Experts share ways to make kids' winter clothes last as new data from TOG24 shows rising cold-weather costs

LEEDS, England, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This winter, new analysis from outdoor clothing brand TOG24 has revealed the UK regions where families face the steepest costs and toughest conditions when keeping children warm and dry.

The TOG24 UK Kids' Winterwear Index 2025 combines spending data from the Office for National Statistics with Met Office climate records to show how much families across the UK spend to keep their children properly equipped through the colder months.

The hardest-hit regions highlight a clear North-South divide, with northern regions facing harsher conditions and higher costs. The regions hit hardest are:

• Northern Ireland: highest overall winterwear needs, cold, wet winters paired with overall lower disposable income
• Scotland: heavy rainfall, some of the lowest temperatures, high winterwear needs, and lower disposable income
• North West: long, wet winters, high winterwear needs, and also on the lower disposable income end

Meanwhile, London and the South East spend the least on winterwear, with milder winters, fewer rainy days, and higher household disposable income reducing the pressure. Across the UK, household spending ranges from 80p to £1 per week, but in colder, wetter regions, that figure rises sharply as coats and waterproofs face faster wear and tear.

In light of these findings, Simon Ward, part of the TOG24's founding family, and his team of design and product experts, have put their heads together to provide essential tips to help parents choose and maintain their children's winterwear:

"For parents, the challenge isn't just the cost of winter gear, but the constant replacement cycles as kids grow and the weather takes its toll. And some areas of the UK clearly face harshest climates which puts them under severe pressure every year.

Children need clothes that keep them warm and dry, but that they actually enjoy wearing too. Rising living costs make this balancing act even harder, and our research highlights the very real pressures parents face across the UK.

These insights will help us shape future collections, so kids stay warm, dry, and happy, no matter where in the UK they live."

The full data breakdown and expert tips are published in the piece 'Wealth, weather and winterwear. Understanding regional gaps in children's outer clothing'.