Back-to-School Supplies: More Vinyl Options Than You Think

It’s back-to-school season, and Americans are expected to spend quite a bit on back-to-school items. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, parents can plan to spend nearly $700 on back-to-school items for children in elementary through high school, a 1 percent increase from spending in 2018 and tops the previous record of $688.62 set in 2012.

Why are parents spending so much? Especially when school supplies list don’t vary too much from year to year, particularly once you reach middle and high school—there isn’t always a reason to repurchase all new supplies if many of the materials are still in good condition, which is one money-saving tip for back-to-school supply shopping.

If you’re on your way to Target or Walmart and already thinking about how you’re going to have another hefty bill in a year for similar supplies, we’d suggest you consider options made with vinyl, when available. Why?

Vinyl is durable.

Vinyl products are made to last and have proven to be durable over time. It all results from the stability of the vinyl molecule, which allows products to resist decomposition and withstand environmental exposure. A vinyl roof can last upwards of 30 years—just think about how much vinyl products can withstand in the hands of eager children.

Vinyl is safe and nontoxic.

Each year, we see misinformation about PVC/vinyl school supplies being spread on the internet about PVC being toxic to our health and our environment (it’s not!). PVC is backed by several decades worth of research and scientific data that support PVC/vinyl as a safe material that does not pose a threat to human health or wellbeing.

You might not realize just how common PVC/vinyl is used in many of your everyday products, and this includes back-to-school applications. We can affirm you’re using vinyl day in and day out without any negative repercussions, so you can trust it with your children as well.

We’ve listed some common vinyl back-to-school items you might find, but if you’re looking for something more specific, feel free to tweet us @vinylindesign, and we will gladly respond.

• Binders
• Paperclips
• Pencil pouches
• Dividers
• Lunchboxes
• Messenger bags
• Protractor
• Laptop cases and bags

Additionally, while we doubt you’ll be purchasing these items for your children, these are some other common items you might associate with school that also use vinyl.

• Hazard cones
• Reflective tape on street signs & crossing guards
• Raincoats, boots & umbrellas
• Bus seat upholstery
• Soccer goals

We hope you’ll consider vinyl as an excellent choice to withstand the tests (pun intended!) of the school year and can hopefully save you some money during next year’s back-to-school shopping spree.