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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want unnecessary chemicals in school uniforms?

53 replies

Slightlylessclueless · 09/07/2023 11:51

My DD is just starting pre school and wanted to get her a few bits of uniform from M&S. My first time to all this, and was surprised to see that 80%+ of the range has chemical coatings to it - in the form of all the various ‘technologies’
StainResist/Freshfeet/NoIron etc. I think the other retailers are pretty much the same.

I think the PureCotton is probably alright, but you’ve got to read all the separate descriptions carefully to be clear you’re avoiding it.

Am sure nothings ever definitively proven, but SURELY just plain old cottons best?! They are progressing towards organic cotton, but doesn’t that defeat the point if it’s going to be sprayed with a chemical coating?

It will always seem that ‘it’s what people want’ but that’s just because they’re providing the option, and from the outside it seems a good idea if you don’t know.

For children having it against their skin for most of the week, for most of their childhood, it’s just not a great idea?!

(And if anyone knows where sells uniform that doesn’t, let me know 🙂)

OP posts:
liondreams · 09/07/2023 11:53

I agree OP! I was just looking at that Guardian article about the dangers of stain-resistant chemicals in clothing, and the vast majority of them contain these horrid chemicals.

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/jul/02/fashion-chemicals-pfas-bpa-toxic

My son's school has just changed their uniform policy to mostly clothes you can only buy in cheap nasty fabrics and I think it's appalling.

If you know of any brands that sell school uniforms without the "teflon" PFA filled BPA filled shite please do let us know. I'm just starting to search for them but am a bit mystified as it's all new to me.

Weal · 09/07/2023 14:37

To be honest I’ve never even thought about it. Is there a health risk from some of the chemicals used? Or is your concern environmental?

liondreams · 09/07/2023 14:58

@Weal health risks - see the article above for more info

Snoopsnoggysnog · 09/07/2023 15:07

I started a thread on this once. Feel the same. Find it impossible to buy the non Teflon coated trousers and when I bought organic cotton shorts from John Lewis they were thick, uncomfortable and very difficult to iron. I don’t know what the answer is.

LuckOfTheDrawer · 09/07/2023 15:08

I completely agree.

I think we're sleepwalking into lots of health issues in the future due to all of these generally unnecessary chemicals in the environment.

Badbudgeter · 09/07/2023 15:09

I’d have a look at eczema clothing. They do chemical free, organic cotton school uniform.

Original poster
Slightlylessclueless · 09/07/2023 19:15

Yes glad I’m not the only one, and not being paranoid. Feels like it sometimes when the norm is to just buy them.

It’s just not a good idea health wise, or environmental. And feels like in 50 years time there will be things proven, and it will explain the rises in various conditions a bit.

But you’ve actively got to make the effort to avoid or reduce things, and it feels hard work and a lot of thinking to not get sucked into more and more chemicals in this that and the other. Food too. Or increasingly disposable this and that. I do try but it’s hard to be consistent when the standard and easiest route, is usually the one most laced with un-needed chemicals.

Would be easier if retailers just weren’t allowed to sell them, or at the very least label and explain it. As people have too much going on in our lives, if it’s not pointed out it goes under the radar.

Anyway, thanks for the advice, and good tip with the eczema clothing @Badbudgeter . I suppose things for sensitive skin don’t actually have some sort of magic ingredient in them, they are just skipping all the added crap, so good for every one really. I will have a look 👍

OP posts:
captncrunch · 01/08/2023 12:23

Just ressurecting this thread to ask if anyone found any uniform without the stain resist?

Went to Tesco just now and every item has teflon.

Thanks!

Snoopsnoggysnog · 01/08/2023 15:49

I’ve been looking at this again and I’ve had the M&S skin kind shirts and the John Lewis organic cotton shirts in my basket for a while. But the reviews are not good for either - the cotton is thick, really hard to iron etc.

the John Lewis any day range is cheaper and has the same composition as the standard range (65% recycled polyester, 35% cotton except it says the cotton might not be Better Cotton) - but it doesn’t have the stain protection! Maybe these are the ones to buy??

Anyone have a view on the items I’ve mentioned?

Chikoletta · 01/08/2023 16:20

Its not just you, I looked into this a couple of years ago but most replies I got were not bothered about any health issues.

