existing trousers. Already I have noticed an increase in demand forthese prints especially from Hygienists and Therapists who desire a fashionable individual look. There are always exciting new products on the horizon, keep an eye on our facebook page for more details.

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Embroidery

The embroidery option can be used to reinforce a team approach by getting the practice logo embroidered on all garments. It is important that the uniform supplier has an understanding of how the embroidery options work. Logos may have to be re-arranged to suit embroidery, the colours may also need to be altered, for example if your practice logo has elements of navy in it and some of the team will be wearing navy tops, it won’t be seen. So it is important that the supplier works out a solution and sends a proposal to the client for approval before proceeding.

Often individuals wish to choose their own embroidery options, this is very common within the Hygienists and Therapists profession, some of whom work in several practices. There are a range of fun dental related logos on the happythreads website and the option of adding their own name in a choice of thread colours. Personalised embroidery allows the patient to identity the Hygienist or Therapist.

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In a recent survey we found that a large number of Hygienists and Therapists choose and purchase their own uniforms, a smaller number were provided with uniforms by the practice they worked in and a lucky few were able to chose their own and    have their practice pay for them.

We found that many Hygienists and Therapists require a more individual look and seek a uniform that reflects their personality and profession wishing for something more than the generic scrub top or a beautician’s tunic.

The work of Hygienists and Therapists is active and so the clothing and footwear they wear must be comfortable, through the breathability of the fabric and the fit of the garment or shoe. Work clothing should look smart and allow the individuality of the wearer to shine through.

What does your uniform say about you? does it say, ‘I am professional, I am clean and I am happy at work’.

The survey also revealed that many wish to look different from the beautycare professionals and found the high polyester content of these tunics did not offer enough breathability for the active role undertaken by Hygienists or Therapists. The traditional scrub top is a unisex product that does not flatter the female figure. Koi have bridged this gap by providing breathable uniforms specially designed for the female form.

Many practices have a strict uniform policy and there are certain advantages to this as it creates a professional environment and lets the customer know they are in safe clinical hands. Practices may wish to have different teams in different colour schemes but with a degree of continuity. An example is steel grey trousers in various styles that can be worn with Ashley Pink tops (with steel trim), Ashley Peacock tops (with steel trim), Harlow Steel/Pink combo top and the sienna steel top, thereby giving four co-ordinating options within one main colour scheme, and there is also a men’s range in steel (but not pink at present!)

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