About us
Our Story
Since 1976 GEM SCHOOLWEAR has been a pioneer in school uniforms, offering exceptional customer service, innovative styles, and products that are unmatched in comfort, durability and presentation. Our products are designed and stitched to ensure function, comfort and good taste. From hats to shoes, GEM SCHOOLWEAR uniforms are designed to adapt to growing bodies and tested to withstand the rigors of active children and young adults.
Our goal is to make shopping for school uniforms easy and efficient. GEM SCHOOLWEAR representatives work closely with schools nationwide to develop and service all your uniform needs. If you have questions about GEM SCHOOLWEAR, or interested in learning more about our products and service, pleasecontact us. We look forward to working with you and meeting all your school uniform needs. Sport & corporate is our successfull label branding appearing on all of our corporatewear items Gem sport is our successfull sports wear label branding appearing on all of our sports items
Our Growth
We employ over a 100 staff in our stores and approximately 250 machinists in the 8 factories that produce uniforms made in SOUTH AFRICA by South Africans. They are all in our full time employment – creating the much needed jobs that our Government is so desperately trying to address and we are proud to say that although we manufacture in SA against all odds we do compete with the chain stores on price and quality. GEM SCHOOLWEAR employs in the retail division an additional 250 school leavers, university and technikon students for approximately 8 weeks to work as sales assistants in the Back to School season creating again employment and the much needed experience to our future. GEM SCHOOLWEAR is one of the largest manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of schoolwear in SOUTH AFRICA.
We supply to Dealers, School shops, NGO’s, Corporates, Government Departments, Municipalities, Sports Departments and Social Welfare organisations. We do make a difference to the lives of the people of the eThekwini area by building Schools, adding classrooms, media and science rooms, donating computers, schoolwear, sports equipment, sports apparel and assisting in various sports and social programmes. We also assist in the start up of small business and to date we have managed to successfully mentor three Black businesses in KZN. Two in the North Coast and one in the South Coast. GEM SCHOOLWEAR has also provided bursaries to students in tertiary education, producing teachers, accountants and we are proud to announce our first Black doctor, who graduated from Medunsa in November 2012. We supply quality uniforms at an affordable price with the good old fashion personalised service that is scarce to find in today’s modern business.
Our History
-
1968
GEM SCHOOLWEAR STARTED AS A GENERAL DEALER TRADING AS GEM WHOLESALERS.
-
1976
WE SOLD OUR FIRST UNIFORM
-
1983
WE MANUFACTURED OUR FIRST UNIFORM
-
1986
WE SOLD OUR FIRST UNIFORM TO MODEL C SCHOOLS. i.e. CLIFTON
-
1991
IN DECEMBER GEM SCHOOLWEAR MOVED BACK TO ITS NEWLY REVAMPED HEAD OFFICE AT 369 PINE STREET
-
1992
DUE TO THE EVER INCREASING DEMAND, OUR MANUFACTURING DIVISION GREW, WHICH SUBSIQUENTLY LED TO THE ESTABLISHING OF OUR OWN MANUFACTURING COMPANY CALLED SCHOOLGEAR C.C. COMPRISING OF 15 STAFF
-
1996
NOVEMBER - THE OPENING OF OUR ONLY BRANCH, LITTLEGEM SCHOOLWEAR, A RETAIL STORE SITUATED IN THE OVERPORT AREA.
-
2000
ANOTHER MILESTONE WAS REACHED WITH THE OPENING OF ANOTHER FACTORY WHICH MANUFACTURES BLAZERS, SPORTS WEAR, SAFARI'S AND UNIFORMS.
-
2007
OUR MANUFACTURING DIVISIONS EMPLOY APPROXIMATELY 100 EMPLOYEES PRODUCING IN THE EXCESS OF 40,000 GARMENTS PER MONTH. BOTH OUR HEAD OFFICE AND BRANCH EMPLOY APPROXIMATELY 280 STAFF DURING PEAK SEASON AND 90 STAFF DURING THE OFF PEAK SEASON.