Safe School Uniforms
If schools are going to make children wear uniforms – the UK Government should make sure they are certified safe from risks to children’s health. An average UK child will wear their school uniforms for over 18,000 hours of their critical development years – so it’s absolutely crucial they aren’t harming them.
Sign the petition!
Ask the UK government to make sure school uniforms are safe for children to wear.
We want an immediate ban on all toxic chemicals, clear and transparent labelling for parents and stronger research and guidance on the use of polyester in school uniforms to limit child exposure to microplastics.
What’s the problem with school uniforms?
Chemicals and microplastics in school uniforms are a risk to children's health
UK school uniforms are overwhelmingly made from polyester – a plastic-based fibre that sheds microplastics – and made with multiple hazardous chemicals.
Studies increasingly show the long-term health harms caused by microplastic inhalation and chemicals from clothing. Children are particularly at risk, over years of daily exposure.
Children spend thousands of hours wearing school uniforms, often directly against their skin, while growing scientific evidence links exposure to microplastics and hazardous chemicals with health risks.With these potential risks to children's long-term health, we must act NOW to reduce exposure and ensure school uniforms are safe.
What’s the solution?
If schools are going to make children wear uniforms – the UK Government should make sure they are safe. This means:
Immediately banning hazardous chemicals like PFAS in school uniforms.
Insist school uniform retailers move away from plastic-based synthetic fibres.
Enforce strong rules for manufacturers that limit child exposure to microplastics.
Ensure affordable access to lower-impact and secondhand alternatives.
Join the movement demanding that the government, policymakers, schools and all school uniform suppliers prioritise safe school uniforms for children across the UK.