Two girls laughing in Flydays school uniforms, one carrying the other on her back

15,120 hours

in a school uniform

14 years × 180 school days × 6 hours a day

The Science of Comfort

What follows are bold claims about school uniforms. Every one of them is backed by peer-reviewed research from universities, medical institutions, and independent academic journals.

The sources include researchers from the University of Cambridge, the University of Massachusetts, NHS Occupational Therapy Services, and the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal. They are cited in full. Every study is linked. The conclusion they reach, independently and consistently, is the same: what a child wears to school affects how well they learn, how they behave, and how much they move.

School uniforms, as they are currently designed, were not built with any of this in mind. Flydays was.

There’s a lot here. If you’d rather have the short version for the parents’ WhatsApp group, we’ll send you the one-page summary.

What the research shows

Five findings every parent should know

  • A child focused at a classroom desk, writing in a workbook in soft window light
    “Uncomfortable fabrics reduce attention and reaction speed.”
    FCS Research JournalBell, Schutz & Cardello
  • A girl in a school uniform sits by a classroom pillar, uncomfortable while classmates work behind her
    “Children use significant mental energy trying to ignore how their clothes feel.”
    NHSChildren’s Occupational Therapy Service
  • Girls stand talking at the edge of the playground while boys chase a football behind them
    “Girls feel less confident doing cartwheels or cycling to school if they are wearing a [school] skirt or dress.”
    University of CambridgeDr Esther van Sluijs
  • A well-worn navy school jumper folded on a child’s bed, fabric softened by many washes
    “Children preferred second-hand uniforms - repeated washing softens fabric over time. The new uniform is often the hardest one to wear.”
    University of PretoriaJordaan et al., 2024
  • A teenage girl in a traditional uniform sits out at the edge of a sports hall while classmates play in PE kit
    “Over half of Irish secondary students say their uniform is a barrier to physical activity.”
    University of LimerickO’Keeffe et al. · European Physical Education Review

Cognitive performance

Two studies by the same research team form the core of what we know about clothing comfort and academic performance. Both are worth reading in full. A third establishes just how strongly physical comfort and results are linked.

A classroom of children working at their desks in natural light
8%of the variance in exam performance is explained by clothing comfort alone: a significant independent effect, distinct from study habits, confidence or sleep.
01 Clothing comfort and exam performance This study examined whether students’ perceptions of clothing comfort affected their exam performance and emotional state. Students wore their own clothing to real exams and reported their comfort levels.
Type
Peer-reviewed study
Journal
Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal
Setting
Real exams, students in their own clothing

This study examined whether students’ perceptions of clothing comfort affected their exam performance and emotional state. Students wore their own clothing to real exams and reported their comfort levels. The researchers then cross-referenced comfort ratings against actual results, controlling for study hours, confidence, and sleep.

Even after removing those variables, clothing comfort remained a distinct and measurable predictor of performance.

“Clothing that fits well, feels good, and allows free movement contributes to improved concentration and reduced anxiety.”

Bell, Schutz & Cardello · Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal

“Students who described their clothing as more comfortable also reported feeling less tense and more confident.”

Bell, Schutz & Cardello

“The data suggest that clothing comfort, whether physical or psychological, can influence mental performance under stress.”

Bell, Schutz & Cardello

“Perceived comfort explained approximately 8% of the variance in exam performance scores.”

Bell, Schutz & Cardello (a significant independent effect, distinct from study habits, confidence or sleep)

Read the full study [01]

02 Fabric comfort and visual vigilance The same research team ran a second study focused specifically on how fabric type affects cognitive performance. Participants wore garments made from different materials, some soft, some scratchy.
Type
Peer-reviewed study
Journal
Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal
Method
Visual attention tasks across fabric types

The same research team ran a second study focused specifically on how fabric type affects cognitive performance. Participants wore garments made from different materials, some soft, some scratchy, and completed visual attention tasks measuring reaction speed and accuracy.

The results were clear. Participants in scratchy fabrics performed worse. Softer fabrics produced faster reaction times and more sustained attention.

