Following the recent launch of its brand partnership with Clarks, M&S is introducing its new 2021 Back to School campaign: ‘Uniform – for kids who are anything but’ (uniform). The campaign aims to communicate to customers the value and sustainability credentials of the 2021 range.

Sustainability has been at the heart of M&S Kids’ thinking for over a decade. In 2006, M&S became the first major UK retailer to sell kids’ clothes using organic Fairtrade cotton. During the pandemic, consumers have become even more conscious of the impact of clothing on the environment; over 50% of M&S customers surveyed say they have become more aware of sustainable clothing options during this time.

Responding to this, M&S’s Back to School offer for 2021 is “more sustainable than ever” and “kinder to the planet”. Supporting these claims is evidence compiled by M&S’s Plan A team, including individual certification claims for specific product call outs throughout the offer.

New for the uniform offer this year

M&S is switching to organic cotton across all knitwear, jersey and sweats. Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilisers and all garments meet M&S’s Organic Materials Sourcing Policy. This means items are certified to third-party standards.

The retailer is also introducing both sustainably sourced viscose and sustainably sourced trims (including sewing thread, buttons and interlining). Plus, more recycled polyester than in previous years. M&S sells 2 million polos a year, so this is the hero item of the range. The retailer’s most sustainable polo ever uses organic cotton fabric with interlining, threads and buttons containing recycled material.

An omnichannel offer

Alongside the spotlight on sustainability, this year M&S is focusing on making the range easier to shop, both online and in-store. Later this month it will launch new visual category filters on M&S.com. In-store, customers will also benefit from “checklists”.

Commenting is Alice Duggan, head of M&S Kids. “We’re really proud to serve little ones who we know care about the big things. As a major uniform retailer, we have a responsibility to keep working on making our offer more sustainable and kinder to the planet.

“This year we’ve got more recycled items than ever before and we’re really pleased to be moving to organic cotton. With so much for parents to think about, we want to give them the confidence that our offer is more sustainable than ever; all whilst making it even easier for them to shop both in-store and online.”

Back to School 2021 is part of M&S’s ongoing focus on kidswear as part of a strategic shift from “special occasion” to everyday style and value. This encompasses both uniform and casual daywear for after-school and weekends.