F&F School Uniform feedback thread

[MichelleMumsnet]

This thread is for the 100 MNers who have been trying out the new school uniform range from F&F.

Here's what they say about the range: "At F&F we're really proud of the value and quality of our products and have spent the last year really improving our schoolwear range. Our schoolwear offering, which is available online all year round, is designed to last. With features including Teflon® fabric protector across skirts, trousers and pinafores, we believe that we've made it easier to get those stains out. Also, we've included adjustable waistbands to ensure a more comfortable fit for your children that will also help the items last that little bit longer as they grow. Finally, we've helped reduce the ironing with our permanent pleats in skirts."

Below are a couple of questions for you to answer, but please also feel free to add any other comments you may also have.

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Thanks,

Michelle @ MNHQ

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

So far I have bought 4 cardigans, 8 shirts, 4 skirts. Costing £40

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

Yes they are great quality, kids are fussy and won't wear clothes if they don't like the feel of them but no complaints at all. Easy to iron to.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

Yes the skirts at Teflon sauce stain come out with no hassle.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year? A more varied range of school blazers would be great. We need burgundy and I couldn't find any online.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes great value for money, have already told friends to shop there for their kids

Hi loudbielou31, although we appreciate that it is a short product test, we are just looking to get initial feedback from testers at this point. The prize draw will take place in a couple of weeks, at which point we'll close the thread - in the sense that we will post 'NOW CLOSED' in the title, indicating that the prize draw has been carried out. However, testers will still be able to comment on the thread at a later date if they wish to give an update on the uniform.

F&F 2 Pack of Boys School Pique Polo Shirts
Product code: 5052909222941
Colour: White
Size: years 08 - 09
F&F Basics Boys School Pique Polo Shirt
Product code: 5052909223108
Colour: White
Size: years 11 - 12
F&F Basics Boys School Pique Polo Shirt
Product code: 5052909223061
Colour: White
Size: years 07 - 08
F&F Boys Longer Length Pleat Front School Trousers
Product code: 5053947012730
Colour: Grey
Size: years 08 - 09
F&F Boys Longer Length Pleat Front School Trousers
Product code: 5053947012754
Colour: Grey
Size: years 10 - 11
F&F Permair® Riptape Fastening Shoe Shoes
Product code: 5052910193070
Colour: Black
Size: Adult 04
F&F Triple Strap School Shoes
Product code: 5052910825506
Colour: Black
Size: Adult 02
F&F Boys School Joggers
Product code: 5052910871879
Colour: Black
Size: years 11 - 12
F&F 2 Pack of Boys School Trousers
Product code: 5052910929754
Colour: Grey
Size: years 08 - 09
F&F Unisex School Sweatshirt
Product code: 5052909592372
Colour: Green
Size: years 10 - 11
F&F 7 Pair Pack of Fresh Feel Ankle Socks
Product code: 5052320639526
Colour: Grey
Size: shoe Child 12 1/2 - 03 1/2

School DFES ID: All School Uniform

Total spend £75.25 so far.
It was reasonable value for money. I found it hard to compare the price of various items that were in stock in the relevant sizes. I found the website particularly difficult to use and my order took me 1.5 hours. I was buying for both my sons and trying to kit them out in all their uniform but due to stock issues and sheer frustration once the total hit £75 I decided to call it a day and save the other £25 for another day, once I?d worked out which bits are worth buying. This, once we?ve added the bits outstanding, is what I?d expect a complete re-kitting to cost. I don?t completely rekit all at once. I tend to buy as needed and spread the cost.

Q2.

I was very impressed initially with all of the uniform. It survived packaging and didn?t need re-ironing before wearing which is a great bonus.

The basics polo shirts where very impressive when first worn. One needed washing after a day and after three machine washes and a soak in steralising solution (mild bleach) still hasn?t come clean.

