What's "Reusable Theatre Caps"?
Reusable Theatre Caps is a design research project developing sustainable, reusable surgical caps as an alternative to single-use disposable headwear in hospitals. Created through the Design HOPES initiative with NHS Scotland staff, the project addresses the environmental impact of healthcare waste. It explores how Human-Centred Design can support everyday clinical practice whilst reducing resource consumption, producing caps that are reusable throughout their lifespan and fully biodegradable at the end of it.
Who's it for?
The project is aimed primarily at NHS Scotland theatre staff, including surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, and other clinical teams, though the caps can be used by anyone requiring PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in their day-to-day work. Because the caps help reduce both waste and costs, they are also of interest to healthcare managers and policymakers responsible for sustainability and resource management. Additionally, the project offers valuable insights for design researchers exploring sustainable innovation within large public healthcare systems.
Approach
The project employed Co-design as its primary methodology, involving healthcare staff throughout development to ensure practical relevance. Workshops identified functional requirements, followed by iterative prototyping using a plant-based biodegradable textile.
Designs were tested and refined through durability and usability evaluation, including wash trials exceeding 500 cycles.
The names-on-caps concept also came from extensive co-design workshop sessions with NHS Scotland theatre staff. Individuals wanted personalised theatre caps so that they communicate clearly their name and role to patients and other theatre staff colleagues.
Over 1,000 personalised caps were produced and distributed across 11 NHS Scotland health boards for real-world testing and feedback.
Contribution
By adopting these caps, healthcare organisations minimise waste while enhancing the wellbeing and communication of staff. The work highights that involving staff through personalisation and participation boosts the acceptance of sustainable solutions in healthcare environments.
The project demonstrates how co-design can bridge environmental objectives with routine clinical practice and offer tested prototypes and actionable insights that help organisations be more sustainable.
Why is it in the Observatory?
During a period when public services are under pressure to reduce their environmental footprint, this project demonstrates how Design Research can drive large-scale change without sacrificing clinical standards. These caps have been developed collaboratively between design researchers and healthcare practitioners, demonstrating the real impact of design-led collaborations.
This project is an example of design research transforming sustainability goals into real-world solutions.