A few weeks ago, I was a bit short on time and my daughter's school uniform was far too short on her. Instead of hitting the high street (or righteously purchasing a sewing pattern and a bolt of organic cotton), I ordered three school uniforms online. There, I've said it. Laziness prevailed, after my last uniform shopping fiasco when I trundled up to town on the bus and trawled up and down Oxford Street with a very heavy toddler in a pushchair only to find the shops had sold out of the needed size and colour. So this time, I thought I'd treat myself to the luxury of home delivery and try not to dwell on the delivery charge – or the carbon cost.

 

Easy-peasy, and a few days later, the uniforms arrived. Each one was individually wrapped in plastic, then all three packed into a heavy-duty polythene bag. Gulp! I thought the big corporations were trying to reduce excess packaging. They'd also thoughtfully sent me an unsolicited (and very heavy) Next Directory catalogue to inspire additional purchases.

 

I had a few hiccups when placing my order, so perhaps the third time through, I neglected to tick some box that says ‘Please do not send me five pounds of unnecessary paper'. I read recently that 2/3 of UK households now receive this catalogue, but with a Next store on every high street and a very comprehensive website, surely a personal copy of the catalogue is superfluous?

 

I kept meaning to complain, but as it was number 897 on my to-do list, I didn't get around to it. Imagine my surprise yesterday when I received a copy of the hefty summer catalogue. I emailed the company and got a friendly reply, saying no more catalogues – oh and they've kindly refunded the £3.75 charge for each directory.

 

This fiasco has helped me reach a decision. From here on out, it's hand-me-downs (everyone at the school passes on their outgrown uniforms) or more scrupulous suppliers. For a while I've been thinking I should buy organic cotton uniforms rather than the ubiquitous Teflon-coated cotton/poly blend. Yes, Teflon, the non-stick coating on your cookware. It's now used on children's clothing, and I have to admit, it sure is handy – food and fingerpaints don't stick and the clothes come out of the wash practically wrinkle-free. Unfortunately Teflon is made using Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), a potentially carcinogenic chemical. Though there's debate about whether the chemical survives the production process, why take the risk?

I've just found an interesting company:  cleanslateclothing.co.uk, which claims to be the UK's first Fair Trade and organic uniform supplier, with Fair Trade supply chains and SKAL and IMO certified organic cotton, free from chemical finishes or AZO dyes. Clean Slate can also arrange embroidery of a school's logo. As I missed the last meeting of our school's Environment Committee, maybe I can get out of the doghouse by tackling this as a new project.

 

In the meantime, I'm sure the organic cotton will be more comfy for my daughter, but allow me a moment to to collect myself as I contemplate the prospect of forming a more meaningful relationship with my iron.