Last updated: 2026-06-03 · Written by the Ala founders for the nurses we hear from every week.
Why we wrote this
If you searched “Ala underscrubs vs FIGS” you already know FIGS — the publicly-traded healthcare apparel brand that has done more than anyone to make medical clothing feel like real clothing. We’re a much smaller brand. We launched Ala in January 2026, run it from a kitchen table, and we built it because the underscrub layer — the soft tee you wear under your scrub top — was the one piece nurses kept complaining about on Reddit, in break rooms, and on every fit thread we read.
This page is the honest comparison we wish someone had written for us when we were shopping. We will tell you when FIGS is the better choice. We will tell you when we are. We will not use FIGS’ logo or photos — just publicly-stated specs, real prices off their site, and what we’ve learned from talking to hundreds of nurses who wear both. If a spec on FIGS’ side changes after we publish, the comparison may drift; check their site directly before you spend $58.
Quick comparison — the spec table
Underscrub layer specifications. Everything in the FIGS column is taken from FIGS’ own product pages and size charts as published at the time of writing. Everything in the Ala column is what we ship today.
| Spec | Ala Underscrubs | FIGS (Salta Seamless) |
|---|---|---|
| Founder background | Founded January 2026 by sisters Alyssa (RN) and Alanah (clinic manager) | Founded 2013, IPO 2021, professional design team |
| Underscrub price (long sleeve) | $48–$58 depending on fabric platform | $58 list price for the Salta Seamless |
| Fabric platforms offered | Four: CloudSoft, AeroKnit, FlexForm, ThermoLite | One seamless poly-nylon-spandex platform across the Salta line |
| Size range | XXS through 3X (with XXS and 3X actually carried in core colors) | XXS through XXXL on the size chart; many sizes/colors regularly out-of-stock |
| Sleeve options | Long sleeve, three-quarter sleeve, short sleeve, mockneck | Long sleeve and short sleeve on the Salta |
| Opacity under white scrubs | Engineered for full opacity under white — tested on the founders | Variable; nude/light colors can show on bigger cup sizes |
| Hem length philosophy | Long enough to stay tucked when reaching for the IV pole | Standard length — ride-up is a recurring Reddit complaint on the Salta |
| US returns window | 30-day free US returns, no questions | 30-day returns; some flat-rate return shipping fees historically apply |
| Company structure | Two-person team, you can email us and we will answer | Public company, support is ticketed |
Fabric — the deepest difference
FIGS built their underscrub line on one fabric platform — a seamless poly-nylon-spandex knit that is genuinely good. It is the right answer for a lot of nurses. It is also, on purpose, a single answer. FIGS’ scale model rewards consolidating on one platform and shipping it in many colors. That is exactly what they have done with the Salta.
We took the opposite bet. We ship four fabric platforms, each tuned for a different shift type, because the nurses we talked to do not all wear the same shift. The night-shift ICU nurse who is cold for six hours wants something different than the OR scrub tech who is sweating through a six-hour case under a sterile gown. Here is what each Ala fabric is for:
- CloudSoft — 80% modal, 20% spandex. The soft, drapey option. Sleeps-in-it soft. The closest fabric we ship to a cotton tee, but with stretch and moisture-wicking modal does naturally. For nurses who prioritize feel over performance.
- AeroKnit — seamless 4-way stretch nylon-spandex with a cool-touch finish. This is the direct comp to the FIGS Salta. Same family of fabric, similar weight, similar stretch, similar cool-touch behavior. We charge $48 for it; the Salta is $58.
- FlexForm — light compression, recycled-content blend. For long surgical cases, OR techs, anyone who wants the layer to actively support the body. FIGS does not ship a compression underscrub.
- ThermoLite — insulated mockneck for cold-room and night-shift workers. Warm without bulk. FIGS does not ship a warming underscrub layer.
So the honest read on fabric: if your shift is a 12-hour med-surg day in moderate temperature, the Salta and the AeroKnit are similar fabric stories at different price points. If your shift is anything else — OR cold rooms, ICU night shifts, post-surgical compression days, modal-soft-only sleepy mornings — we ship a purpose-built layer and FIGS does not.
Fit and sizing — where the gap is widest
FIGS’ underscrub fit is athletic, slim, with seamless body construction. Standard sizing. The Salta runs true to size for most builds but tends toward straight-cut through the torso — which is a recurring complaint on r/nursing for nurses with cup sizes above a C and on r/PlusSize for nurses in the upper FIGS size range.
Ala’s default fit is what we call “fitted but not compression.” It is meant to skim the body, not squeeze it. We pattern-grade for real proportions: the XS and S are graded for petite frames (not just smaller XL), the L and XL are graded with bust-and-hip room (not just bigger S), and the 2X and 3X are real plus-size patterns, not extended-grade misses sizing. Our XXS is genuinely XXS; you can read r/XXS to see why this matters.
Our sleeve length runs slightly longer than the Salta on purpose. Reaching for an overhead IV pole pulls the hem up and the sleeve back. We over-engineer for that motion, so the hem stays tucked and the cuff stays at the wrist.
Price — where FIGS has the structural advantage
The FIGS Salta Seamless lists at $58 for a long-sleeve underscrub. Our AeroKnit long sleeve, which is the closest fabric comparison we ship, is $48. Our CloudSoft long sleeve is also in that band. The FlexForm and ThermoLite, because they ship a specialty fabric in lower volumes, are at the top of our range at around $58.
