WHERE OLD SCHOOL UNIFORMS END UP
Discover how your child’s outgrown uniform keeps going from hand-downs and donations to recycling and repurposing.♻️
School uniforms are a rite of passage - and once kids grow out of them, you might wonder, “Where does all that gear go?”
At Lowes, we’ve been asking the same thing… and doing plenty about it. Instead of heading straight to landfill, old school uniforms can live on through a range of smart, sustainable initiatives that help families, communities, and the planet.
1. Hand-Me-Downs | Keep It in the Family (or School Community)
The simplest way a uniform gets a second life? It gets passed on.
Whether it’s to a younger sibling, a neighbour’s child, or through your school’s uniform pool or P&C shop, hand-me-downs are a powerful first step to reduce waste and cut costs for families. It’s recycling the old-fashioned way - by sharing what’s still good.
2. Donations & Recycling Partnerships
For uniforms that have seen better days or can’t be reused as-is, Lowes works with textile recycling partners who take things a step further.
BlockTexx Fibre Recycling
Lowes partners with BlockTexx, which uses advanced technology to separate cotton and polyester fibres from old garments, regardless of colour or condition, and turn them into valuable raw materials.
These recovered materials become polyester fibre, plastic pellets, and other inputs that get a second life in new products across industries.
This isn’t just a nice idea it’s tangible impact. To date, Lowes has processed multiple tonnes of old schoolwear through this system, diverting significant textile waste and supporting a circular economy.
3. Upcycling with Worn Up
Not all uniforms can be reused or easily recycled, so Lowes partners with Worn Up, an organisation dedicated to upcycling textiles that would otherwise go to landfill.
Upcycling means transforming old fabric into brand-new products, including furniture and other items - using creative design and manufacturing processes.
Worn Up and Lowes share an ambitious goal: zero textiles in landfill by 2030, achieved by rescuing unwanted garments and turning them into fresh, useful products.
4. Continuous Design Improvements
Circularity isn’t just about what happens after a uniform is worn, it’s also about how it’s designed in the first place.
Lowes works with suppliers and product teams to explore materials that are easier to recycle and repurpose, from recyclable trims to future ranges with recycled content.
These design decisions help ensure uniforms are comfortable, durable, and built with their entire lifecycle in mind.
5. Everyday Sustainability in Action
Beyond uniforms, Lowes continues to adopt environmentally responsible practices from reducing single-use plastics in stores to recycling hangers and packaging.
All of this is part of a broader commitment to minimise environmental impact and build a more sustainable future for school communities.
