News Japanese schools to relax uniform rules, go unisex and eco-friendly

[thomas]

Over 400 junior and senior high schools have standardized and adapted their student uniforms in 2022 as educational institutions become increasingly mindful of sexual minorities. Five schools in Shizuoka will allow their students to wear the same basic uniform.

New junior high school students in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, will have uniform jackets for the winter and navy blue polo shirts for the summer, with each student, regardless of gender, allowed to choose between pants and skirts, and ribbon ties and regular ties to go with the jackets and shirts. The five schools' current uniforms include stand-up collar jackets for boys and sailor-style tops and skirts for girls. However, some issues have been pointed out, including that they are not made to deal with global warming, price differences in uniforms between schools, gendered clothes being inconsistent with today's ideals of diversity, and the difficulty reusing the uniforms due to their lack of versatility.

Japan city launches standardized school uniforms; students free to choose skirt, pants - The Mainichi

SUSONO, Shizuoka -- Students starting at the five junior high schools in this central Japan city in spring 2023 will all be wearing the same basic uni

mainichi.jp

"More junior high schools are introducing gender-free uniforms," said Yoshiyasu Kaneda, a managing executive officer at Japan Wool Textile, who oversees the company's uniform business. [...]
Kaneda noted a growing number of schools are adopting blazers with more gender-neutral designs out of consideration for sexual minorities, though uniforms with stand-up collars and sailor-like clothing are still typically prepared for boys and girls, respectively, at public junior high schools. In 2020, 65 public junior high schools in Fukuoka marked a turning point in having new gender-neutral uniforms for the sake of sexual minorities.

Record number of schools update their uniforms to be more inclusive | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Nikke, Tokyo's leading uniform fabric supplier, has started testing a uniform recycling project. Used garments are processed into materials for textiles for new uniforms at a factory.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I think the old style is still hot.

 

[thomas]

Hmm, hair colour, beard and bald head are non-compliant.

 

[Petaris]

Hmm, hair colour, beard and bald head are non-compliant.

I pity the person who has to check underwear color....