My other son used a standard polo shirt for the same meal/ school day combination and that washed out, same wash at 40 fine. When the shirts were wet you could clearly feel the difference in fabric thickness and quality. So I?d say that the standard shirts are value but the basic are not.
In the interests of testing we tested a value one again over breakfast and again after one wash it?s not come clean.
The trousers have all been very impressive. They?ve washed twice and line dried. I ironed one pair but the others were worn off the line. The material is thicker/ a less prominent weave than the George ones we?ve had and it feels like it would last longer.

The triple strap shoes are okay, slightly scuffed after a few days in ? par for the course with a fairly cheap school shoe.
The permair shoes are standing up quite well. I did a sniff test and considering the incredible heat we?ve had, after a week of wearing they don?t smell like wet dog.
The joggers, as often happens, have sheded slightly. It?s been a little warm to thoroughly test these.
Sweatshirt is okay. Its not been worn due to the weather. The quality on first inspection appears good.
The ankle socks I?m impressed with. They have a good degree of elasticity, are reasonably thick and washed well.
Other than the value polo shirts my order met my expectations. The trousers and socks exceeded them.

Q3.
The trousers were Teflon coated. I hadn?t actually registered this when purchasing them ? I had to check it out to answer the question. It does explain why they?ve washed so well with the same food/ paint/ dough spills on them that haven?t come out of the value polo?s. I like/ was impressed with the trousers and the fabric does feel like it will last. The material appears a little thicker and the fabric weave is less prominent than the boys other school trousers.

Q4.
I found the website very frustrating. I was only shopping for two of my three but it took me 1.5 hours and I didn?t get all I wanted.
I?d like to be able to sort by availability/ size/ colour/ price. It?s nice to see what is out of stock at the end of the list in the variables but it?s really frustrating to have to go into each item to check stock.
I popped to Tesco around lunchtime to collect my order having received the email to say its been dispatched. After I queued at customer services I discovered that orders are never in till 4pm. Fair enough we all have our systems but had this information been included in my dispatch email it would have saved me a journey. I couldn?t leave a mobile number because mobiles don?t work in my rural Welsh valley. Tesco customer services Ruthin were very good and called me at home to confirm the order was in, so I could collect after the school run. The kids appreciated the big parcel and it cost me a packet of ice-creams stopping on the way back from school on a hot day!

My experience of the basics polos is they taint the brand. I?m all for shopping around and finding the best deal/ downshifting but my conclusion is these are just poor quality after one use/ wash.
The trousers I was impressed with. The waist elastic is a little thin and feels like it?s not going to stand the test of time very well. My boys are bean poles and the stretched waist elastic over the buttons feels like its towards its elastic limit so I don?t think it will last as long as the fabric of the trousers. The loops of excess elastic are very large ? I guess a very large range of child sizes are being catered for. I intend to run these through the machine over the summer before this becomes an issue and remove the loops.

I think the extra length trousers are a great idea especially to save all that extra material at the rear when over gathered but there is a lack of information available on what the new length is.

I had a thought about tacked up bottoms that can be un-stitched over the year to grow with your child, without having to be re-hemmed. Trousers that really last a year.

I like full zip jackets in a bag that the children can keep on their pegs at school. These would be nice to see in the FF range.

Q5.
I would/ have recommended the trousers. I would recommend the socks. The standard polo?s, sweatshirt and joggers are of a reasonable quality but not something I?d go out of my way to recommend. I would actively discourage people from buying the value polo?s.

Thank you for allowing me to partake in the trial. The boys have just started wearing their uniforms to school in England this week after finishing school term in Wales last week and moving over the border at the weekend It?s nice to see them smart in the new colours. New top to toe uniform wasn?t something we?d budgeted for and this trial gave a bit of pressure relief whilst our cash flow shortage due to moving house slowly unwinds itself over the coming months.

