School Uniform Brand French Toast Measures ROI in Social Impact, Not Units Sold

Why it matters:

• Total back-to-school apparel shopping is an estimated $11 billion market in the U.S., according to the National Retail Federation.
• With the number of U.S. schools requiring uniforms on the rise, demand doesn’t seem to be waning any time soon. Through 2028, the school uniform market in North America is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9%.
• School uniform brand French Toast has found that adding customer conveniences, such as a virtual try-on tool, and leaning into culturally relevant partnerships, like one with ABC’s hit comedy “Abbott Elementary,” can help generate buzz and connect with consumers across multiple generations.

In a world where trends and fashions are constantly changing, it can feel like a Herculean task for brands to stand out. In the school uniform business, however, consistency and sameness are among the highest values.

French Toast has built its reputation as a leader in the category by delivering quality apparel for toddlers through adults, year after year, said Alyson Shapero, Vice President of Brand, Digital, and Wholesale Marketing. “This consistency is why we’re the leader in serving the schools directly,” she told CO—. “Our value proposition has been the same since day one.”

Still, every brand must find its own way to change with the times. Since joining French Toast, Shapero has been focused on growing the brand’s digital presence, both via e-commerce and social media, whereas maintaining and driving increased relevance is less about keeping up with the latest trends in kids’ clothes. Instead, she and the team have been focused on increasing reach via meaningful partnerships, and introducing more products and services that make it easier for customers to shop the brand.

French Toast serves a growing market. The number of U.S. schools requiring uniforms is on the rise, according to data form the National Center for Education Statistics. Through 2028, the school uniform market in North America is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9%.

[Read: 4 Trend-Driven Ways Brands Are Tapping Personalization for Growth]

Leveraging savvy partnerships to build buzz and make a difference

When it comes to marketing activations and brand partnerships, French Toast’s philosophy is simple: deliver on the promise of helping kids everywhere thrive. “We're a brand that is committed to meaning more,” Shapero said, “and we’re always open to partnering with like-minded consumer brands or community partners.”

So far, this has translated to a few high-profile collaborations, all with the underlying goal of making sure both students and teachers have the supplies they need. To celebrate the second season of ABC’s Emmy-winning sitcom “Abbott Elementary,” which is set in a Philadelphia public school, French Toast teamed up with the show to launch and stock clothing resource closets with schoolwear at ten Teach For America alumni-led schools.

“Teaming up with them was a no-brainer,” Shapero said. “The kids on the show wear school uniforms, so it was an organic fit.”

A uniform takeback program, launched in partnership with Delaware-based organization Friendship House, makes it easy for parents to donate lightly worn uniforms once their children have outgrown them or graduated. Friendship House then funnels the items to students whose school attendance may be impacted by the ability to purchase a uniform.

Each French Toast campaign has its own unique set of goals and, according to Shapero, they’re rarely if ever related to how many units are sold. For example, the brand recently launched a scholarship program and set an individual benchmark of receiving 100 applications to start.

Following a campaign like the one with “Abbot Elementary” and Teach for America, she explained, French Toast measures success in increased traffic to the site. Despite the buzz created, however, she’s resistant to viewing her work from a return-on-investment standpoint because “it’s the right thing to do. If we don’t live our values, then we can’t talk about it.”

[Read: 6 Winning (and Adaptable) Customer Acquisition Strategies From Growing Brands]

Helping parents check something off their to-do list

For French Toast, customer acquisition is not about winning over new shoppers with trendy pieces and exciting retail experiences. Instead, it's about solving for a specific need and helping parents check something off their to-do list as efficiently as possible, whether they are shopping direct online or via retail partners like Kohl’s and J. C. Penney.

Even as millennials age into parenthood, Shapero told CO—, generational differences don’t seem to impact customer demand. “We’re catering to the parent that has a need, and I don’t think that has changed,” she said. “They like the quality, they like the price, and that keeps them coming back.”

On the e-commerce side, French Toast is investing in digital capabilities to stay competitive. Pre-set back-to-school clothing bundles will enable parents to tackle their whole uniform shopping list in a single click. According to Shapero, a fit tool will soon allow shoppers to see how a product will fit without having to visit and try on in a physical store.

To connect with kids themselves, French Toast’s focus is on comfort, which can impact students’ performance in class if they feel distracted by the fit or feel of their everyday clothes. To expand the line and double down on inclusivity, the brand launched a line of adaptive clothing for kids of all abilities.

The long-term goal, Shapero said, is to accompany kids on their journey from kindergarten through to high school and even help outfit them for their first job.

French Toast plans to promote its multitier strategy during the back-to-school apparel shopping season, which is an estimated $11 billion market in the U.S., according to the National Retail Federation.

It will use expanded advertising to both communicate its values and increase direct-to-consumer traffic.

“We're excited about the growth that's going to come from expanding our products and from the diversity in the line that we’re creating,” said Shapero. “We want to be that household name.”

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