AIBU or is DP about school bags?

[expatinspain]

DP doesn't think we should buy DD a new school bag just because it's a new school year, he thinks it's a waste of money as the old one isn't broken. I disagree. Her old bag isn't broken as such, zip still works etc, but it's definitely a bit shabby. It's a black emoji rucksack and the colour looks faded and she's not the tidiest of kids, so the inside is far from new. I think unless the bag is still in really good condition, a new school year should mean a new bag. My family were pretty poor and we didn't really have school bags, but i always got a new lunchbox and a new pencil case every school year. I used to look forward to it as a kid! AIBU or is he?

It might be better to keep bags for longer. Your daughter may not become aware of the scuffs until she is older. By then she will need to learn to look after things. If she has a new bag every year she may not learn this valuable lesson and become a throw away teen. It would be then your next task to teach her about charitable giving and responsible recycling especially if she does follow they buying things new every year.
Buyng new things may make her want a job that will pay for the things she needs but only if she is made aware of the costs of her lifestyle.

Some people prefer to keep things longer because of environmental reasons too. Bags tend to be made with a lot of fabrics that aren't recyclable which can be worrying if its used for short periods.
Older parents have learnt that if the bag is repairable then having new fabric sewn onto it should make it look brand new. Recently there has been an influx of seamstresses if sewing isn't a strong suit.
If your partner is concerned maybe discussing these things for the future may help you both come to a mutual agreement.

Prosecco in a mug.
You should see the bin out the back of our charity shop! They chuck stuff (perfectly good stuff) that they can’t shift in a few weeks.

Problem is everyone gives away their winter coats in April and nobody wants to buy them til it get so cold. These businesses don’t have the storage to hang on to all the ovations until they are seasonally appropriate.

So they just skip it.

Ovations donations 🤔

I buy all new for the new school year. You could always give ot to a charity shop if its no good to you anymore.

I'd buy new at the start of each year. It wouldn't look good in most professional jobs if you wore the same clothes for years after they start getting tatty. I think that making an effort with your appearance and being smart is a sign of respect.

Derby what an utterly preposterous comment.

I wore one bag from year 8 to end. My mom tried to get me a new one but I hate how stiff new bags are. I love them to be soft and broken in.

I always buy new every year and donate my daughters precious uniform either to one of her younger friends or to charity. It's a tradition since I was a kid myself x

It wouldn't look good in most professional jobs if you wore the same clothes for years after they start getting tatty. I think that making an effort with your appearance and being smart is a sign of respect.

Some of my work outfits are nearly ten years old! They don’t look tatty at all. It is very wasteful to replace things unnecessarily.

I'd buy new at the start of each year. It wouldn't look good in most professional jobs if you wore the same clothes for years after they start getting tatty. I think that making an effort with your appearance and being smart is a sign of respect.

I think you're a bit out of touch with the mood at the moment. Most people are starting to think about waste and sustainability. I'm a lawyer and wear clothes in court that I have had for years. That doesn't mean that I don't look smart.

Plus they are dc at school. The bags get slung around. No one cares if the bag is slightly tatty.

@DerbyshireGirly speak for yourself! good quality stuff, looked after properly, lasts years, if not decades!

But this is an emoji bag, not a Mulberry. It almost certainly wasn't the best quality to begin with. OP even clearly said it looks a bit tatty and worn.

A bit tatty and worn isn't a reason to buy new. But in any event your post read as though you would always buy new every year just for the sake of it, even if the item didn't need to be replaced.