Back to school time means that parents around Australia are out in search of new school uniforms, shoes, and other kinds of school wear. However, just how much thought gets put into the origins of the school wear we buy for our children? Renee Mirabito finds out more.

Many school uniforms are produced under unethical labour conditions, where workers are grossly underpaid and expected to work in inhospitable conditions.

[pullquote]“Gross underpayment and poor conditions are a huge problem here in Australia.”[/pullquote]

In the past, many consumers have assumed that buying Australian-made clothing was a way of not only supporting local business, but also ensuring a garment made under ethical conditions. However, the problem of exploited textiles workers is not exclusive to overseas sweatshops.

Ethical Clothing Australia is a joint business-union initiative, which assists the Australian textile, clothing and footwear industry to ensure fair wages and decent conditions for Australian workers. According to Molly Williams, Accreditation Advisor for Ethical Clothing Australia, many Australians would be surprised at the lack of ethics demonstrated by some Australian businesses.

“Gross underpayment and poor conditions are a huge problem here in Australia, so there’s a good chance that many of the Australian-made school uniforms being worn by our school kids have been made by people earning as little as $4 an hour,” Ms Williams said

Thankfully there are some companies who do believe in fair practices, offering parents the choice when purchasing their uniforms at the beginning of the school year.

Surrey Clothing is a family owned and operated business that is dedicated to making a positive impact on their staff, customers, and the broader community through their work producing school uniforms. While they do have some parents contact the company to find out more about the origins of their school wear, they also find that many are unaware of the conditions that clothing is produced in.

“Parents are time poor, and although they may take the time to shop around for their own clothing and a handful of items, they generally seek out the cheapest and simplest form of school uniform,” said Michael Classon from Surrey Clothing.

So what is the solution for parents wanting to buy school wear that is produced by workers in fair and reasonable conditions?

Ethical Clothing Australia has set up an accreditation system that endorses Australian manufacturers who have committed to sourcing products that are verifiably produced under fair conditions. They encourage parents to source clothing from these ranges, and schools to stock them.

[pullquote]By sourcing their uniforms from accredited manufacturers, schools can both support local business as well as the ethical production of clothing.[/pullquote]

Many of the school garments that are produced can compete in terms of price with other brands. They also often offer a higher level of quality, meaning kids get much more wear when compared to alternative uniforms and other school garments. Brands endorsed by Ethical Clothing Australia include Blue Gum, Qualitops, Surrey Clothing, and Poppets Schoolwear.

Despite comparable pricing, manufacturers are not seeing the success they would like to when it comes to Australian-made clothing lines.

“Last year, we decided to keep a few lines of products permanently in Australia. Unfortunately we are not seeing positive results at retail level, as we would expect. Our responsibility is to ensure that we retain that small family business ethos and carry it forward so that the next generation stay grounded,” said Michael Classon of Surrey Clothing.

Schools are also being encouraged to stock ethically produced school wear. Often parents are only able to purchase uniforms directly through the school itself, and have no say in the production or origin of garments. By sourcing their uniforms from accredited manufacturers, schools can both support local business as well as the ethical production of clothing.

Mr Classon suggests that the solution to the problem will not come easily, but can start at grass roots level, with parents and students themselves seeking change.

“Uniforms are different from all other forms of clothing in that usually you are handed a list and told, ‘this is where and what you are to purchase’. In this case, parents are locked into a decision. The solution to this is to be involved in your school committee and become part of the process that decides what is on that uniform list,” Mr Classon said.

Ethical Clothing Australia also believes that change can begin with both parents and students.

“Either swapping to ethical manufacturer that are accredited to display the Ethical Clothing Australia trademark on their Australian‐made garments, or encouraging existing suppliers to become accredited, are both great ways that schools can help our initiative, so we are always more than happy to assist schools review where their uniforms are sourced from,’” Molly Williams said.

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About the author

Renee Mirabito