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?
I spent £50. This got DS 2 pairs of joggers, pants, vests, socks, 2 packs of polo shirts, pe shorts and t shirts.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?
I think they are great quality- however the polo t shirts colour (yellow) isnt quite so bright after being washed, and a paint stain didnt come out (however i think thats more to do wth the type of paint used)
The 2 pack of pe shorts are fab- hes been wearing them everyday in this weather and they still look like new after all the washes! Grey joggers were fab, however the navy ones from the school range were very baggy.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?
no teflon coated things

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?
The only thing i didnt like was the bagginess of the navy joggers.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes definately- great quality and great price.

Thank you so much for picking me

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

I chose a multitude of polo shirts for both children as they both will need them next year. They were £2 for a pack of 2 for DD (white with scalloped edge collar) and £3.50 for each pack of 2 for DS. I bought 4x white and 2x red for DS. I had ordered another £20 in other uniform items etc but they were unavailable so we didn't get to try them yet. Spent about £20-30 on uniform so far in total and plan to buy some more trousers and pinafores when they are available. I have to say I was frustrated at some of my order being unavailable and concerned I would have lost the value of the vouchers but Tesco customer service were very helpful when I emailed them and they refunded the remaining value of my vouchers onto my Tesco account for use next time. However, this is something to bear in mind for anyone ordering online in future (this has happened to me at M & S online too). However, I did think this was excellent value for money.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

I found the polo shirts to be good quality - nice and substantial and the collars a good size and shape. I get the feeling that they won't wear through and get holes by Christmas (like the ones I bought last year at M & S) and the colour of the red was nice and bright. I washed the red ones with DS's other red clothes and they came out fine both on the line and after tumble drying. He commented that the buttons were a bit easier to undo than his old ones when he had PE one day, so all good.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

N/A as none of the Teflon coated items I bought were available so that part of my order had been cancelled.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

I think the prices and the quality that I saw were fantastic and compared very favourably to other brands. I would possibly say that the clothes turned up a little creased though.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, but I would warn them to buy in store or in good time for the new term in case the items were cancelled.

Thank you so much for choosing me! It made my day/week/month!!

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

F&F 2 Pack of Boys Combat School Shorts Product code: 5052910412379
Colour: Grey Size: years 06 - 07 £4.50
F&F Gingham School Dress with Hairband Product code: 5052910303998
Colour: Green Size: years 09 - 10 £4.00
F&F Jersey School Pinafore Product code: 5052910883209
Colour: Black Size: years 09 - 10 £7.00
F&F Jersey School Pinafore Product code: 5052909219880
Colour: Grey Size: years 09 - 10 School DFES ID: Dresses £7.00
F&F 2 Pack of Girls School Cycling Shorts Product code: 5052909220060
Colour: Black Size: years 09 - 10 School DFES ID: PE Kits £4.00
F&F 2 Pack of Boys School Trousers Product code: 5052910930095
Colour: Black Size: years 06 - 07 £5.00
F&F 2 Pack of Boys Pleat Front School Trousers Product code: 5053947017384
Colour: Blue Size: years 06 - 07 £6.00
Initial order
Total spent on items above £50
Excellent value for money, was pleasantly surprised how many items I got as many were 2 items in a pack. I will be spending the remaining vouchers on the shorts and new PE it items now I know the sizing for my children.
DS is 6.3 and DD is 8.8, bought sizes 6-7 and 9-10. DS slim built tall and DD chunky and tall.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

To be honest the items exceeded my expectations and were of higher quality than I expected. Even though I have bought uniform from Tesco in the past and have been pleased with the quality previously. I chose some cheaper items in this order and they are lovely feel and quality. My DD and DS have both worn multiple items and they have been washed and tumble dried, they have washed well and come out of the drier crease free.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

I can't feel a difference to the material and have not noticed any difference in trying to remove stains as unfortunately for Tesco my DS managed to keep them relatively clean whilst he wore them. I think he was so proud to be wearing lovely new school uniform at the end of term when most parents (myself included) would not normally let them out in new uniform keeping it clean/wait for September.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

