Every year, as a new academic session begins, millions of families across India prepare children for school by purchasing bags, bottles, stationery, uniforms and other essentials. While these purchases are often seen as part of the excitement of a fresh start, they also come with hidden financial and environmental costs that are rarely discussed.

In this article, Amaraja Kulkarni, Head of the Environment & Sustainable Development Division at Vivek PARC Foundation; Archana Thevar, a Junior Research Associate specialising in sustainability, circular economy and waste management; and Sakshi Kalke, a Junior Research Associate focusing on public policy, governance and sustainability research, examine the growing culture of annual back-to-school consumption and ask an important question: how many of these purchases are truly necessary?

Drawing on data, practical examples and policy recommendations, they make the case for extending the life of everyday school supplies. This simple shift could help families save money while reducing waste and carbon emissions.

Across cities, towns and villages, parents flood stationery shops and online platforms, arms full of lists: a new bag, a water bottle, a box of pens & pencils, a set of notebooks in every colour, and a gleaming new lunchbox. Sometimes the new purchases are portrayed as nudges for children to prepare mentally for the new academic adventure, incentives that both parents and the planet will pay for. 

Much of this spending is driven not by necessity, but by habit and social expectations. In many households, last year’s bag remains fully functional, the water bottle continues to perform perfectly, and the stationery kit still has years of useful life ahead. 

Choosing to continue using these products is not a compromise; it is a practical, resource-smart decision. Yet the cultural pull of “new academic year, new everything” is also backed by strong school supply marketing campaigns, which has overshadowed a more sensible alternative: making responsible back-to-school choices based on need rather than routine replacement. 

The Indian back-to-school market was valued at USD 15.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 23.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.7%. 

Clothing and accessories, including school bags, represent the largest share of this expenditure. This represents far more than a seasonal shopping trend. It reflects a consumption pattern that carries significant financial and environmental consequences. If even a small percentage of Indian families extended the life of school supplies by just one additional year, the cumulative savings in household expenditure, material consumption and carbon emissions would be substantial.

What does manufacturing these products actually cost the planet?

Every new school bag, bottle, or stationery item purchased comes with a hidden price tag - one measured not in rupees, but in carbon dioxide emissions.

The manufacture of a standard school backpack, built from petroleum-derived synthetics like nylon and polyester, generates an average carbon footprint of around 17.5 kg of CO₂ equivalent.That is roughly the same as driving a petrol car for 70 to 80 kilometres. Not remarkable in isolation. Remarkable when multiplied across India’s 248 million school-going children. If even 10 million Indian families buy a new bag every year unnecessarily, that amounts to 175 million kg of CO₂ emissions, just from bags alone.

It is not only bags. The production of polyester fabric, the dominant material in Indian school uniforms,........

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