Environmental awareness is top of the agenda at Downe House. By looking into different aspects of School life we can see how eco-friendly we really are.

Recently our Eco-committee decided to find out how eco-friendly our uniform is by speaking to our supplier, Stevensons. Whilst our Downe House uniform is not currently made from recycled materials, we’re working with Stevensons to be more eco-friendly in different ways.

1) Clothes made from plastic bottles

Stevensons are rapidly expanding the amount of garments they produce from recycled plastic. At the last count they have already saved 1.2 million single use plastic bottles from landfill. Instead these plastic bottles become garments such as blazers and trousers.

2) Recycled and recyclable bags

Another change we’ll see at Downe House is that Stevensons are replacing their ‘Bag for Life’ quality bags. They are switching to alternatives that are produced from 100% recycled plastic and are themselves 100% recyclable.

3) Donating unwanted sports gear

Earlier this year, Stevensons started supporting a charity called Boots2Africa. The charity collects unwanted football boots, astros and trainers to pass on to less fortunate young people in Africa. Stevensons already donate redundant sports stock directly to the charity, and initial deliveries have already reached Africa.

4) Promoting reuse of old uniform

We discovered that 300,000 tonnes of clothing are sent to landfill in the UK each year and 95% of UK school uniform could be recycled or reused. In response, we’re working with Stevensons to look into a system for parents to easily buy, sell or pass on good quality second-hand uniform.

5) Inspiring other businesses to be more eco-friendly

We were pleased to learn that Stevensons are the sponsor of the new Schoolwear Association Sustainability Award. They hope to inspire other schoolwear businesses to take tangible action to reduce their impact on the environment. Similarly at Downe House, we’d love to inspire other schools to be more eco-friendly!