The only slight problem I have is the adjustable waist as DS is so skinny the excess material bunches up a little, DD however has a chunkier middle and this is never an issue, the style of the pinafores is very flattering for a rounder tummy. The length is good overall as well as she has a long body and short legs and often dresses/pinafores come up short on her. The cuffs on the gingham dresses are a little tight and there is not much give in the material. I bought 2 hoping to get use out of them now and in September and I know already DD will not wear them again as the cuffs are too tight and have no give and she hates being restricted. I love the girls cycling shorts and would market them for under pinafores/dresses as the girls at DDs school like to wear dresses and skirts but don't want the boys looking up their dresses. These shorts are ideal and in fact DD is wearing them this holiday as she finds them so versatile and comfortable. I would like to see girls shorts or culottes due to the issue I have just mentioned and could not seem to find them on the website although I did not visit a store to make my purchases/choices.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Would definitely recommend F&F school uniform and the click and deliver to store service.
I have also sent the details to school about the embroidered school uniform service to try and purchase school t-shirts/jumpers with the school logo via Tesco. Hopefully this is being processed and I can use some of the remaining vouchers on logo items.
My favourite thing is the adjustable waistband in the boys trousers/shorts as he is tall and skinny.

Oops forget to say how grateful I am and how pleased the kids were to be allowed new school unifrom near the end of term. Thanks a lot Tesco and Mumsnet.

Aaaaaaaagh just started to read the other feedback and spotted there are some culottes, DOH, will deffo give them a try for September, especially as they are adjustable waist in the size I would buy them.

I'm sure they werent there when I looked or maybe I didnt look under skirts as I knew DD would not wear skirts. Can you put all the same items together eg culottes with shorts with PE kit shorts etc.

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

2 pack boys sports shirts- great quality thick material than what i was expecting
6 packs girls and boys polo shirts-good quality washes well
unisex school t shirts great for the price
2 pack boys school trousers forgot to check if the were adjustable waist which they aren't but aren't too big and perfect length
single pleat school skirt for 1.75 was impressed with quality-def better than i was expecting
basic boys school trousers same as the basic skirt better than expected
fresh feel ankle socks
girls school joggers actually fitted dd- she has very long legs and usually struggle to find trousers that fit
2 permanent pleat school skirt-great length, good quality
pleated school culottes- dd hates culottes but she likes these
boys cargo shorts- bit thinner and lighter than i was expecting but still good quality

spent 65 and for the amount i received, I would consider it good value for money

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

like the teflon coat, the muddy knees washed of easily, I presume it would be more durable than other fabric

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

would be good if all grey items were the same shade of grey but its not that important

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

yes would recommend to anyone

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

I bought a selection of the white polo shirts. They do 3 types, a basics at 75p, and 2 different 2 packs at £2. I only spent £25 on this first lot but now I know they fit I am going to buy an absolute ton of them for next year as ds goes through them like there's no tomorrow. We also went for pants and socks. I thought these were all really good value, since he is only 5 and they are white they don't last long before they are filthy beyond redemption.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

Yes. DS only started reception in September so I only have this year to go by where we have had white polo shirts from M&S and John Lewis. These seem to be just as good. The sizing seemed to come up larger than the others we have but this is a good thing in my opinion. DS is skinny but tall so this worked well (and kept him a little bit cooler in this heat). The quality of the material and sewing is much the same as the others I have so no issues from me there.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

He gets to wear jeans/ jean shorts to school so we didn't test these. If they manage to make white polo shirts that stay clean then let me know!

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

Not so far!

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes I think so, the price is good and the quality is ok too.

I've just noticed I did buy some teflon coated stuff. I didn't realise at first so it obviously isn't noticeable in a bad way. The items feel a bit stiffer that the other things. It washed and ironed really easily and it's the permapleat skirts which did stay in and were easy to iron so I guess it's doing it's job.