“Uncomfortable fabrics reduce attention and reaction speed.”

Bell, Schutz & Cardello · Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal

“Clothing comfort while wearing a school uniform has been found to have a direct influence on academic performance.”

Bell, Schutz & Cardello

“If the school uniform contributes to sensory overstimulation and prevents the child from being in a calm and alert state, it can directly affect the child’s education.”

Bell, Schutz & Cardello

Read the full study [02]

03 Classroom comfort and learning outcomes 409 students. Six classrooms. Three seasons. This study measured the relationship between how comfortable students felt physically and how they performed on academic assessments.
Type
Peer-reviewed study
Year
2016
Institution
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Sample
409 students, six classrooms, three seasons

409 students. Six classrooms. Three seasons. This study measured the relationship between how comfortable students felt physically and how they performed on academic assessments.

The finding was striking: thermal discomfort alone accounted for approximately 34% of the variance in test scores. That is a large effect, larger than many interventions schools invest in.

“Students who felt thermal discomfort performed worse on tests than those with no thermal discomfort. Approximately 34% of the variance in performance was accounted for by thermal discomfort - a large effect.”

Hoque & Weil, 2016 · University of Massachusetts Amherst

Note: this study focuses on thermal comfort from the environment, not clothing specifically. It is included here because it establishes the strength of the relationship between physical comfort and academic outcomes. The mechanism is the same: a child whose body is uncomfortable is a child whose mind is elsewhere.

Read the full study [03]

Sensory sensitivity

Some children who present as disruptive or inattentive are not experiencing a behavioural problem. They are experiencing a sensory one. The uniform is a contributing cause. It is also, unlike many causes of classroom disruption, something a school can directly control.

For an estimated 5-16% of children, a poorly designed uniform is not an inconvenience. It is a daily source of genuine distress.

Extreme close-up of fabric fibres and weave texture
6-9hours a day in the uniform. For a child with sensory sensitivity, that is continuous low-level physical stress: every school day, every term, every year.

Sensory processing differences, common in children with ADHD, autism, and related neurodivergencies, mean that fabric textures, seam placement, tight waistbands, and scratchy labels can create persistent sensory overload throughout the school day. That overload has a direct effect on behaviour.

“Clothes have a huge impact on your child or young person’s day-to-day life. Your child may be using a lot of mental energy trying to ignore how their clothes feel. This constant discomfort makes it harder to pay attention and follow instructions. It can lead to difficult behaviour and meltdowns as they try to cope with the stress of their clothes.”

NHS UK · Bedfordshire and Luton Children’s Occupational Therapy Service

“Clothing tags, seams, and certain fabric types can feel unbearably irritating, overwhelming children’s sensory systems.”

Child Mind Institute · Understanding Sensory Issues in Children
04 School uniforms and sensory overreactivity A 2024 study from the University of Pretoria is the most specific investigation to date of the sensory experience of wearing school uniforms.
Type
Peer-reviewed study
Year
2024
Institution
University of Pretoria
Journal
Clothing and Textiles Research Journal (SAGE)

A 2024 study from the University of Pretoria is the most specific investigation to date of the sensory experience of wearing school uniforms. It focused on children with sensory overreactivity, a recognised difficulty that affects a significant minority of children, and identified exactly which uniform properties cause the most distress.

The main triggers: rough fibre texture, tight fit, scratchy seams, stiff collars, embroidery, and elastic waistbands. Children in the study preferred second-hand uniforms because repeated washing softens the fabric. The new uniform is, reliably, the hardest one to wear.

Children wear school uniforms for 6-9 hours a day. For any child with sensory sensitivity, that is 6-9 hours of continuous, low-level physical stress: every school day, every term, every year.

“Rough fibre textures, tight fits, scratchy seams, stiff collars, and embroidery were among the most distressing properties identified.”

Jordaan, Diedericks, van Niekerk & Kruger, 2024 · Clothing and Textiles Research Journal

“Children preferred second-hand uniforms - repeated washing softens fabric over time. The new uniform is often the hardest one to wear.”

