HOUSTON – If you’re one of the 100,000+ healthcare workers keeping Houston’s medical engine running and your closet is overrun with scrubs you haven’t touched since residency—this weekend might be a good time to clean house.
Medical workers can drop off their old, worn-out scrubs at the Houston Marriott Medical Center as part of ‘Scrubs That Don’t Suck,’ a year-round recycling program by FIGS, a company that designs medical apparel.
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“Our mission is to serve those that serve others and continue to break barriers while doing so. This means creating the highest quality, most innovative scrubs for the healthcare community, but also offering them a first of its kind convenient solution to contribute to a more sustainable future,” said Trina Spear, Co-Founder and CEO of FIGS.
In exchange, participants will receive a $50 credit toward new scrubs and help reduce textile waste by keeping their old uniforms out of landfills.
It’s not exactly common to get paid for clearing out your laundry bin. But given how fast scrubs wear out—especially with the constant washing and shift turnover—this initiative offers healthcare workers a chance to clean out their closets and take a small but practical step toward sustainability.
FIGS mentions in their fact sheet that healthcare workers go through scrubs fast. With multiple shifts a week and constant washing, a single person can rotate through dozens of sets a year. But when scrubs wear out, most end up in the trash.
Event Details
- When: Friday, April 4 – Sunday, April 6 at 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Where: Houston Marriott Medical Center
- Perks: $50 credit toward new scrubs with Figs clothing brand and giveaways
According to FIGS, medical scrubs are a major, overlooked source of textile waste—rarely accepted for donation and often ending up in landfills. Their program directly tackles this issue, addressing one of the highest-volume categories of waste in the healthcare industry, including the 2,000 tons of daily waste generated by U.S. operating rooms.
The event is also a chance for local healthcare workers to participate in something designed with their specific workwear in mind, as part of an Earth Month initiative focused on reducing textile waste.
And for those who would love to come but can’t, there’s a mail-in option available through FIGS’ site.
Because let’s be honest: most of those scrubs from your intern year probably do suck. And now, at least, there’s a place for them to go that isn’t the back of your closet or the trash.