And having complained in my previous post about the fit of the Jersey Cardigans DD really likes them, I still wish they were a little longer in the body though.

Sorry for the delay in getting this written - my laptop went 'bang'.

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?
Items purchased were:
F&F 2 pack of boys easy iron short sleeve school shirts - good value. The fabric is much thiner than the M&S shirst that I usually buy, but ds seems happy with them. They are a good fit around the collar area, but rather large in the body.

F&F Boys 5 pocket school trousers - Great value - ds loves these trousers. They are smart, but are a little more trendy than normal school trousers. They need a lot of taking in at the waist though, so will be interested to see how the elastic lasts.
If these trousers were available in a slimmer fit, they would be perfect.

F&F Boys pleat front school trousers - Much too large for slim ds. I could probably fit two of him into one pair.

F&F 2 pack of unisex school pique polo shits - bought the largest age for my nephew who is a large almost 16 year old. They were just a little too small, so will be returned I'm afraid. The quality looks good though. He goes through clothes really quickly, so I would not be worried if they did not last too long.

F&F 7 pair pack of fresh feel ankle socks - great value and would highly reccommend.

I also got ds some boxer shorts to make up to £25 voucher.
The rest of the vouchers will be used over the coming weeks - I think I need to experiment a bit with various school trousers to find the perfect fit. I am also hoping that there will be a larger selection of school coats soon.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?
If I'm really honest, I don't think that I had high expectations. Perhaps unfairly I was not really convinced that the quality would be all that great.

I have been surprised and would definately buy again. Even though it has been too warm for ds to wear the trousers, I have washed them twice and they are looking good. The shirts are thinner, but not so thin that I would avoid in the future, will stock up on more of these before term starts.

Underwear - well you can't really go wrong with Tesco - ds loves his Monsters Inc boxershorts!

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

The trousers were Teflon coated and look good. As I said, the weather has been too warm to wear, so can't coment on stain removal. I think the real test is going to be how the knees hold up and if they go a lighter colour after only a few wears (which is what happened with last two pairs of M&S trousers)

The shirts are not Teflon coated and I have had a bit of a problem with staining from suntan cream, particualy around the collar, but this has happened on other shirts too, so can't blame Tesco.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?
What I would really like to see is slim fit trousers. I think it's great that you have longer lenght trousers, but a slim fit product would really add to the range.
I am planning to experiment a bit with buying some longer length in a younger age.
I am really hoping that you will soon have some more school coats.

The website is fine to browse, but actually adding items into my basket took forever and was really frustrating.

The shirts that I wanted to get for DD were out of stock, but these will be purchased very soon.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, I would recommend, and have already spoken to several friends about the products we have tried.

On another note, I am a school governor (with responsiblity for things such as uniform) and the shade of grey in the trousers is exactly right for our boys, at a fraction of the cost of the official school uniform shop ones. I would feel very comfortable reccommending to our parents.

Thank you MN and Tesco for picking me to try out the uniform, I look forward to spending the rest of the vouchers very soon.

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

I brought uniform for two children, 2 packs of long sleeve white shirts, 2 packs of white polos, one pleated skirt, 2 pleated pinafores, a gingham summer dress, girls ankle socks, boys grey ankle socks, 2 pairs of boys trousers, 2 v neck jumpers, and 2 pairs of sandals for myself!
I spent exactly £100
Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

overall I was impressed with the quality of the uniform, the materials had more manmade fibres than I would normally buy but otherwise exceeded expectations.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

the Teflon coated items felt stiffer than other items but that could be my imagination. I haven't noticed any real difference in terms of stains coming out etc, but then the children didn't really have time to get stains before school broke up for summer.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

Id like to see more natural materials used, lots of cotton, less focus on Teflon and non iron as that's not of a concern to me.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by the products. I would recommend them and would buy from Tesco again. The prices are good and the quality appears to be there too.

perhaps it would be an idea for a follow up at the end of next term to see how the uniform has coped with a full term of washing and activities.

