UK
Companies from across the textile services industry gave trade charity The Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust (F&TCT) a major fundraising boost this July, bringing the F&TCT Back-To-School Campaign a total to £5,600. Now in its third year, the campaign has grown significantly, with laundry companies contributing over 75% of the total amount raised this year. The funds will enable the trust to provide the equivalent of 200 new pairs of children’s school shoes or 100 secondary school blazers to families in need.
The F&TCT supports families working in the fashion and textile industry who are facing financial hardship, providing grants to help with essential children’s items including school uniforms and footwear.
The campaign was launched for its third year following the charity’s Back-to-School 2025 Survey, which highlighted the severe financial strain fashion and textile services families are facing as the new school term approaches. Respondents revealed that 76% of parents find back-to-school expenses extremely stressful, while 87% are forced to use credit plans just to buy uniforms, pushing them deeper into debt for something every child needs.
Leading the fundraising efforts was Jackson’s Workwear with an early bake sale that raised just over £195. CLEAN Linen and Workwear involved five of their sites to collectively raise over £1,000 through bake sales, tombolas, lottery draws and a one-off customer donation from Special Occasion Linens.
Salisbury Linen Services concluded the campaign by raising over £700 through a month-long prize-draw, with their total boosted to £1,000 through a corporate donation from SLS.
Samantha McKay, Salisbury Linen Services, commented: “A huge thank you again to everyone who donated, entered, and helped make this such a great success. We are very proud of the team for raising such a great amount of money.”
McKay also thanked partners that donated prizes for the raffle, namely: HOCL, James Walker Textiles, Legacy Rose & Crown Hotel, A R Materials Handling Ltd, Interweave Textiles, Christeyns, AWB Textiles, Sam McKay, Hayley Dexis, Bundle Laundry, JPK Trade Supplies, Society of Hospital Linen Services and Laundry Managers, Wylde Connections, Vision Linens, Salisbury Linen Services, Stevenage Packaging, Spire Printing Ltd, The Cavendish Hotel, Fieldskill Ltd and Workwear Innovations.
Additional campaign support came from Kannegiesser and Ralph Lauren, with the FTCT team delighted by how companies and employees have rallied behind the campaign.
F&TCT CEO Anna Pangbourne said: “We’re overwhelmed by the support from our industry partners. The laundry sector has been exceptional in driving growth in our back-to-school campaign over the past three years. These funds will directly help families struggling with school costs, with grants sent out every fortnight to parents facing financial hardship. We’re incredibly grateful for this life-changing support.”
F&TCT now partners with more than nine textile car companies. If you are interested in exploring a partnership with the F&TCT, you can find out more at ftct.org.uk
