Back-To-School: Uniform

As summer holidays come to an end, a familiar feeling of dread often washes over parents: the dreaded school uniform shop! It’s an annual mission, even more so this year as my daughter is starting a new school, and we are very conscious to ensure our shopping habits have minimum impact on people and planet.    

So, my first port of call was the school's second-hand uniform sale. And honestly, it was a breath of fresh air! While I couldn't get everything on my list, I was genuinely thrilled to see the sheer volume of donated garments and the bustling crowd of parents giving these pieces a second, or even third, life. Talk about keeping clothes out of landfill and making our budgets (and the planet) a little happier!

I really liked the additional care instructions included in the parcel. Simple, yes, but impactful! Reminders like "wash only when you need to – reducing machine washing drastically reduces environmental impact" and "save money and help the environment by washing at 30 degrees" are brilliant nudges. It's so easy to forget these things, but imagine the collective impact if we all made those small shifts! Plus, it arrived with a free sample and discount for The Green Co. Green Sheets eco-friendly detergent, which, as a big fan of planet-kind washing powder sheets, felt like a delightful bonus.

It's clear Trutex isn't just talking the talk; they're walking the walk with their carbon-neutral status and commitment to sustainable clothing. From using recycled plastic bottles in their "Re-vive" fabric (those blazers use 46 bottles each!) to reducing micro-plastic shedding  (Independent tests have shown that Trutex products shed 60% less fibre when washing compared to their main competitors, meaning fewer micro-plastics are released through the washing cycle, making their way to rivers and oceans) and tackling plastic packaging, they’re thinking about the whole lifecycle. They’re even helping schools set up garment recycling points and offering refurbished Trutex products to parents. This extends the life of garments, which in turn helps reduce carbon and water usage by up to 30%, as well as providing cost-effective uniform for parents.

All in all, this year's uniform shopping was a surprisingly positive experience, making me feel good about my purchase. While it's not an ad, it's certainly a shout-out for a job well done! I'd love to see Trutex reintroduce school try-on sessions for sizing, to reduce returns, and the environmental impact that comes with them.  Small steps, big impact!