The school uniform shop is a costly annual event for parents – often costing over one hundred pounds per child. Whilst many supermarkets are now providing cost effective clothing, The Zip Yard is urging parents to look at ways to extend the life of their children’s uniform to save the planet and make it more comfortable and fashionable for students. 

Alterations. The answer to ‘not another picture of a child in oversized uniform picture’ and ‘they’ve grown overnight’

Every year social media is flooded with images of students’ first day back at school, often dressed in a decidedly ‘oversized’ school uniform. Of course, whilst purchasing uniform a size bigger is great in the long run (and there’s a certain charm to children pictured on their doorstep in a sizeable suit and tie combo), it’s nice to note that some simple hem and cuff alterations can instantly tailor trailing trousers, create a fitted blazer or shorten lengthy sleeves that might get in the way of writing and playing – these can be reversed as the year goes on.

Similarly,  every parent has those moments when their child appears to shoot up seemingly overnight, but rather than purchasing a new pair of trousers or jumper in the next size up The Zip Yard UK Franchise owner Neluka Dunning suggests simple repairs might be the answer: “Altering hems on trousers and jumpers can see them last the entire year, even after a growth spurt – and whilst you might be able to pick up another pair for next to nothing, alterations avoid the likelihood of good clothes ending up as landfill.”

It’s called fashion, mum!

Whilst as parents your first thought might not be to make school uniforms ‘more fashionable’ – there really is something to be said for making sure children feel as great as possible wearing it.

“Think about how much better you feel when you’re wearing that perfectly fitted jacket, or that dress which feels like it was made for you. Older students are fashion conscious and tailoring their school uniform often means they feel more confident each day. During the year The Zip Yard frequently have high school girls asking for small alterations to everything from trouser lengths, bust alterations and blazer tailoring – each time there is a noticeable change in how happy they feel once their clothes are made their own. No one wants their child to feel uncomfortable, and alterations can make sure that uniform is one less thing for them to worry about.”

Fend off anxiety – sew in kisses

School can be an anxious transition, especially for young children, and even older students are affected by the pre-school jitters. “A great parenting tip I’ve heard about is to sew in some simple ‘kisses’ to your child’s jumper sleeve. Two crosses, added discreetly, are a daily reassurance for children who might be missing home – it’s certainly worth a shot if you’re struggling with drop offs.” Mrs Dunning said.

Time to change

“Probably the simplest way to keep your uniform looking good for longer is to insist your child changes out of it once they get home” added Mrs Dunning. “Going out to play almost always involves jumping, falling and general wear and tear, so have some outside clothes ready once the school day ends.”

Name it.

The fastest way to lose money on school uniform is just that, to lose it. “Name tags will prevent jumpers, coats, blazers and PE kits from getting lost – or at least you’ll likely have them returned quickly! There’s lots of options now for stamps and stick in labels, but it’s worth noting that sewn-in name tags last longer than iron-on ones. Parents frequently drop off all their items to us at The Zip Yard to have names sewn in. I’ve also heard that writing your surname rather than first name is a good trick for if you’re planning to hand the item down, although that might not work so well if you have a more common surname!”

Make school uniform less of a stress for specific needs children

Research by Asda revealed that it takes nearly twice as long for children with specific needs to get dressed, largely due to the fact that most school clothing is designed with neuro-typical children in mind, so there will often be design elements that include tight necklines, hard to-do-up buttons, itchy labels, irritating seams, uncomfortable fabrics, and non-elasticated cuffs. The supermarket retailer also found that parents of children with specific needs generally buy twice as many clothes while looking for suitable items, and six in 10 believe regular clothing just doesn’t work for their children.

“The Zip Yard provide alterations that help parents make uniforms less of a stress for children who have sensory needs” Neluka said, “We know children want to look the same as their peers, but we can extend tight jumper necklines and cuffs, and even add linings to scratchy or irritable linings. Feeling comfortable in clothing that will be worn all year is especially important to children with autism and other specific needs.”

Drop in top your local The Zip Yard and see how we can help extend the life of your child’s school uniform.