AIBU to wonder if people are too proud to buy second hand school uniform

[KittenFace]

Posting here for advice…

At a recent PTA meeting (primary school) I suggested a kind of a Uniform Bank, where parents can donate their DCs outgrown uniform to be sold at a greatly reduced price (i.e. 10p per item) for PTA funds.

It was not met with much enthusiasm, the general consensus was that people would be too proud to buy second hand. My argument was that it would be best for the environment, it would save waste, raise PTA funds and make uniform more accessible for those families who may be struggling. I know basic uniform items are fairly cheap, but if you have a big family of kids who (like mine) often come home with holes in their knees or the unremovable pasta sauce stains on their shirts, I’m sure something like this would be really useful. Especially for items with logos. I hate having to buy new trousers throughout the year, when they're harder to get hold of as limited sizes are stocked in the shops. It's especially infuriating towards the end of the school year!

My question is- would you use a uniform bank like this? Or does your school already have one? (if so I would love to hear all about it, and if it is a success)

Thanks Mumsnetters!

All the schools ds has been at had them bar one (snob-fest). Brilliant! One has everything £1 (even a judo suit) and the next one has a thing that when they sold something of yours a % went to the school and the rest to you (or you could donate it back to the school). Where we are now the money goes to charity.

I always get a second hand blazer as a backup as they are bloody expensive, and the kids have to wear them all year, and can’t go to some events without one.

Not remotely hard up but did buy form the primary second hand school uniform exchange at £1 each. It’s very true about the better off being more accepting of second hand. Just like Christmas, I spent £20 on DS for his first Christmas. A very good friend who I didn’t meet till our dc were 5 said she spent £400 on her DS first Christmas, she was at the time a very hard up single parent.

It's what Otra said on p1 of this thread.

In affluent areas, people usually embrace second hand and see it as a badge of pride - the fact they can afford new but are happy in their own skins and have nothing to prove means they happily donate and use second hand.

In less affluent areas, having new is a way to prove you're not poor and people often have something to prove.

Second hand shops often thrive in independent schools where parents pay £20k+ per year and can easily afford new. However people might choose second hand because they think it's environmentally friendly or because the stuff is good quality and they would rather get a skirt for £4 instead of £40. Being wealthy doesn't mean wasteful or careless with money - and if there's a great version for £4 why spend £40 even when you could?

Unfortunately these second hand uniform shops are sometimes poorly used in less affluent areas, or very reluctantly used and seen as a ache of shame......because when you HAVE to rely on them it's very different to it being a genuine choice to do so.

Of course, if the second hand stuff is in shocking condition, you can understand why people might not want it. Sometimes people won't choose it either because they can get supermarket new stuff dirt cheap. Lots would rather get a very cheap renew version than possibly a better quality second hand version. Especially for little children who can grow out of their clothes fast or wreck them, the supplies of quality second hand aren't always high or good quality. For older children though, the stuff can be in good nick and for really good quality uniforms which some schools have, the items can serve 3,4,5 children and still look okay. In reality, after a first wash, can most people tell the difference between new and decent quality second hand...probably not.

I'm a big fan of second hand and refurbished stuf generally.

So I buy second hand clothes and always buy refurbished (with a warranty) electrical goods such as my Dyson, iPhones, iPads, laptops, kitchen items etc. I buy a second hand car with a warranty as good as a new car. We don't buy branded trainers or clothes and aren't interested in having them.

Some friends look at me a but pityingly as if I'm hard up but are a bit confused when they remember that our children go to independent schools and we have a holiday home. It's easy for me to smile blithely and not want the new versions or the branded stuff, because I know we could have it if we wanted....and for that I am extremely grateful that we are in a fortunate position. It's never so easy to not be bothered at all about your lack of new items or stuff some people are interested in when you know you couldn't have it if you were interested.

DCs school once had a 2nd hand uniform stall at a Christmas fayre. No one went near it, maybe out of embarrassment to be seen rummaging? Our uniform has no logos and is fairly unstrict, eg leggings and trainers are a thing.

As other people have said, it's down to the type of parents at your school, DS3's primary is in a fairly hippyish area and second hand is like a badge of honour! The secondary school it feeds in to has half the intake from this area, and half from a huge deprived estate, and you can see which kids are which by the designer bags, shoes etc and brand new every year uniform of one set, and the hand me downs, downtrodden DMs and ancient cotton tote bags of the other...

I recall my mother being appalled becuase I bought an item from the Thrift Shop at the Independant school our daughter attended! There were usually queues outside half an hour before the doors opened.
This sort of thing often is 'class' based, in the military the wives of Officers promoted through the ranks had immaculate houses, those whose husbands had just gone through Sandhurst couldn't care less.

Ours is mainly done on Facebook, logo stuff sells well. Non logo not as well.

I teach at an overseas international school, which my kids attend. Our students are mostly from very well off families.

There's a huge cultural stigma attached to buying/selling second hand clothes. You give them to 'the poor', as represented by your housekeeper or gardener. Even passing on or accepting hand me downs for free is only acceptable within the family - it's ok to be wearing your cousin's old school jumper. Your mum's best friend's dc's, absolutely not!

I shudder to think how many of our expensive & distinctive uniform items end up in the bin - although there'll also be quite a lot being fished out of said bins by the refuse collectors & sold in the markets downtown...

Meanwhile, the teachers with dc have a quietly thriving uniform WhatsApp amongst ourselves - I've just given all dd2's junior school summer frocks away on it. But we've nearly all had the experience of helpfully suggesting second hand uniform sales/swaps to the PTA & observing the aghast reaction. It's just not the done thing here .

