Dyes against skin: what's colouring your child's uniform?
Bottle green, navy, maroon: school colours come from dyes, and some synthetic dyes are a leading cause of clothing-related skin allergies. Here's what parents should know.
school uniforms, made gently.
We're making school uniforms from plant fibres for Australian kids. Breathable on hot days, soft on sensitive skin, and made without the stain-proof and wrinkle-free chemical finishes many uniforms carry.
For parents, carers and schools. We'll email you when we launch.
plant fibresbreathes and lasts all year
left out
- stain-repellent coatings (PFAS)
- wrinkle-free resins
- harsh synthetic dyes
made for long, warm Australian school days
your child wears it more than anything else they own.
Five days a week, forty weeks a year, for thirteen years. Up to ten hours a day against bare skin. So we started asking what goes into a school uniform, and what's added after the fabric is made.
-
the finish
A 2022 study tested 72 stain-resistant children's products, mostly school uniforms. Every one contained PFAS, the “forever chemicals” used to repel stains.
What the PFAS study found -
the fabric
Most uniforms are now polyester or poly-cotton. Cotton soaks up sweat and lets air through, which matters at 2pm on a 34-degree day in February.
Polyester vs cotton in summer -
the skin
Eczema is common in young Australian children. Soft, smooth, breathable fabric without chemical finishes is gentler on skin that reacts easily.
what goes in, and what stays out
in
- Organic cotton, tightly woven so it lasts the year
- Colours from dyes that meet strict textile safety criteria
- Flat, soft seams and printed care labels that don't scratch
- A relaxed cut with room to run, climb and sit cross-legged
out
- PFAS stain-repellent and water-repellent coatings
- Formaldehyde-based wrinkle-free and easy-care resins
- Chlorine bleach and heavy-metal dyes
- Polyester against your child's skin all day
We'll publish our certification details before we sell a single uniform. If a claim can't be backed by a certificate you can check, we won't make it.
thinking about a better uniform for your school?
We're talking with principals, uniform committees and P&Cs about organic cotton options, from a single summer polo to a full uniform list. Tell us what your school needs and we'll share what's possible on colours, logos and supply.
Request a school information packfrom the blog
All articlesEight hours a day: why wear time matters
A school uniform isn't a jacket you pull on for ten minutes. Kids wear it against bare skin for up to ten hours a day, and that changes how we should think about fabric.
Forever chemicals in school uniforms: what the research found
A 2022 study found PFAS "forever chemicals" in every stain-resistant school uniform tested. Here's what it means for Australian families.
be first in line
Our first range is in development. Join the waitlist and we'll let you know when uniforms are ready, which schools we're working with, and when new articles go up.