We all know that school uniforms get put through more than normal clothes. When kids are at school they’re constantly learning, exploring and playing – so their clothes need to stand up to even the most vigorous behaviour!
Designing a school uniform is tough – you want to ensure the children look smart and presentable (they’re representing your school, after all!) but you also need to be considerate to the fact they’re wearing their uniform all day long and need to stay comfortable. On top of that, the clothes also need to be functional and practical too – so there’s certainly a lot to think about when designing a school uniform.
Here are some tips we came up with to help you along the way…
Tip 1: Ensure the uniform is affordable
Uniform needs to be affordable for parents to purchase, otherwise you run the risk of parents cutting corners and just finding ‘similar alternatives’. To save teach and parents the hassle, finding a supplier who can provide good prices on basic items such as polo shirts and jumpers / sweater is a good place to start. Here at Garment Printing we provide a variety of school uniform options, all of which are affordable and achievable prices. Affordability is also important because a lot of kids will ‘burn through’ several jumpers or tops in one school year… They might outgrow them, or they might just wear them out!
Tip 2: Always consider colour choice
Colour choice is a big one when it comes to school uniforms. The most common colours for school uniforms tend to be those one the darker end of the colour spectrum. Why is this? Because darker colours need washing less and show dirt less easily too. Black, navy, maroon, etc – are all darker colours and will take a little more wear-and-tear then lighter colours such as white, cream and yellow – simply because the dirt just isn’t as visible. Going for darker colours means the students look smarter (and less ‘mucky’) but also means the parents will thank you too, as they won’t need to be washing items twice or thrice a week!
Tip 3: Consider comfort
Comfort is such a big part of a successful school life. Whilst it’s important to ensure students look smart, if you can be smart and be comfortable that’s an added bonus. Children learn better when they’re comfortable (as that means they have less distractions) so it really does matter. Soft cotton polo shirts work great over traditional work-style shirts, for example. Our school jumpers and school sweaters also prioritise comfort, as they’re made of super soft material and will keep anyone feeling cosy and warm.
Tip 4: Always go for personalisable options
For school safety and identification reasons, you’ll always want to ensure you have personalised school uniforms. Not all items need to be personalised (most schools don’t personalised shoes or trousers / skirts). But jumpers / sweaters and polo shirts are generally considered a standard for personalisation. Most schools tend to choose a small logo on the right or left chest area. Some schools will have a larger logo on the sweater (in the middle of the chest) but then go for the smaller logo options on the polo shirts underneath.
Tip 5: Remember all the little extras!
A school uniform isn’t just about the school jumper and shirt and tie! School uniforms can also apply to:
- The school bags (many schools opt for branded / logo’d school bags now)
- The school notebooks and stationary (You might want to have designated equipment for students that is branded).
- The school coat / fleece (for winter months)
- The school fitness kit (for gym class)
Thinking about all these little extras is key to ensuring your school uniform is one that stands out!
If you’d like to discuss school uniforms with our printing experts, we’re always on hand to help. Our printing experts have many years of advising on school uniforms and will be happy to help point you in the right direction. A school uniform is such an important part of school life for the children, so it’s very important to get these things right.