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

I bought F&F 2 Pack of Boys Easy Iron Short Sleeve School Shirts for £5 and F&F 7 Pair Pack of Fresh Feel Ankle Socks £4.
I will be buying skirts & possibly shoes and jumpers towards the end of the holidays as well.
I think this very good value for money, especially the shirts.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?
The quality was fine although the socks did shrink a bit after washing. They still felt soft even though I don't use fabric softener. The shirts came out of the wash ok and had an expected amount of creasing for an easy iron item.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?
No, didn't buy Teflon coated items this time.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?
Please do trousers for children with different body shapes/leg lengths. My ds & dd2 are very skinny so normal leg trousers just fall off them. On the other hand dd1 is chubbier around the tummy so we have to go up an age band in order to find her something that fits her waist but then the leg is too long.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?
So far I would be happy to recommend the items I bought but I would still go to M&S for trousers as they do different leg lengths.

Sorry for the delay!
Q1 I bought 6 basic polo shirts for DS who is 5, 4 pairs of flat fronted trousers, 6 red sweatshirts, 1 waterproof grey jacket, 7 pairs grey socks, 2 pairs grey shorts. Fr DD who is 3 I bought 4 grey pinafores, 4 red sweatshirts, 6 white polo tops and 4 pairs grey tights. Brilliant value for money! I've Lways bought uniform from John Lewis or marks and spencer before and didn't realise how cheap it could be,

Q2 the quality did match my expectations. I was worried that because it was so cheap, the quality would be less good but everything has washed really well and kept its shape and colour. Especially the polo shirts which is often a problem. Impressed.

Q3 I didn't buy anything Teflon so I can't comment.

Q4 the trousers seemed to be a perfect length but I had to take them in loads at the waist with the elastic, which made them bunch up a bit, but no real problem. DS is really skinny, so prob his fault!

Q5 I would definitely recommend F&F school uniform to my friends, and have done already! Thanks for the opportunity to try them out!

I spent half of the money due to lack of stock in clothes in my children's sizes. I got 6 polo shirts, 3 skirt, socks, pants, tights, a pe bag. Thought they were on a par with other supermarket lines for value.

The quality was fine. Although the sizing is a bit random the gingham dresses are really big fitting yet the skirts are just right. The polo shirts I have to take bak and get age 8 for my rather tall 5 year old. The royal blue was not the right shade of blue it seemed a bit of a washed out blue rather than royal.

The Teflon skirts seem fine but a bit shines as others have commented on

I have not had chance to give them a good test as by the time I got the uniform we were breaking up and the dresses were too huge to wear this year.

So far nothing to make them stand out over other supermarket brands

Maybe when I manage to get the rest of the goods it might be different

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?
I have spent half the money so far and will spend the rest before September now I've had chance to wash and test everything. I bought 4 pairs of shorts (unintentionally!), 2 pairs of trousers, 4 polo shirts, socks and plimsolls.
Before September, I will buy more trousers, maybe school shoes and coat, and some gym kit.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?
Yes it did, and exceeded in some cases. Was really pleased with the quality of the shorts - they were so cheap I accidentally bought 4 as I thought the price (£4) was for one pair when actually it was for a 2-pack. But they're lovely, fit really well (though have had to cinch the waist in quite a long way)
The polo shirts seem fine too, a nice bright red, but I'll be interested to see how the colour lasts. I only had chance to wash them a couple of times before the term ended.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?
I didn't consciously buy any Teflon-coated items so I can't comment

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?
I HATED the online experience I'm afraid. i found it difficult to differentiate the different types of trousers or shorts - they didn't seem to appear in any logical order - and the search function wasn't great. The systems also kept emptying my basket before i was ready to checkout, maybe every 15 minutes or so, which was really frustrating! I then had to try and work out what had gone and restart the whole process, this happened 3 or 4 times and if I hadn't had the vouchers, I'd have given up and gone back to M&S.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes I would, I think it's amazing value! I would recommend they went in-store rather than online though. Partly because the online process was so horrendous but also because there are so many variations of trousers/ shorts, it was hard to tell what the differences were and it would be much easier to see them before buying. Unless the online shop could make these differences much clearer somehow?

