Headteachers have to consult with governors, teachers, parents and pupils before making any changes in uniform policy and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) will issue guidance to schools following the 2006 Office of Fair Trading (OFT) report.

As with all fashion trends, decisions are made long before the product hits the streets. The challenge is to come up with products that please everyone – from the pupil who wears it everyday and the parent who washes it, through to the embroiderer stitching on the badge and the teachers making sure it is worn correctly.

The supermarket challenge

With a market value in excess of £600m, school uniform is big business. Supermarkets are taking one pound in every three spent on schoolwear but the specialist retailers are fighting back.

Supermarkets and high street stores have always sold ‘grey wear’ – generic items such as shirts and trousers, which can be worn as part of school uniform. The headline-grabbing difference this year is that supermarkets are prepared to accept lower margins to advertise their uniform for less than £10.

In our experience, supermarkets just can’t live up to the ‘one-stop-shop’ experience and specialist knowledge found with independent retailers. Schools and parents tell us that the quality of the grey wear bought in supermarkets just doesn’t meet their expectations.

There is also a debate about what actually constitutes uniform. Many primary schools want specific polo shirts and sweatshirts, whilst 70% of senior schools, which had opted for sweatshirts 10 years ago, have now changed back to the more formal blazer. Schools tell us that they want their uniform to be able to withstand the rigours of school life, where those found in the supermarkets often fail.

Increasingly, they also want to mark out their identity as distinct from the schools around them. For example, we have four primary schools with ‘royal blue’ sweatshirts – each has their own specific shade.

The Remarkable brand

The Remarkable brand is designed with quality and comfort in mind. Our factories are located in Asia and Europe, which we personally visit twice a year to ensure compliance with ethical trade policies. In Birmingham, our King’s Norton headquarters is home to a bespoke embroidery service and state-ofthe- art, 48-head-capacity machinery.

The Remarkable blazer comes in a resilient fabric, which stays matt and with a Teflon treatment, helping to repel stains. Machine washable and at a wholesale price that allows retailers to compete with the supermarkets, the classic design is now in its tenth year.

Our designs are constantly assessed and updated to suit the requirements of suppliers, schools and pupils. One of our newest innovations is the internal mobile phone and MP3 player pocket.

We are also one of a few companies to hold the licence for the patented zip system that makes embroidering badges on the front pocket significantly more cost-effective, overcoming the dilemma of hand-stitching separate badges to the pocket or seeing the internal and external pockets become unusable after being stitched together in the embroidery process.

The boys blazers have a double vent, whilst those for the girls are shaped and without a vent. The blazers come in a variety of sizes with single inch increments from 24 to 40 inches and two inch increments up to the 52-inch blazer.

We are increasingly being asked by schools to work with them on projecting a corporate identity that stems beyond traditional school uniform.

Blazers are sometimes viewed as old-fashioned and uncomfortable but we are working on designs that take their cue from the world of business. These jackets have linings that can come in a range of colours as well as various stylised pockets.

As with most Remarkable products, our trousers are resilient, hard-wearing, machine-washable and Teflon-coated. The boys trousers also come with the added bonus of a secret pocket with invisible zip for extra security. There are six styles of trousers for the boys and another four for the girls, including bootcut and fashion designs. The trousers (and skirts) are available up to a 40-inch waist and come in a variety of different length fittings.

The Remarkable range doesn’t just provide the staples of school life.We looked into what schools, parents and pupils wanted and came up with a range of quirky accessories designed to please everyone and provide a complete school experience.

In store there are socks embroidered with the days of the week, stationery, school bags, overalls, aprons, hair ties and, new this year, Remarkable swimwear. From head to foot, we aim to cater for all school needs. Slip-ons and velcro fastening plimsolls are available, as are white lace-up pumps, sales of which have soared this year thanks to the ‘emo’ fashion trend.

Our shirts and blouses are non-iron and, in response to complaints from girls that blouses from the high street and supermarkets can be too thin and hence see-through, we ensure that we avoid this by using thicker fabrics.

The future of school uniform

As a social leveller and community-enhancing device, uniform works to iron out differences in the playground and ensure that everyone can concentrate on the business of learning.Wearing a uniform can instil pride in your surroundings. Schools are increasingly looking to reinforce their distinct identities and present a smart, corporate image to their local community.

Uniform has changed from the days of itchy collars. We have embraced the casual period in which sweatshirts were introduced with the aim of making pupils feel comfortable at ‘work’ and we are now taking up the call for smarter, more businesslike uniforms in our schools.

Uniform will always be a bone of contention, whether about style, cost or necessity, but we believe it will continue to be an integral part of the school experience.

www.remarkableuk.com

Tel: 0121 433 2555

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