Don't you just love a uniform..? - Printwear & Promotion – garment decoration and promotional clothing/merchandise news & information

Don't you just love a uniform..?

Published: 01 October, 2009

My uniform was one of the best things about going to school. I was proud of my blazer with its distinctive badge (although I wasn't so keen on the felt bowler, which sometimes got knocked off my head by kids from another school).

Of course, it was expensive. And it could only be purchased from one dedicated supplier (still a bone of contention for today's cash-strapped parents).

Our uniform list was endless, with indoor shoes, outdoor shoes, fawn knee length socks, white PE socks, Trutex shirts, Aertex shirts, barathea blazer and knee length skirt.

Everything had to be just so, from the Turkey twill PE bag (embroidered with my name in black silk), to the skirt length (measured with a ruler by the school uniform police, aka the gym mistress) to the stockings, which had to be 40 denier (not very sexy, unless you're Norah Batty)!

Our navy jumpers weren't up to much. By the end of the first term, they were bobbly and stretched - not a patch on today's hard-wearing, anti-pill numbers.

One year, to cut costs, mum abandoned the Cash's name tapes in favour of an iron-on variety, which she wrote on in indelible pen. It was a false economy. They all peeled off and the head teacher (having found them scattered around the school) sent them back to her, with a ticking off! Happy days.

Wind forward to 2009 and school uniform is enjoying a renaissance. The dress code is far more relaxed, with some schools opting for soft shell over the traditional blazer, polo shirts instead of shirts and ties, and, of course, girls can now wear trousers. Even teamwear has had a make-over with performance fabrics gaining ground.

Not surprisingly, schoolwear is one area of the printwear market that is holding its own. As long as there are kids, they will need school uniform and, with some experts linking uniform to improved discipline and better results, it's going to be around for some time to come.

In this issue, you will find all the latest news from the key schoolwear suppliers. We have also asked David Burgess, chairman of The Schoolwear Association for his perspective and we have put school uniform to the test, with some of the toughest critics around - the kids themselves.

Elsewhere, we are looking at knitwear and sweatshirts and we have some interesting observations on the digital printing revolution from those in the know.

We hope you enjoy this month's issue. Please email us with your latest news, or give me a call. I'm always pleased to hear from you.

Have a good month and stay profitable.

deales@datateam.co.uk