Academic Look Book

It's Academic Leading the way with Eco Uniforms

Vol.1 Academic Issue, Jan 2022

Our sustainable and ethical uniforms demonstrate our approach towards sourcing, manufacturing, and designing clothes that maximize the benefits to the environment, our school, and society. At the same time, it is minimizing its impact on the environment.

The uniforms are sustainable and fully traceable in origin, being designed by Kit Willow and KITX means they will, of course, be a luxurious, chic and functional design.

Features of the uniform include large pockets to allow for phones, thumb loops in the cuffs of the jumpers to keep hands warm and the options of trousers, skirts, shorts, shirts and dresses.

Millennials and Gen Z believe in their power to drive change. They are channelling their energies toward meaningful actions that align with their values. In turn, they expect their parents, schools, businesses and governments to do more to help bring about their vision of a better future.

Research shows that the five issues Australian's are incredibly concerned about are all environmental: Our oceans (36%) Climate change (35%) Plastic waste (33%) Toxic chemicals (33%) Loss of forests and habitat (32%) Our children ask us questions and demand better decisions that have their future at heart.

For example, how much water was needed to create your wardrobe? It's' estimated that three years worth of one person's drinking water is required to make a T-shirt. Now consider additional clothing that we purchase, school uniforms, sports uniforms, special outfits and even our linen for the home.

Ethical decision-making starts with our school uniforms for the Firbank Grammar School Community. It leads to a deeper understanding of the clothing supply chain and the cost of fast fashion.

Learning more about what goes into making a school uniform teaches everyone to be more responsible and to look after things better.

As a School, we are committed to sustainability, wellbeing and courage. Our students are leading to create a better world.

Firbank Grammar School’s sustainable uniforms are made from 100% positiveimpact materials, including organic cotton, upcycled polyester, fine Australian wool, and sustainably sourced Tagua Palm buttons (commonly used in the 1930s before plastic was adopted as the primary material for buttons).

Our Uniforms are endorsed by the Marine Mammal Foundation (MMF), and all dyes used are Okeo-Tex, and Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) certified. The dyes are also free from AZO (synthetic) dyes.

In addition to the positive impact of the wholly sustainable materials utilised to produce the uniforms, each piece will be wrapped in compostable packaging. Students can return all old uniforms to the Firbank Greenbank to repurpose textiles for future usage, alleviate landfill, and up-cycle the materials into future uniforms. All three campuses have also had a clothing recycling bin installed for other clothing items.

Introducing Sandy, Turner and Hindley

The Marine Mammal Foundation is a world-leading scientific research, conservation and education organisation. As part of our partnership with the foundation, we have officially adopted three local Burrunan Dolphins into the Firbank community. We will, through the MMF, continue to provide updates to the community on their progress.

Every time you purchase an Eco Uniform, recycle your old uniforms or learn more about this unique species right here on our doorstep, you are helping protect our local and unique wildlife.

We thank the MMF for their support of our uniform initiatives and education sessions with our students.

Students often do a lot of physical activities, and school uniforms should be appropriate. Learning and playing in comfort and ease of movement is key to learning. These uniforms also develop a student's sense of belonging; it provides an opportunity to build school spirit aligning with the next generation's values. Students will take pride in how their school cares about their futures.

All the fabrics were tested for: Tensile strength Seam strength Pilling resistance Colour fastness to rubbing colour fastness to water Dimensional stability to washing Tear strength Seam slippage Abrasion resistance Colour fastness to washing Colour fastness to perspiration pH value

Kit says she hopes more schools turn to this approach in the future.

“Producing less and to pre-order means only producing what people desire, what they have bought, which means less in the landfill.

“Ultimately, more thoughtful consumption benefits us all.”

The Power Of Choice — Why Our Choices Matter

One of the great things about having the power to choose is that if you don’t like the place you are in your life right now, you can change it. You’re in the driver’s seat, and you can actively and intentionally pursue different options for yourself. It’s part of learning decisionmaking skills.

As a community, we have made an active choice to reduce our impact on the environment. We will be working together with our community to make new decisions to further reduce our impact on the environment.

Our uniforms offer students the choice of styles, whether pants, shorts, skirts or shirts. This is important because what you wear to school matters. Research by the Asia-Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education has shown that girls are less physically active when wearing a school dress or skirt. By the time they get to secondary school, research conducted by the ABS shows that girls are doing far less physical activities.

Firbank Grammar School has health and wellbeing as one of its core pillars and believes everyone should have the right to pursue a healthy active lifestyle.

If we, as a society, are trying to achieve the United Nations Global Goal No. 5 – gender equality, then empowering women and girls is a must. All children (boys and girls) should be comfortable, warm (or cool) to ensure they can make the most of their learning. And that starts by allowing girls to have the same freedoms at school.

Comfortable and confident clothing means comfortable and confident learning.

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a shared vision. Change is almost impossible without community-wide collaboration and cooperation.

With your help, working together by recycling our old uniforms, sustainable purchasing and manufacturing, we can, as a community, make a difference.

Our local wildlife benefits, our children benefit, and we show how to lead the way as a community.

See Things Differently