In the current climate where we are trying to not to be wasteful and teach our children to reduce and reuse; it seems prudent to begin to look at what we do with outgrown uniforms.

Often these can't be passed on to charity because they are of no use to anyone other than a fellow pupil at the School due to logos being used on sweaters for example.

Reuse will also help divert uniforms from landfill.
In the UK we throw away a staggering 1 million tonnes of old clothes and textiles each year. Over 7.5 billion articles of clothing go into our dustbins every year, with most ending up in landfill.

Some of the sale money will be returned to parents and some will go to school funds.

One friend, who ran a used uniform shop at her son's school, proudly informs me that they raised £2000 a year for the school from uniform resale.

My campaign for ethical and sustainable school uniforms is also launched today. I have called it Clever Togs.
Reuse schemes such as used uniform stores is just one aspect of it.
Primarily the campaign looks at the school uniform industry as a whole.

Many parents would not choose to go and buy cheap sweaters from China but are forced to, through schools stipulating where the uniform can be purchased through single supplier contracts.

I have done a lot of research which found that whilst schools are forcing us to buy their products, they in fact have done little or no research of their own to make sure five year olds in developing countries are not making clothes for our children.

I keep being told that my campaign is impossible and that the clothes industry is too complex to police.

I disagree. The school uniform market is possibly the most stable there is.
Stores have a good idea how much uniform they will sell and at what time of the year. Surely if any ethical initiative is to be trialled out in the clothes industry then school uniforms is a great place to start.

Another comment I keep hearing is about how price sensitive the school uniform market is. Be that as it may, I don't want cheap school uniforms when the cost is children making clothes for children.

If you are interested in the Clever Togs Campaign or would like advice on setting up your own used uniform facility please contact me through this site.