For sale: one uniform to dress them all

The range may come as a welcome relief for parents facing expensive shopping trips for uniforms. Photo / Thinkstock

A new, generic school uniform range is being touted as a way to help parents reduce the cost of kids going back to class.

Postie's new unbranded Schoolzone range goes on sale tomorrow throughout the country, with a range of T-shirts, polos, skirts, skorts and shorts on offer.

Postie chief executive Richard Binns said parents would be able to buy quality uniforms for less than $50.

The new range was in response to demand from parents, he said, and was durable enough that it " won't need to be replaced after the first week back at school".

It may come as a welcome relief for parents facing expensive shopping trips for uniforms over the next few weeks, or having to hunt for quality second-hand items.

But school chiefs warn that parents need to check how flexible their children's schools are.

Papamoa mum Melissa Maurice said the new range was a fantastic option. Two of her four children study at Mt Maunganui College.

Shannon, 15, needs a new school skirt this year which will cost $85. Quinn, 13, is starting at the school and will need a complete uniform.

Maurice hoped the school would not be too strict and would allow generic items from Postie.

"If I can save $20 on a pair of shorts, that can go towards his school shoes."

The only option to save money on uniforms previously had been to buy them second-hand, she said. "But second-hand uniforms in good condition are like gold. A new uniform gives kids self confidence when they're transitioning to a new school."

Phil Harding, president of the Principals' Federation, said the usefulness of the Postie range would depend on the attitude of schools.

Some demand uniforms that can only be bought through certain suppliers whereas others are more relaxed, asking for shorts in a particular colour or a plain white polo.

"It's pretty common to see a logo on it somewhere," Harding said. "I think most schools, if there's not individual branding on the uniform, they're moving that way and becoming more ornate."

Binns said generic uniform items had been popular in the past.

"Historically, Postie has sold more generic uniforms than school-specific so we are expecting a positive response from parents about the new range," he said.