MSP Rona Mackay has lodged a parliamentary motion welcoming Thomas Muir Primary School sourcing its uniforms from a Fairtrade supplier.
Uniforms are now supplied from Koolskools – an organisation that guarantees no child labour or forced labour, as well as safe factory conditions and decent pay for workers.
The company was set up in 2011 and also supplies Fairtrade uniforms to more than 40 schools across Scotland.
Parent Emma White has been at the head of the movement and was specially mentioned by Ms Mackay in the Holyrood motion.
The school received substantial coverage in the Sunday Herald on March 4.
Ms Mackay said:
“Parents at Thomas Muir Primary School are an example to every school parent in Scotland — more need to be sourcing uniforms from guaranteed ethical suppliers.
“Very well done to Thomas Muir Primary School on changing its uniform supplier to a Fairtrade company. It’s excellent news, especially during Fairtrade Fortnight.
“I absolutely agree with Emma White, there is something dreadful about children manufacturing school uniforms for other children. By supporting Fairtrade, we can help stop such child labour.
“Well done to Thomas Muir Primary School for supporting this move to Fairtrade uniforms, I was delighted to recognise this with my fellow MSPs and the Scottish Government with a parliamentary motion.”
ENDS
Motion:
Fairtrade school uniforms
That the Parliament commends Thomas Muir Primary School in Bishopbriggs for changing its school uniform supplier to Fairtrade; understands that parents led a ‘Fairtrade revolution’ to change the policy; notes the move received excellent media coverage where leading parent Emma White condemned that in some cases school uniforms were being manufactured by child labour and forced labour, as well unsafe factories where workers were poorly paid; further acknowledges the work of Koolskools, a Fairtrade school uniform company set up in 2011 providing for more than 40 schools in Scotland, which will be supplying Thomas Muir Primary; encourages other schools to adopt a Fairtrade policy for their school uniforms.