Recycled school uniform project sees demand soar

When Joanne McCarthy set up a school uniforms recycling project five years ago, she had just two bags of donations, but half a decade on, Uni-Recycle in Sheffield has thousands of items which it sells at a fraction of the price they would cost new - or it gives them away to families most in need.

McCarthy said recently demand for what the project offered had "gone through the roof" and 2026 had been the "busiest year".

It comes after a new law came into force this month limiting school uniforms to just three branded items - something the government said would save some families "up to £50 per child".

Uni-Recycle is a not-for-profit community interest company that runs pop-up shops at Heeley Parish Church and is supported by charities and supermarkets.

"We have been really, really surprised," said McCarthy.

"We actually put on an extra sale in August. We wouldn't normally do that, hoping that we would get to everybody, but even with the extra sale the demand has just increased."

For those most in need, the project provides uniforms for free, with nearly 40 families being referred this year - about double the number supported by Uni-Recycle last year.

"Our project is about charging as little as possible so people that are struggling can stand side by side with people that are recycling, so there's no embarrassment, there's no blushes," McCarthy explained.

"The first sale for families in need raised about £20, at the last sale we nearly hit £400."

On the recent change in the law on branded items, McCarthy said uniforms remained important because she felt "all children should look the same" while at school.

However, she said: "I don't think it's necessary to have as many branded items as they do, and most of the primary schools in this area have branded - but it's optional."

Nadia, a customer at one of Uni-Recycle's pop-up shops, said she was "overwhelmed" by the amount of uniforms and other items, such as shoes, that were available, some priced at just 10p.

She said she had purchased a few items for her son, who was starting school this year.

"Obviously they go through clothes quite quickly in Reception, so just helping the environment," she said.

Nadia added that the change in the law on branded school uniforms was "really helpful for parents".

Another customer, Johnny Rippon, said he thought the uniform recycling project was "a fantastic idea".

"It's difficult to manage, especially after summer when you've spent money every day with the kids, so it's essential this sort of thing, to be honest," he said.

"To me, it's the frustration of the waste and buying new every time when it's not really needed because they get through their clothes."

Rippon added that the change in the law was "definitely positive" and seemed like "a step in the right direction".

Meanwhile, Emma, who has seven school-age children, said the pop-up shops were "absolutely invaluable - especially cost-wise".

She said she had no idea how much it would cost her to kit out all her children in new school uniforms because of this "amazing resource in the community".

She agreed that school uniforms were important, but said she thought shirts and ties were outdated and unnecessary.

According to research by the Save the Children charity and the Baby Bank Alliance network, almost half of parents said they were worried about the cost of school uniforms.

Meanwhile, a third of the 2,000 parents polled said they had sacrificed things for themselves so they could meet back-to-school costs like uniforms, bags or books.

Save the Children said the new uniform rules were a "good start", but back-to-school costs remained a concern for families across almost all income brackets.

The government said schools should make second-hand uniforms accessible to parents.

Gemma Brook, head teacher of Field Lane Primary in Rastrick, West Yorkshire - which scrapped compulsory branded uniforms several years ago - said: "I believe that smartness is not about high street logo'd items.

"We just want our children to feel proud of the school they belong to and a sense of pride in the uniform they wear.

"We believe standards are still high in the navy blue uniform and the black or grey trousers we offer to families."

Looking forward, McCarthy said volunteers at Uni-Recycle really wanted to open a shop in Sheffield city centre and provide support to a wider area.

"We would love to perhaps have a disused shop that we could just take over so we can be open all the time and be there for all the schools in Sheffield and beyond," she said.

"A lot of the primary stuff we can use in different schools, because it's just colour-coded. There's no brand on them and we would be there all the time."

She added that most of their volunteers had been with the project "since day one" and they had grown a "nice little community together and it's just getting bigger".

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