Our PTA do second hand uniform sales, they are very popular. Parents donate old uniform and volunteers wash un-claimed lost uniform and at parents evening, school fair etc they flog it all for £1 a jumper, 50p a tshirt etc.

Affluent London area, pretty environmentally conscious crowd. There is a huge second hand movement in general here.

I don’t buy second hand anything, because I can afford to buy new and I enjoy having brand new shiny stuff and dressing my kids in the same.

I would donate our old stuff though usually it’s only fit for the bin.

We’ve had second hand sales at our kids private schools
V well supported
They grow out of them quickly, they’re as good as new
My sons coat was £45, he wore it twice!

They tried this at the school I work at, uniform sold really well, especially jumpers and cardigans, which frequently get lost, the issue was getting usable donations, especially in small sizes as parents preferred to donate these as spares to be kept in school in case of accidents. The PTA ended up with lots of scruffy stuff that looked awful and nobody wanted.

We have one through the church. It's free to all.
I have no issues, I very very rarely buy new from shops. I get a lot of new stuff from charity shops or eBay. Or 2nd hand. I can't justify spending 100's on clothes when there is no need.

My child is in an (overpriced) independent school and the second hand uniform shop is always busy. Firstly no one can be arsed to travel half the country to the shop and secondly everyone objects to the sky high prices. And the eco thing too. They are very enviro conscious.

I think it is a class thing and the more affluent you are the less you need to prove you’re not struggling. Us? We’re dead poor thanks to fees so I’m very grateful.

“*wombatChocolate

It's what Otra said on p1 of this thread.

In affluent areas, people usually embrace second hand and see it as a badge of pride - the fact they can afford new but are happy in their own skins and have nothing to prove means they happily donate and use second hand.

In less affluent areas, having new is a way to prove you're not poor and people often have something to prove.

Second hand shops often thrive in independent schools where parents pay £20k+ per year and can easily afford new. However people might choose second hand because they think it's environmentally friendly or because the stuff is good quality and they would rather get a skirt for £4 instead of £40. Being wealthy doesn't mean wasteful or careless with money - and if there's a great version for £4 why spend £40 even when you could?

Unfortunately these second hand uniform shops are sometimes poorly used in less affluent areas, or very reluctantly used and seen as a ache of shame......because when you HAVE to rely on them it's very different to it being a genuine choice to do so.

Of course, if the second hand stuff is in shocking condition, you can understand why people might not want it. Sometimes people won't choose it either because they can get supermarket new stuff dirt cheap. Lots would rather get a very cheap renew version than possibly a better quality second hand version. Especially for little children who can grow out of their clothes fast or wreck them, the supplies of quality second hand aren't always high or good quality. For older children though, the stuff can be in good nick and for really good quality uniforms which some schools have, the items can serve 3,4,5 children and still look okay. In reality, after a first wash, can most people tell the difference between new and decent quality second hand...probably not*”

This is the sort of stereotype people who don’t know don’t know any wealthy people love to repeat like something from a Louise mensch novel

My private schools uniform shop had a second hand rail. Very well used especially for blazers, skirts and ties. Especially in the younger years where the kids went through growth spurts

Our DC have been at Prep School for the past 6 years and there is a thriving, very well used 2nd hand uniform shop, plus a free swap- shop in the lobby for things like rugby/ hockey/astro boots and wellies. DS is on his 3rd blazer, only the first of which was brand new when he was tiny. As PP have said, those with nothing to prove are far more inclined to buy second- hand as they do not see the point of paying £80 + for a blazer when a used but mint condition one is only £20. DD has just moved on to Secondary so all her old uniform has been donated to her Prep School for the proceeds to go to the PTFA. 2nd hand is much more environmentally friendly than cheap rubbish from a supermarket or brand new from the schoolwear supplier.

My pair currently go to a private school and the used uniform sale is a rugby scrum and raises thousands of pounds for charity throughout the year, it happens several times a year.
I with a slight chip on shoulder about how private school parents would be was really surprised and pleased by how normal everyone was.

Yup, the PTA have run second hand uniform sales at both the primaries & secondary my kids have attended - always popular - but in a relatively affluent, middle class area: I'm sure pp have it right that this is an easier sell in middle class areas. However, the quality of the uniform has been maintained: ime, if the second hand needs to be presented well, washed and good quality so it feels like a smart choice rather than a jumble sale... anything stained/torm/over-worn shouldn't be resold.

I trawled my local charity shops in the hope of finding a secondhand blazer for DS2 but no luck.
I forked out £39.00 for a really horrible polyester one from the school pop up shop.
First day of school DS has PE and leaves his blazer in the changing rooms!
Cost me another £39.00 to replace.
I would love a shop at the school for used uniforms.

I’m convinced that the main reason why my DC’s private school changed their rather nice uniform for a new one was that the second hand sales were so popular that all the children were wearing seventh hand uniforms pretty much falling to pieces.

Grammar school here. Second hand uniform shop is a roaring success. Interesting thread.

We have generic school uniform apart from jumpers. When you can buy four new dresses for a fiver it makes no sense to run a second hand shop. (I don't agree with throw away culture by the quality is often shite).

It makes sense for blazers etc, but not bog standard primary.

I think it's a great idea but seeing how DS has come back after 8 days in Reception I can't imagine much is salvageable.

Saying that I bought one of the logo jumpers in the charity shop the other day. It looked like it had hardly been worn. It was £2 and they're £16.99 in the shop down the road. Was chuffed.

Definitely a class thing though. I can imagine secondary school - especially blazers etc would do better - as the kids aren't as likely to be chucking their dinner down them every day.

I think primary school generic uniform is so cheap though most wouldn't bother. DS's trousers are the £1.75 ones from Lidl and fit him great.