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?
I bought 5 red jumpers, 3 2-packs of white polo shirts, 2-pack of white t-shirts, 2-pack of sport shorts, socks and 5 pairs of grey longer length school trousers. I spent around £50, I thought this was very good value.
Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?I was pleased with the quality.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?
I don't think any if the products I bought were Teflon coated.
Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?
The polo shirts are a bit thin. Also a size 4-5 in the sport shorts/ trousers would be good!

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, its very good value and good quality.

Gosh, so sorry, I completely forgot to come and give feedback. Hope it's not too late. I bought the uniform for DD1, aged 5.10.

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

Excellent value for money. I spent £28 and bought the following:

Girls scallop edge cardigan, blue, age 7-8
Buy One Give One pleated skirt, grey, age 6-7
Buy One Give One pleated skirt, grey, age 7-8
Buy One Give One 2 pack girls scallop collar Fairtrade polo shirts, white, 7-8
Gingham school dress with hairband, blue, 8-9
5 pair pack gingham frill trim socks, blue, 12.5-3.5
2 pair pack 40 denier microfibre tights, grey, 7-8
2 pair pack 40 denier microfibre tights, grey, 9-10

I bought this in a hurry as we were about to leave on holiday. I'll be spending the rest of the vouchers over the summer.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

Yes. I'd say the quality exactly met my expectation. Although, to be honest, the quality was probably better than the extremely low price tag suggests.

The only issue I had was the tights. I was expecting woolly school tights, but these were finer than that - this is probably obvious by the '40 denier' description, but I was in a rush and probably didn't read the description properly. My daughter suffers from an unfortunate lack of bum, and I find it a nightmare to find tights that will stay up. Hence buying the large sizes (hoping to hoick them up to her armpits ).

DD is tall for her age so I bought the majority of items in larger sizes, with some to keep in storage for next year too. However, she will wear the age 6-7 skirt when she starts Year 1 in September, when she will be nearly 6. And I do expect the polo shirts and cardigans to wash up slightly so will start her in the size up. This is no reflection on Tesco, it is just the experience I have had from all of DD's supermarket polos/cardigans from the last year (mainly Sainsburys, a few Asda). Obviously I'll be able to report on how the items wash when the new school year starts (if this thread is still open).

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

I'm not sure whether I bought any Teflon coated things, sorry. The skirts had permanent pleats, I think, and the fabric seemed okay (not too stiff). Obviously none of the uniform has been worn, due to the trial being right before the end of the school year (see my previous post for further discombobulation!).

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

The hairband that comes with the gingham dress is a big hit with DD. However, she does struggle with the buttons on the dress. I think this is due to them being fabric-covered.

If Tesco could invent white polo shirts that stay white and readily give up their stains of tomato sauce, chocolate cake, felt pen, random grime etc then I would pay a fortune . However, as this is currently not the case, then I am quite happy to pay as little as possible for shirts that will be trashed and binned by the end of the year. So hurrah for supermarket school uniform. But, the 'Buy One Give One' scheme would definitely make me choose Tesco over its competitors.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, because it is cheap and good quality. This is based on seeing the items unwashed and unworn, but I can't see any reason why my opinion would change to be honest.

Thanks!

Just adding an update to say our embroidered tops have now also arrived (sweatshirts & polo necks), I was quite impressed at how quickly they arrived given they are done specially and the last set I ordered took a lot longer. (I already reviewed the other things we got above).

We haven't used the tops properly as it was already holidays by the time they arrived, but they look good and the embroidered logos look very smart, no loose threads visible or anything. We've had Tesco ones in the past too and they seemed to last well, only the polos faded a bit over time but it seems to me that they always do if you have bright colours (the sweatshirts didn't seem to though).

