What’s really in your child’s uniform

Two things worth knowing. “Easy-iron” and “crease-resistant” finishes on cotton and viscose usually mean a formaldehyde-based resin — a known cause of skin irritation in sensitive skin. On 6 August, three days from now, a new EU limit on formaldehyde in textiles becomes enforceable. Separately, stain-resistant finishes have historically used PFAS, the “forever chemicals” — though UK retailers mostly moved away from this by 2022 after a charity called Fidra showed it didn’t even work. No legal ban exists yet, so it’s not gone entirely, but it’s a genuine case of a problem shrinking, not growing.

And the one thing with no debate attached: microplastic shedding is specific to synthetic fibres. Cotton and wool can’t shed plastic, because they aren’t plastic.

Here’s the part we think matters most. This is exactly what Faye’s built for. Today, the Chrome extension can already help while you’re browsing uniform online — free, no account needed. And once our app launches, it’ll make this even clearer: scan a label in the shop and see straight away what it’s made of and what, if anything, it’s actually certified for.

Which brings us to Wednesday. We’re putting a brand that sells natural-fibre school uniform properly to the test — full certifications checked, full honesty about what holds up and what doesn’t. If today raised the question, Wednesday brings an answer.

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