New ethical uniform options for primary school pupils

Ethically-sourced uniforms which don’t cost the earth are being introduced at a primary school in Newcastle.

Pupils at St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School can now wear a uniform produced by Etika, a company based in County Durham which works with manufacturers in India to ensure an ethical supply chain for the textiles it uses.

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“We are passionate about our Christian values and when the pupils and staff heard Etika’s ethical promise, we couldn’t ignore it and knew we had to be part of this journey,” said Michael Ewing, head teacher.

St Catherine’s, a member of the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust, is working with the supplier which is also looking to remove single-use plastic from the packaging it uses. The uniforms are packed in fabric bags and recycled cardboard.

“We have been committed to Fairtrade principles for a while and always try to develop the children’s understanding of making fair choices,” said Mr Ewing.

He added that pupils were also keen to help the environment and the wider school community was ‘passionate about ways to reduce waste’. The school also links with Fairtrade Fortnight each year and pupils are encouraged to make a connection between principles and the choices they make.

Sean Murphy, the chief executive of Etika, which is based in Chester-le-Street, works with colleagues in India to produce the uniforms on strict ethical lines and works with several charities in India which empower vulnerable women.

The company doesn’t use harsh chemicals in the manufacturing process and the water used is filtered through sand and coal to sustain fruit trees which are planted for the staff who benefit from the crops.