How it began
It all started with a simple question: Why can’t scrub caps be comfortable, stylish, and actually stay in place during a long shift?
Like many healthcare professionals, I was tired of ill-fitting headgear that just didn’t cut it. Out of this frustration and a desire for something better, Stretchy Scrub Caps was born—a brand dedicated to reimagining the humble scrub cap with comfort, style, and practicality at the forefront.
My name is Sarah, and I spent the first several years of my nursing career in critical care. As fate would have it, I was 8 months pregnant with my middle child in March of 2020. At my midwife’s recommendation, I went on maternity leave early. While the choice was right for me in many ways, I still felt helpless as I watched my ICU coworkers struggle through the mayhem of the pandemic.
Why Stretchy Scrub Caps?
I have always loved sewing, so when the calls for homemade masks came, I made and donated as many as I could. I had a large stash of stretchy fabric, however, that wasn’t useful for making face covers. It all clicked when a coworker shared that the local hospital had run out of hair covers (among lots of other supplies).
I initially set out to donate a few traditional scrub caps made of woven (non-stretch) material. When I tried on the prototypes, however, I experienced headaches after a few hours or found myself constantly adjusting them. I didn’t want that for my coworkers. Being pregnant at the time, I wore almost exclusively stretch pants, so it didn’t take long for that lightbulb to turn on in my head. Stretch = more comfortable + a better fit.
All of the available scrub cap sewing patterns were for non-stretch fabric at the time, so I decided to create my own innovative designs. Crafted with the most unique prints I could find, the first scrub caps I donated were a huge hit.
After my maternity leave ended, I tried these out myself, donning and doffing my CAPR for 12 hour shifts in the ICU. My scrub cap stayed put (with no headaches) and got tons of compliments on the print.
On a Mission
Since I made those first prototypes, I’ve fine-tuned and perfected my original designs. The Original Stretchy Scrub Cap with Ties PDF sewing pattern is a bestseller on Etsy, allowing thousands of sewists to make scrub caps for the healthcare workers in their lives. I’ve worked to source the coolest prints so that I can offer scrub caps for all your moods and styles. Above all, my mission is to provide healthcare workers with high quality, comfortable stretchy scrub caps so they can focus on what matters.
Try for Yourself
I currently offer 2 types of stretchy scrub caps, along with headbands that can have buttons attached. The Original Tie-Back scrub cap can be wrapped around a bun for extra security, or simply tied in the back. The Multi-Way Bow cap comes with a pre-tied bow that can be worn in the front or back depending on your mood and style. Shop here or on Etsy and stay in touch with the newsletter so you never miss an exclusive print or sale!