A helping hand-me-down

A survey has shown that the vast majority of Irish parents plan to pass on their child’s school uniform to a younger sibling.

It’s hard to believe the new school term is right around the corner, and with many families having to be extra cautious with spending these days, reusing school uniforms is a great way to sidestep one of the many costs that can build up this time of year.

A survey carried out by personalised label manufacturer My Nametags showed that 7 in 10 Irish parents will pass on some or all of their child’s school uniform to a younger sibling.

It seems that the trend to reuse school uniform items is on the up in Ireland, with 18% of parents that took part in the survey revealing that their child’s school now sells second hand school uniforms at the beginning of the school term, with some even donating the proceeds to local charities.

The survey also uncovered some other interesting back to school statistics. When asked what items their children misplaced most regularly, the water bottle came out on top with 52%. This was followed closely by stationery (32%), school uniform items such as ties and jumpers (22%), and lunch boxes (10%). However, the survey also revealed that 21% of parents admit that they still don’t label all of their child’s school items.

The good news is that when it comes to getting prepped for back to school, Irish parents seem to be a very organised bunch with just 1 in 10 of those surveyed stating that they wait until the last minute to purchase their child’s school essentials.

Speaking ahead of the new school year, Lars B Andersen, Founder and Managing Director of My Nametags, said: “It is great to hear that so many Irish parents are now reusing their child’s school unform by handing it down to a younger sibling.

“However, we found it also quite surprising that over 20% of those surveyed still don’t label all of their children’s belongings. With all of us keen now more than ever to keep lost items to a minimum and reduce our waste, it is very important to ensure that all items are easily identifiable at school by using personalised labels or stickers.”

Mr Anderson founded My Nametags back in 2004 out of a need to label his own children’s belongings. The company now offers a 10 year washing guarantee, which they says is unmatched in the name tags industry.