Inter Miami raises awareness of sports apparel’s carbon cost with new brand (Re)Boot
Both organizations aim for the goal of reducing carbon emissions in sports through an informative campaign about upcycled jerseys.
The BBC reports that most sportswear is made from polyester, which has more than double the carbon footprint of cotton. Not to mention, professional sports garments often get discarded after being used as little as twice.
Such is the reason why international soccer club Inter Miami joined forces with startup sports apparel brand (Re)Boot on a mission to upcycle used sportswear. As part of the effort, the two entities on Monday released a brand film created by climate-focused agency AKQA Bloom to shed light on this often unacknowledged subset of the fast fashion industry.
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“This momentous partnership between Inter Miami CF, (e)Boot and AKQA Bloom is poised to redefine the future of sustainability in sports,” said AKQA Bloom founders and executive creative directors Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro in a statement. “By upcycling sportswear and inspiring change through innovative initiatives, we are paving the way for a legacy built on environmental responsibility and conscious consumerism.”
In the film, provocative animations and harrowing images of textile waste illustrate the gravity of the crisis. It then sheds light on (Re)Boot, which creates new sports uniforms out of discarded soccer kits with streetwear designer Justin Mensinger. Each are meant to offset the estimated 13,000 pairs of boots and 5,000 balls that Major League Soccer (MLS) goes through every season.
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The jerseys, as seen in the film, were debuted in March on the Academy team during Inter Miami CF’s match against the Chicago Fire at Fort Lauderdale’s DRV PNK Stadium. In 2024, (Re)Boot and Inter Miami plan to launch their first mascot, which will be made from repurposed club materials and designed by artist Freehand Prophet – a first for the soccer industry.
“I’m excited to introduce (Re)Boot to the world,” said Re(Boot) founder Gabriella Mas. “Combining the powerful forces of [soccer] and fashion, we exist to ensure that no piece of sports equipment goes to waste. (Re)Boot is a restart and together we can design a healthier planet and a circular future for all sports.”