Uniform recycling scheme launch

Outwood Grange Academies Trust, which consists of over 30 schools including Ripon is hoping the campaign can help lower the cost of uniforms by making high-quality recycled ones.

Katy Bradford, Chief Operating Officer at Outwood, said: “At Outwood, we take our responsibilities seriously and we are passionate about the environment and promoting the importance of sustainability across the Outwood Family.

“We believe this campaign, and its focus on recycling, can help not only deliver cost effective benefits for parents but also help spread the important message of sustainability and aid in improving our environment by reducing the amount of clothes in landfill.”

As part of the campaign, each Outwood academy will house a recycle bin that will enable students and their families to donate items of school uniform that they no longer wear or need.

These items will then be collected by Trutex to be repaired, if necessary, washed and made ready for purchase as pre-loved uniform items.

The figures behind the reason for the campaign are eye-catching as by extending the life of clothing by just nine months can reduce carbon and water usage by up to 10 per cent, while helping reduce the amount of garments that are sent to landfill every year, a figure that currently stands at over 350,000 tonnes of clothing every year.

The campaign between Outwood and Trutex sees the partnership between the two building on the success of the last academic year, which saw over 600,000 plastic bottles saved from landfill thanks to Outwood uniforms being made using fabric that has been manufactured from recycled drinks bottles.

Each Trutex blazer saves around 36 plastic bottles from ending up in a landfill site and boys trousers, 19 bottles.

Matthew Easter, CEO at Trutex, said: “We’re excited to launch this uniform recycling initiative with Outwood to help offer cost effective uniform for parents and also utilise the quality of our garments that are often grown out of before worn out.

“Our ethos is “Made to Last” uniform and by making the uniform last further.”