Nearly nine in 10 parents say that their children's uniform is not durable enough to last a full school year, according to new research.
The study of 1,400 British parents found that 86 per cent said uniforms failed to survive the academic year, with 27 per cent saying they were forced to replace an item of uniform every two to three months.
More than two-thirds (68%) of new school uniforms become ripped or damaged, with stains from everyday use being the most common uniform grievance (37%) followed by broken zips (34%) and missing buttons (33%). Shirts (27%), trousers (26%) and shoes (23%) were the items parents replaced the most.
The study by One Poll was conducted for Tu clothing, which has teamed up with Family Action to donate £10,000 worth of school uniforms to help vulnerable families across the UK.
To test the durability of its brand of school uniforms, Tu engaged Olympic gymnast medallist Louis Smith to put their products to the test through a series of challenges. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of his exploits at the London games, the four-times Olympic medal winner led a one-off PE lesson in which children took on various challenges while kitted out in Tu school wear.
Smith, who became a first-time day last year, said: "My mum has always said I went against the grain as a kid in that I literally did run before I could walk. I was a nightmare and school uniforms were getting destroyed quicker than she could buy them. If my daughter grows up to be half as hyper as me then we’re definitely going to need a durable uniform that can keep up.”
David Holmes CBE, chief executive at Family Action, said: “At a time when every penny matters, we’re delighted with Tu’s donation of £10,000 worth of school uniforms to help vulnerable families across the UK. Although the return to school is often an exciting time, it’s also a transition point that can cause significant stress. For families struggling, we have a free helpline, FamilyLine, which provides emotional support and guidance on family issues."
Emma Benjafield, director of product at Tu Clothing, which won the Made For Mums Best Supermarket Uniform 2022 and is available through Sainsbury’s and Argos, as well as online, said: “Kids want to be kids in the playground and that’s why we’ve purposefully designed our school uniform range to be durable enough to withstand the joyful realities of school life."
FamilyLine can be contacted via telephone on 0808 802 6666, text on 07537 404 282, live web chat and email on familyline@family-action.org.uk.
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