Apparently washing at 60C can reduce the chemical coatings, but whether that gets rid entirely I don't know.

liondreams · 01/08/2023 19:08

hi everyone, I did a bit more research and thanks to an older thread somewhere on MN I found this website which helpfully explains that none of the UK school uniforms contain PFAs but usually a non toxic version:

https://www.pfasfree.org.uk/school-uniforms

The table towards the bottom of the page is very helpful explaining which ones do and don't contain PFAs

Not sure how up to date it is but it is worth looking at. Most of them don't by the looks of things.

liondreams · 01/08/2023 19:09

the other thing I noted was the stain resistant finishes usually only last 10 - 20 washes, so it could be worth washing them 10 -20 times before school starts maybe?

Chickenpoxhelp · 01/08/2023 19:10

I got some M&S stuff and it stinks. Awful chemical smell, does it not wash out? I assumed it was from being in the packet

OnionBhajis · 01/08/2023 19:12

Oh it's so much better. I got pure cotton summer dresses once. So crinkly/wrinkly and wasn't the same.

It's amazing the advances in fabrics these days 1😍

Sweetlily99 · 01/08/2023 19:12

I agree. My eldest is just starting y7 and in his primary years he constantly got told his John lewis cotton or M&S cotton grey shorts were "wrong" I told them to jog on and copied the links emailed the school and asked why not policy (they were) just not perfect plastic so a bit more easy to crumple and yeah a pain to iron faded a bit easier...

He will have cotton trousers at high school from JL as there are hardly any out there and frankly can't think of anything else on a boiling hot day than cheap plastic fabric.

DappledThings · 01/08/2023 19:15

I've never given it any thought. Have uniform from Sainsbury's, Tesco, M&S and the official logo stuff from the school supplier. No idea how much of it has Teflon etc in it. All feels fine, washes and irons fine.

OnionBhajis · 01/08/2023 19:15

Love the teflon pinafores. They looked as good when we handed them on as when we bought them.

swanling · 01/08/2023 19:25

OnionBhajis · 01/08/2023 19:15

Love the teflon pinafores. They looked as good when we handed them on as when we bought them.

Okay but teflon causes cancer.

Which is why it is being phased out of saucepans etc.

Greydogs123 · 01/08/2023 19:26

Why not buy secondhand? I buy nearly all of my dd’s polo shirts and shorts etc on vinted. Lots on there is in good condition and it will have been washed multiple times so probably lost some if it’s chemical coatings.

swanling · 01/08/2023 19:28

Greydogs123 · 01/08/2023 19:26

Why not buy secondhand? I buy nearly all of my dd’s polo shirts and shorts etc on vinted. Lots on there is in good condition and it will have been washed multiple times so probably lost some if it’s chemical coatings.

Right. Because a damaged chemical coating that's wearing off and being absorbed by your child's skin is much better?

It's when these chemicals break down that they end up in our bloodstream and cause cancer.

OnionBhajis · 01/08/2023 19:30

It really doesn't cause cancer.

Unless you're heating the clothing at a high temperature what exactly do you think k it will do?

It's a bit tin foil hat territory. We touch things made of plastic all the time...

monpetitlapin · 01/08/2023 19:30

Four weeks ago I would have said YABU. But since then, I have learned about DuPont and Teflon during some research for my job and what they did and how they covered it up (all proven in class action lawsuits). It's not very well publicised. I really strongly urge anyone who doesn't know about this to educate themselves with what we're covering our children in, cooking their food in, etc. It's really awful, especially what happened to the poor pregnant women working in the Teflon factory.

And I'd be concerned with the advice upthread to wash the stuff at 60 to get rid of it. The last thing you want is for it to break up and tiny particles get into your child's lungs.

But long term we need society to stop judging children for wearing stained clothing so people stop feeling forced to buy "stain proof" fabrics to keep up appearances and send perfectly good stained old clothes to landfill each year.

swanling · 01/08/2023 19:35

OnionBhajis · 01/08/2023 19:30

It really doesn't cause cancer.

Unless you're heating the clothing at a high temperature what exactly do you think k it will do?

It's a bit tin foil hat territory. We touch things made of plastic all the time...

Claiming it doesn't cause cancer is a lie.

7Worfs · 01/08/2023 19:40

I buy uniforms from Eco Outfitters, it’s just plain 100% cotton.

And don’t get me started on the fire retardants on all furniture AND children’s pyjamas - there’s only one Canadian brand of pyjamas that’s not soaked in chemicals.

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