Jordaan, Diedericks, van Niekerk & Kruger, 2024

Read the full study · NHS guidance [04]

Girls, uniforms, and physical activity

The research on girls and uniform design is among the most consistent in this field. From primary school playgrounds in Ireland to a 135-country global study, the finding is the same: the clothes girls are required to wear to school directly reduce how much they move.

Children mid-movement during a PE lesson in a school yard
10×more boys than girls cycle to school in Ireland. CSO Commuting in Ireland: 3.7% of boys aged 13-18 vs 0.4% of girls.
05 School uniforms and physical activity: 135 countries Children in countries where school uniform policies are common are less likely to meet the WHO’s daily physical activity target of 60 minutes.
Type
Peer-reviewed study
Year
2024
Institution
University of Cambridge
Scope
135 countries

Children in countries where school uniform policies are common are less likely to meet the WHO’s daily physical activity target of 60 minutes. The gender gap in those countries is nearly twice as large as in countries without uniform requirements. The effect is strongest among primary-school girls.

“Restrictive uniforms could be preventing primary school pupils, especially girls, from being physically active.”

Dr Mairead Ryan · University of Cambridge

“Girls might feel less confident doing things like cartwheels and tumbles in the playground, or riding a bike on a windy day, if they are wearing a skirt or dress. Social norms and expectations tend to influence what they feel they can do in these clothes. Unfortunately, when it comes to promoting physical health, that’s a problem.”

Dr Esther van Sluijs · University of Cambridge

Read the full study [05]

06 School uniform as a public health issue This review argues that school uniform policy is a public health issue, not merely a dress code question.
Type
Peer-reviewed review
Year
2021
Journal
Public Health Reviews (Frontiers / PMC)

This review argues that school uniform policy is a public health issue, not merely a dress code question. Poorly designed uniforms actively harm children’s health outcomes, particularly girls’. The paper calls for uniform policy to be evaluated the same way other school health interventions are: on evidence of outcomes.

The findings are direct: girls are significantly more active on days when they wear sports uniforms compared to days in formal school uniform. The uniform itself is the barrier.

“Girls are significantly more active on days when they wear sports uniforms compared to formal school uniform days.”

Reidy, 2021 · Public Health Reviews

“Females’ health is routinely and arbitrarily disadvantaged by uniform design.”

Reidy, 2021 · Public Health Reviews

Read the full review [06]

07 Systematic review: 1,098,972 children This 2025 systematic review is the largest study of its kind. Across nearly 1.1 million children, the evidence is consistent: activity-enabling uniforms mean more physical activity, particularly for girls.
Type
Systematic review
Year
2025
Sample
1,098,972 children

This 2025 systematic review is the largest study of its kind. Across nearly 1.1 million children, the evidence is consistent: sports and activity-enabling uniforms are associated with significantly higher levels of physical activity, particularly for girls.

The proposed mechanism is straightforward: formal uniforms physically restrict movement. Children in restrictive clothing move less. This is not a cultural or behavioural effect. It is a design effect.

“A systematic review of 1,098,972 children found that sports and activity-enabling uniforms are consistently associated with higher levels of physical activity - particularly for girls.”

Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2025

Source link to follow. [07]

08 The AWARE randomised controlled trial: 42 schools The AWARE study is one of the few randomised controlled trials, the gold standard of research design, on the effect of uniform type on children’s physical activity.
Type
Randomised controlled trial
Year
2021
Sample
42 schools

The AWARE study is one of the few randomised controlled trials, the gold standard of research design, on the effect of uniform type on children’s physical activity. It was conducted across 42 schools.

The key finding: activity-enabling uniforms significantly reduced sedentary time. Children in movement-friendly uniforms spent less time sitting still across the school day.

“Activity-enabling uniforms significantly reduced sedentary time across the school day.”

