After a long and physically demanding shift in a Los Angeles hospital, paramedic Arthur Lucero, Founder of FITscrubs couldn’t wait to get out of his scrubs – even if the shift was just beginning.

“I would constantly be running around sweating,” he explains. “I was uncomfortable, so I was notorious for changing from my scrubs into an athletic dri-fit shirt because it helped me finish my shifts strong.”

The experience was a catalyst for Lucero, who began to wonder why the scrubs he wore to work were unable to keep up with the work that required them. Partway through one of his night shifts in the E.R, he found himself sweaty, uncomfortable, and contaminated with blood. New scrubs were on the way, but patients were waiting – so Lucero dug into his gym bag for a dri-fit shirt from a popular sportswear brand.

The idea became the basis for FITscrubs and Lucero’s business plan. Lucero felt great in fabrics that were created for his physically demanding job, and suspected other medical workers would too. In 2006, he started experimenting with fabrics like bamboo, which was soft and antimicrobial but not sturdy enough to handle the job. It wasn’t until Lucero drew from his experiences in wound care, where silver is used to prevent infections, that he found a solution.

“I used silver as a wound care nurse because of its phenomenal antimicrobial effects,” he says, “That’s when it hit me: this shouldn’t just be in athleisure clothing, but especially in medical apparel.”

How FITscrubs used smart fabrics to scale

In 2014, Lucero found research to support his idea. He partnered with PurThread Technologies, a startup that specialized in creating antibacterial silver fabrics, and committed himself to creating scrubs that were not just comfortable, but safe. The final product is made from performance fabric, threaded with silver fibers and permanently antimicrobial. FITscrubs are 99.99% effective against MRSA, Staph, and Pneumonia, in addition to protecting against odor and wicking away sweat.

“Scrubs need to be comfortable, and they need to have moisture wicking aspects,” Lucero explains. “But if scrubs can help decrease cross contamination in healthcare settings, then that’s a product I must invent. Even indirectly, it can help save lives.” 

The name FITscrubs is an homage to the microfiber polyester fabric used in sportswear. For athletes, the fabric moves moisture from the skin to the outer layer of the garment, allowing it to evaporate. The FITscrubs product uses a performance blend, which has silver threads permanently embedded into the core of each fibre.

After launching the business from his garage, Lucero used digital advertising and social media to gain traction. Customers appreciated his organic approach, and FITscrubs sold more than $20,000 in pre-order before the official launch. Many of these buyers would become repeat customers. 

“We sold out of our first batch of scrubs within the first two months,” Lucero says. “That’s when I realized I was onto something great. My family and I decided to move to Albuquerque and pursue this idea.” 

Smart fabric, smart funding with Clearco

Part of the FITscrubs mission is keeping jobs in the United States, which unexpectedly helped the company thrive during the pandemic. FITScrubs became a staple for medical workers during the pandemic, as local production meant it could help restock uniforms quickly; with the global shutdown affecting commerce and trade, competitors couldn’t manufacture and deliver from overseas on such a short timeline. 

“We had access to all sorts of new customers that were previously loyal to other brands. Because they were working overtime and needed clothing quickly, they gave us a chance,” Lucero adds. “For the last three years, we’ve had 100% year-over-year growth.” 

To keep this momentum, FITscrubs invests in digital ad spend for growth on platforms like Meta, using Clearco to fund receipts. By using Clearco’s Invoice Funding, FITscrubs can access more of its working capital, which the company can then use to produce inventory. 

FITScrubs currently has 25 employees, a manufacturer in Matamoros, Mexico, and works with a packaging firm in Brownsville, Texas. The 3,000 square foot warehouse sits in Albuquerque shipping out between 3,000 to 4,000 orders a month to over 60 different countries worldwide; Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Singapore are the company’s top selling countries. 

“We’re done manufacturing on Friday, they’ll send the goods from Mexico to Texas and come Monday the products will be in New Mexico,” said Lucero. “We’ve built a sophisticated supply chain that nobody else has been able to do with smart fabrics.”