Lifestyle
A lack of moral fibre
Published 10 July 2008
School uniforms use fabrics we would normally avoid. Why?
It's been quite a while since I had to worry about school uniform. My secondary school had a very strict policy and all garments had to be bought in-house. Even then, the quality was not great - lots of synthetic fibres - but I was lucky because I had an elder sister whose uniform dated from a time when it was still entirely possible to get skirts that contained something called wool and shirts made of cotton.
Today, trying to find school uniform that contains cotton and wool has got even harder. Whereas in the outside world we covet natural fibres, we can't be trusted with them where children's school dress is concerned. Synthetic school trousers, for example, outsell cottons by 20:1. Natural fibres are more expensive. They are also harder to look after and more prone to shrinkage; they need better handling, and you can't just wash and drip-dry them before wearing them. Mostly they need attention with a hot metal object called an iron.
Shopping for my own daughter's impending first day at school, I went into Marks & Spencer. M&S and John Lewis (the official supplier to 1,400 schools in the UK) are regarded as the places to get school uniform. (You can find it cheaper in some big-name supermarkets, but I prefer my child's clothes not to be made by other children, if possible.) Anyway, the offerings at M&S were good - pretty designs in skirts and pinafores - but: wafer-thin. Was this really meant to keep my child warm in winter? It's not like it's cashmere, which can be thin but still impart warmth. And nearly everything was coated in Teflon, which makes things stain-repellent, more hard-wearing and also slightly waterproof. Here's the thing: I know how to wash garments at the correct temperature, I can iron, I can mend (well, I give it to my mum). The point is, I don't mind putting a little bit of work into my child's uniform if it rewards me - her - with comfort and warmth. But I'm not given the choice, though I did find one jumper that had brushed up against some woollen fibres at some point in its making.
There are places that do a small number of school uniform items in natural fibres, but at three times the price. I can buy a cotton shirt, for me, for less. So clearly it's just a case of focusing. No doubt manufacturers will spout that old line of "we're just giving customers what they want". But you're not. I get lots of letters from readers wanting natural-fibre uniforms (synthetics, especially coated ones, can exacerbate skin conditions such as eczema).
Never mind. I should think of the time I will save on scrubbing and ironing. Maybe I can put my seamstress skills to good use: my child could be the only one in school (one imagines) in couture. Won't she love me for it!
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