As schools begin to return after the summer break, many parents will be looking down Main Street for new uniform pieces.
From socks to blazers, ties to hoodies, the cost can really add up when you have to outfit your kids from head to toe, especially if you have multiple school-aged kids.
So how convenient would it be to compare all of the school uniform essentials across all the stores in one table to see which is the cheapest? Custom clothing company Banana Moon has done just that!
Not only do they compare prices, but durability. So you can make an informed choice based on the cost and its durability.
This fall, the government will issue statutory guidelines for the education bill that requires the prices of school uniforms to be low. Before that, Banana Moon decided to make a list of all the street stores and their costs, so that parents know the cheapest places to shop.
The garments rated as the cheapest and most durable in each category were:
School sweater – Aldi: cotton from sustainable sources in Africa. The material is polyester made with 7 recycled bottles, for just £ 1.
Polo shirt – H&M: Made from 100% organic and sustainable cotton, this polo shirt is just £ 3.99!
Shirt – Asda: Asda shirts contain Better Cotton Initiative, a cotton that comes from sustainable sources and contains recycled polyester. These cost just £ 2.25 for one, or £ 4.50 for a multipack.
Dress – M&S: With 65% recycled polyester and 35% sustainable viscose, M&S dresses cost just £ 9.60.
Trousers – M&S: M&S is also in the lead for pants, containing 85% cotton from sustainable sources. These sell for £ 6.40.
Socks – Asda: Asda socks contain 77% Better Cotton Initiative. Pairs of single socks cost 30p and multipacks are £ 3.
The full analysis table is available here.
69% of parents will look for durable school uniforms
A survey conducted by Banana Moon in partnership with YouGov found that out of 1,000 school-aged parents surveyed, 69% would buy a durable school uniform if it was more affordable. Additionally, 48% of parents from low-income families said cost was the most important consideration when shopping for a school uniform.
A lex Grace, Managing Director of Banana Moon, said: “It is clear that sustainable school uniforms are not accessible to all low-income families, as even the cheapest eco-friendly clothes cost much more than the ones. cheaper from the main street. While we applaud the government’s efforts to make the uniform more affordable for ordinary families, we don’t want them to be forced to choose options that are not sustainable or of the best quality for their children.
The government grant for school uniforms provides up to £ 150 to low-income families to help them purchase school uniforms. However, 38% of low-income families surveyed said that was not enough.
And durability matters too, more and more parents would like to buy more durable uniforms, but there aren’t as many affordable options on Main Street.
Mum-of-two, Becky Ingram from Wetherby West Yorkshire, said: “I would prefer the school uniform not be so ‘plastic.’ I agree that there should be more sustainable options at home. Highstreet retailers and supermarkets … re in a privileged position, we could make that choice if we wanted to. But it’s not fair that it isn’t an option for everyone. The government has an obligation to trying different things to make green options more accessible The easiest way to do this is to change their cost.
Tips for Buying Durable School Uniforms
Banana Moon has included on their website how you can identify sustainable clothing:
- 100% of the cotton content is said to be organic and from sustainable sources. This would ensure that no harmful pesticides are used and that the health of water, soil and biodiversity are managed responsibly.
- 100% of the polyester content would be recycled, preventing more plastic from ending up in landfills.
- Biodegradable water-based dyes would be used in place of poly dyes and other chemicals that do not break down easily. Wastewater from textile factories can cause serious damage to the environment and local ecosystems, as dye remains are toxic.
- 100% of the viscose would come from responsibly managed forests and wood pulp and would not be treated with toxic chemicals.
- 100% of the elastane would be either recycled or bio-based elastane
You can check out the full cost and sustainability table on the Banana Moon website.
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Source: www.times-series.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-08-26 04:00:00