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

I bought trousers and white polo shirts, as I wanted to try them out before buying loads!

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

I am very impressed with the trousers, and DTS2 loved the pleated fronts, as they are "like Daddy's work trousers"
The polo shirts have come clean after a normal 40 wash and drying on the line, even though they were covered in paint and food.

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

No Teflon tried, but I will look out for some nearer September.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

The website could be so much better! And please can we have forest/bottle green jumpers and polo shirts? Nowhere does dark green polo shirts, and white is really not very practical for 7-year old boys...

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend it (and already have when I mentioned the trial to a couple of friends)

Thank you for letting us test it, we will definitely be buying more, based on the recommendations on this thread!

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

I bought shirts for my son, blouses and cardigan for my daughter and PE shorts and t-shirts for both children.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

No, the shirts are very thin, my daughter is very conscious about her body and being able to see through her shirt was embarrassing. I had to purchase another brand. They go grey very quickly too, after only 2 or 3 washes. The cardigans are very thin which is ok for summer but not winter when walking to school. Also after washing several times the colour fades significantly and the shape becomes twisted. After just 2 weeks use I felt I would need to replace the entire uniform in time for September. As a plus point the PE kits are great value and they seem to be good quality but I feel thats because the t-shirts are a lot thicker than blouses/shirts in the uniform

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

I have previously purchased the trousers/skirts with teflon. I did not find them any easier to clean. I also didnt like the sheen on the fabric

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

Use higher cotton weave psi in the shirts so they are not see through and try and get rid of the shiny finish on the trousers/skirts. Better colour fasting on the knitwear too and perhaps pre-rinsed knitwear so it doesnt twist in the wash would be ideal.

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

No, I would not recommend. For me the quality just wasnt there. Thin flimsy shirts/blouses and cardigans and shiny trousers/skirts just dont look as smart as other brands available. I do need to watch how much I spend but I feel they are a false economy if I have to replace them every term. Items such as shirts and cardigans should last 2 terms at least.

Checking I can still post on thread.

Hope I'm not too late for feedback, sizes were on the large side so had to wait for smaller items to come.

Think I am too late but have been on hols & didn't realise thread would close so soon (plus waiting for the rest of my order)

Q1 Which items from the range did you buy and how much did you spend? Would you say this was good value for money or not?

I bought various sizes of 2 packs boys school trousers (8-9) (9-10) (10-11)

Unisex V-neck school jumper

Boys school track pants (still need to buy more sizes, too big)

1 pair of sandals for myself

I spent £50 so far, good value for money, usually buy M&S so definitely cheaper.

Q2 Did the overall quality of the school uniforms match your expectations? If so, how? If not, why not?

Quality seems good, didn't shrink at all in wash. But sizes came up very big (DS is tall so usually have to take older sizes). Was disappointed there were no flat front trousers because they are less bulky than the pleat front ones.

An added note, my sandals came with a broken strap so that was very poor

Q3 If you bought any Teflon® coated fabric, did you like or dislike it? Did you notice any difference to the uniform staying clean at all? Did the fabric help when trying to get stains out? Do you think the fabric is likely to be more or less durable than other school uniform fabric?

I did buy Teflon coated trousers but think its too early to say if this will help with stain resistance (he won't wear them in the holidays!). They seemed fine though and not excessively hard. The stiffness should hopefully help them last longer.

Q4 Do you have any other feedback that could help F&F improve their schoolwear again next year?

Flat fronted trousers needed. Ordering on website was difficult when using in-private browsing but fine on normal (must be to do with cookies, I think).

Q5 Finally, if it came up in conversation would you recommend F&F schoolwear range to friends or family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, good price, quality seems fine.

Will be able to give better feedback after a longer product test, not really long enough to assess how well the clothes last.