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

ps it would have been useful to have a date that feedback was needed by.

Sparky, I think they said 24th on the original thread. I was a day or so late myself I believe because in my head the 24th was a Friday .

Anyone else have problems with the white frill ankle socks. They seemed ok when worn once at school, even then she didn't wear all of them. But they seem to be falling apart, the frills are all coming away from the sock?

I just wanted to add that boys white socks and grey socks washes well and looks great for that price it is fantastic value for money! I like when my son weras white socks and every mum knows that boys are so messy:)
Even at 40 degree wash white socks are white again! Well done Tesco! Will definitely buy more socks in future!
By the way school trousers washes well and ironing is very easy! we attended relatives wedding and my son wear school trousers as they looked so smart!

Having bought another few things from Tesco I feel compelled to add more feedback.

Two main points:

1. online stock was dreadful. I struggled to get a few things for my first order at the end of July and ^really^ struggled last week. In fact, there was so little stock available that I ended up spending £30 at Asda instead. This experience really affects my opinions on internet shopping at Tesco in the future.

1. I ordered girls size 7-8 yrs pique polo shirts in white (2 pack; buy one give one), stated height is 128cm. I also ordered unisex size 7-8 yrs polo shirts in blue, stated height 128cm. However, the discrepancy in size was OUTRAGEOUS - at least 4 cm longer length in the unisex, about 3 cm either side of the chest wider, and much longer sleeves. Simply ridiculous. And really, really, really, really annoying.

Why would the unisex be so much bigger? Are boys taller at this age? No. Are they wider at this age? No. Do they have much longer arms? No. Utterly frustrating. I will NOT buy any more polo shirts from Tesco for precisely this reason.

Has anyone else had a problem with tge Teflon washing off? Tge pleats are no longer staying and am having to triton them everyday.

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 the embroidery service cardigan, polo shirts and book bag. I think the cardio and polo shirts are good value, however the book bag is not. This is the 3rd book bag I've bought, and I don't believe it to be the last and my dd is only in year 1.

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

• initially the feel and quality of the garments are fine. After a few washes, the deep colours fade. I have to buy burgundy. The book bag however disintegrates very quickly! The coating flakes off and holes appear in the corners of the bag. Coating material probably degrades because of the material used.... They need to look into a more stable material as the book bag needs to be hard wearing. I don't think it's fit for purpose.

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 think that the Teflon coated is a good thing. Stains do release. And I think that the garments are more durable. Can the Teflon coat white polo shirts?

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

• put reinforcements not the lower corners of the book bags! I have no choice where I buy my embroidered items from, so I'd like my comments to be noted. I don't need to buy two or more bags a year... That's just poor quality.

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?

• for the majority of the range I would. Price and quality is good. For the products that I can't get anywhere else I wouldn't. I wish I had more choice. Then retailers would be fighting for customer share by improving customer experience of quality.

I was recently given a second hand school pinafore for DD from Next. It has a zip under the arm on one side which makes getting the pinafore on, so much easier. My comment was that DD struggles to get on pinafores that are even 2 sizes bigger.

Perhaps that is something that Tesco could consider? a zip under the arm?

Other than that, the uniform is washing and wearing very well and the pinafores never need ironing.