FIGS’ pricing is structurally cheaper than ours could ever be at our current scale — they manufacture in volumes we do not. The honest read: if you want the most underscrub for the least money, FIGS or a uniform-store cotton tee will always win on raw dollars. Ala’s value bet is that we put more into pattern grading, fabric selection, and the specific shift-type tuning, and we charge a small premium over the Salta on the matching platform (AeroKnit) and a comparable price on the specialty platforms (FlexForm, ThermoLite, CloudSoft).
Returns and customer service
Both brands offer 30-day returns. The structural difference is the company. FIGS’ support is ticketed because FIGS is a public company serving hundreds of thousands of customers per year. We are two sisters. If you email ala@alaunderscrubs.com Alyssa or Alanah will respond, usually within a day. If the fit is wrong, we will tell you what to size into. If the fabric is wrong for your shift type, we will tell you which of our four platforms is the better fit — or honestly tell you that FIGS is the right answer for what you described.
Our US returns are free both ways. We absorb the return shipping because we would rather you keep ordering than write us off after a bad first fit. We are small enough that one annoyed nurse can hurt the brand; we cannot afford a returns process that punishes the customer for needing a different size.
When to choose Ala
The honest answer: choose Ala if you fit one or more of these descriptions.
- You are in the under-A-cup or above-C-cup range and the Salta does not sit right through the torso.
- You are in XXS or 2X/3X and have had FIGS sizes be out of stock or fit oddly at the extremes.
- You work cold rooms, OR shifts, or night ICU and want warming without bulk — the ThermoLite was built for this.
- You wear compression base layers for long surgical cases — the FlexForm was built for this.
- You want a modal-soft layer for sleep-adjacent shifts — the CloudSoft was built for this.
- You like buying from small founder-run brands and being able to email the founders.
- You have had FIGS underscrubs ride up at the hem and want a hem that stays tucked.
When to choose FIGS
We will tell you the truth here too. Choose FIGS if you fit one or more of these descriptions.
- You already own FIGS scrubs and you want the underscrub to match the system you trust.
- You are a fit-standard size in the FIGS range and the Salta already fits you well.
- You prioritize the broadest in-stock color palette at any given time — FIGS’ scale means more colors more often.
- You prefer buying from established, publicly-traded brands with the operational maturity that comes with that.
- You only need the one fabric platform — the Salta is a strong, well-engineered seamless knit and a lot of nurses are completely happy with it.
- You buy in volume for a unit or department and want corporate billing — FIGS is set up for this in a way we are not yet.
FAQ
Is Ala Underscrubs cheaper than FIGS?
Yes on the matched comparison. Our AeroKnit long sleeve is $48; the FIGS Salta Seamless long sleeve is $58 at list price. Our specialty fabrics (FlexForm, ThermoLite) are around $58, which is comparable to or slightly under FIGS depending on color and sale. We are not the cheapest underscrub on the market — uniform stores sell cotton tees for $15. But against FIGS, on the closest matching fabric, we are roughly $10 cheaper.
Is the Ala AeroKnit similar to the FIGS Salta Seamless?
Yes, materially. Both are seamless 4-way stretch knits in the nylon-spandex family. Both use a cool-touch finish, similar weight class, similar drape. The construction philosophy is the same. The differences are pattern grading (we grade for a wider range of body proportions), hem length (we run slightly longer to fight ride-up), and price (we are $10 under). Many nurses we hear from describe the AeroKnit as “the Salta but it actually stays put.”
Which underscrub is softer — Ala or FIGS?
Depends on which Ala fabric. Our CloudSoft (80% modal, 20% spandex) is meaningfully softer than the Salta — it is the softest underscrub we ship, closer to a premium tee than a performance knit. Our AeroKnit is roughly equivalent softness to the Salta — same fabric family. If softness is the single decision driver, choose the Ala CloudSoft.
Does Ala offer the same color range as FIGS?
No, not yet. FIGS ships a much broader color palette at any given time because of their scale. We ship a tighter curated palette — Espresso, Cream, Black, Mauve as the current core, with seasonal additions. If you want the largest possible color selection right now, FIGS has it. If you want our specific palette — warm neutrals, considered colors, no clinical brights — that is what Ala does.
Are returns easier with Ala or FIGS?
We think Ala’s are simpler. Free 30-day US returns both ways with a real human responding to email. FIGS also offers 30-day returns but as a larger company with a ticketed support system — which is appropriate at their scale. If easy returns and being able to talk to a founder matter, Ala. If you do not need to talk to anyone and just want a self-service portal, FIGS works fine too.
Can I wear Ala underscrubs under FIGS scrubs?
Yes, absolutely — Ala does not sell scrubs. We sell the underscrub layer that goes under any brand of scrub top, FIGS included. A lot of our customers wear FIGS scrubs on top and Ala underneath. The brands are not in conflict at the scrub level; we just compete at the base-layer level.
Is Ala nurse-founded? Is FIGS?
Ala was founded by Alyssa (registered nurse) and Alanah (boutique wellness clinic manager). Alyssa works clinical-floor shifts and her experience drives our fabric and fit decisions directly. FIGS was founded by two non-clinical operators (Heather Hasson and Trina Spear) who saw the market opportunity and built a strong company around it — their team includes clinical advisors but the founders are not nurses themselves.
The bottom line
FIGS made medical apparel feel like real clothing — we owe them that. We started Ala because we thought the underscrub layer specifically needed more than one fabric platform and a tighter focus on fit at the extremes. If the Salta works for you, it is a good product. If it does not, or if you want a fabric tuned for your specific shift type, the AeroKnit is a $48 way to find out whether we got it right for your body and your shift.
30-day free US returns. Email ala@alaunderscrubs.com with fit questions — one of the founders will reply.