Nathan et al., 2021 · AWARE RCT, 42 schools

Source link to follow. [08]

A girl cycles to school through an Irish housing estate, school bag on her back
50%more likely to later get top jobs: girls who play after-school sport. The Guardian, 2025: and yet uniform design limits how much girls move.

Designing for children, not institutions

What we know about how children’s clothing should be designed, and how far most school uniforms fall short of that standard.

A school uniform laid out in soft morning light
09 Functional children’s clothing: design challenges and opportunities This 2024 review from researchers in Portugal synthesises the current state of the field: what we know about how children’s clothing should be designed, and how far most school uniforms fall short.
Type
Peer-reviewed review
Year
2024
Journal
MDPI Applied Sciences

This 2024 review from researchers in Portugal synthesises the current state of the field: what we know about how children’s clothing should be designed, and how far most school uniforms fall short of that standard.

The core argument: clothing for children should not just avoid discomfort, it should actively support comfort, movement, cognitive development, and wellbeing. Fabric choice, fit, construction, and functional features are all part of the same design problem. Most school uniform manufacturers have not started asking the right questions.

“Functional textiles and clothing designed for children should provide a safe and supportive environment, encompassing comfort, safety, health, wellbeing, and cognitive development.”

Santiago, Cabral & Cunha, 2024 · MDPI Applied Sciences

“Ergonomics, prioritising physical comfort and wellbeing, is crucial in children’s clothing design.”

Santiago, Cabral & Cunha, 2024

“Clothing designed for children should not only meet their expectations but also actively promote exploration and curiosity.”

Santiago, Cabral & Cunha, 2024

“Current children’s clothing often lacks anthropometric evaluations, resulting in poor fit and diminished comfort.”

Santiago, Cabral & Cunha, 2024

Read the full paper [09]

The numbers

The evidence, at a glance

Peer-reviewed
8%

of the variance in exam performance is explained by clothing comfort alone.

Bell, Schutz & Cardello · FCS Research Journal

Peer-reviewed
34%

of test-score variance accounted for by thermal discomfort, across 409 students tracked over three seasons.

Hoque & Weil, 2016 · UMass Amherst

Reporting
10×

more boys than girls cycle to school in Ireland: 3.7% of boys aged 13-18 vs 0.4% of girls.

CSO Commuting in Ireland

Clinical guidance
5-16%

of children experience sensory processing differences that make standard uniforms a source of daily distress.

Sensory research estimate

What we did with this

We read the research. Then we built around it.

The Flydays skirt on a child mannequin, a hand lifting the pleats to show the built-in inner short
The skirt
The Flydays trouser in soft navy technical fabric, flat lay
The trouser
The Flydays shirt: soft white technical fabric with no stiff collar, underarm gusset shown
The shirt
The Flydays jumper: a folded navy V-neck in a visibly soft brushed knit, a hand resting on it
The jumper

Sources

References

  1. Bell, Schutz & Cardello. Clothing comfort and exam performance. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal. researchgate.net/publication/227956763↩
  2. Bell, Schutz & Cardello. Fabric comfort and visual vigilance. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal. researchgate.net/publication/9020876↩
  3. Hoque & Weil, 2016. Classroom comfort and learning outcomes. University of Massachusetts Amherst. researchgate.net/publication/303093884↩
  4. Jordaan, Diedericks, van Niekerk & Kruger, 2024. School uniforms and sensory overreactivity. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal (SAGE). journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0887302X241248987↩
  5. Ryan, van Sluijs et al., 2024. School uniforms and physical activity: 135 countries. University of Cambridge. mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk↩
  6. Reidy, 2021. School uniform as a public health issue. Public Health Reviews (Frontiers / PMC). ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8713481↩
  7. Systematic review: 1,098,972 children. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2025. Source link to follow.↩
  8. Nathan et al., 2021. The AWARE randomised controlled trial: 42 schools. Source link to follow.↩
  9. Santiago, Cabral & Cunha, 2024. Functional children’s clothing: design challenges and opportunities. MDPI Applied Sciences. mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/11/4472↩