Demand school uniforms free from chemicals and microplastics!
UK Secretary of State for Education & relevant UK Government authorities
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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.[1]
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.[2]
With these potential risks to children's long-term health, we must act NOW to reduce exposure and ensure school uniforms are safe.
Tell the UK Government to make school uniforms safe!
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.[3]
- 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 safe school uniforms for our children.
Add your name. Tell the government this is an issue you care about.
[1] Changing Markets Foundation (2024) Spinning Greenwash: How the fashion industry's shift to recycled polyester is worsening microplastic pollution, https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Spinning-Greenwash_full-report.pdf
[2] A Single Thread, 16 September 2026, "Why we are demanding safe school uniforms for children across the UK", https://www.asinglethread.org/opinion/safe-school-uniforms
[3] The Guardian, 3 July 2025 “‘Forever chemicals’ in school uniforms could be banned under proposed law” https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/03/forever-chemicals-in-school-uniforms-could-be-banned-under-proposed-law
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UK Secretary of State for Education & relevant UK Government authorities
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[Your Name]
We demand strict safety regulations for UK school uniforms. The failure of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 to address issues around synthetics and PFAS now means the following urgent actions must be taken on UK school uniforms:
1) Enforce strict bans on all toxic chemicals in school uniforms. Enforce mandatory safety labels for new school uniforms to show that the finished garments have been rigorously tested for harmful levels of these chemicals, and that they are safe for children to wear.
2) Insist school uniform retailers significantly reduce the use of synthetics like polyester in school uniform. Enforce strong rules for manufacturers that limit child exposure to microplastics.
3) Provide a framework for circular school uniform infrastructure. Properly resource schools to ensure all parents have organised access to affordable, secondhand school uniforms.