There's nothing particularly complicated about a primary-school book bag. It carries books from school to home and back again.
But it also gets absolutely hammered.
Cloakrooms, playgrounds, wet pavements, packed cars, water bottles, muddy hands and being dragged along the floor all take their toll. So when choosing book bags for your school, it's worth looking beyond the price on the invoice.
Cheap isn't always cheap
A few pounds saved on the original purchase doesn't look like much of a saving if the bag needs replacing halfway through the school year.
Look at the things that determine how well a bag will stand up to everyday use — fabric weight, stitching, seams, handles, closures and general construction.
A decent book bag should protect what's inside, too. Reading books and exercise books aren't much use when they've spent the afternoon getting wet or squashed.
Choose a bag that suits the child
One size doesn't necessarily have to fit every age group.
The Quadra QD456 Classic Book Bag is a straightforward everyday option and a good all-round choice for schools wanting a traditional, easy-to-brand book bag.
For younger children, the QD51 Junior Book Bag offers a smaller, manageable format, while the QD457 Junior Book Bag With Strap adds the convenience of a shoulder strap alongside the traditional book-bag style.
All three are established products within our current school-bag range, making them practical options for schools looking for something they can continue to reorder.
Don't forget the branding
A school book bag is also part of your school's identity.
A well-produced crest or logo that continues to look good after months of use reflects much better on the school than branding that starts to crack, peel or look tired.
And, just as importantly, choose something that is practical to clean and easy for children to use.
Buy once, buy reyt
We're Yorkshire folk. We understand watching the pennies.
But there's a difference between good value and just buying cheap.
If one decent book bag can see a child through years of primary school rather than needing replacing every few months, that's proper value.
At Apparel Monkey, we'll help you choose the right product for your pupils and your budget — because sometimes the cheapest option isn't actually the cheapest option at all.