Ever wondered what happens to all the kit that players wear? Well, you’re not alone in that respect, but Inter Miami and upcycling brand (re)boot have come together once again to bring new life to some of the club’s team-worn gear.
For those unfamiliar, (re)boot aims to tackle the waste crisis in the football industry by up-cycling and recycling worn equipment. Following the success and positive impact of its inaugural collection in March 2023, which featured reconstructed training tops and game-worn kits by the Inter Miami first team, this collection—named (re)boot x ROW Z—is the brand’s first retail collection. The 50-piece jersey collection is made up of one-of-one (re)boot sourced jerseys from Inter Miami’s equipment room over the last two seasons, including a mix of player-worn match jerseys, training tops, goalkeeper jerseys, and residual stock.
"Our partnership with (re)boot holds a special place within our Club, as it seamlessly aligns with our core mission of harnessing the power of fútbol to do good,” said Mike Ridley, Inter Miami CF SVP of Brand and Marketing, who led Inter Miami CF’s One Planet initiative. “It also bolsters our ongoing commitment to promoting recycled materials and sustainability. We take great pride in continuing to unite with (re)boot for this transformative initiative that leaves a lasting, positive impact on our planet.”
“We are thrilled to be bringing to life our first retail collection for Inter Miami’s fans, in collaboration with ROW_Z and MLS," said (re)boot founder, Gabriella Mas. "In the last six months, Inter Miami has quickly established itself as a reference point for fútbol globally, and we are incredibly proud to stand alongside the club in our joint mission to use fútbol as a driving force to address the mounting waste crisis worldwide.”
For the first retail collection, (re)boot teamed up with another game changing brand in sustainability, ROW Z. The London-based brand was founded by Daegen Eppey and Tom Ellis in 2021 with a mission to bring football threads into the everyday wardrobe. ROW Z specialize in reworking old, damaged product into new, bespoke garments that speak to both football and fashion fans alike. The company is known for reinvigorating the obsolete, creating expressive sportswear through creative and innovative pattern-cutting, suitable for both the players on the pitch and the fans in the stands.
“Our process begins through deconstructing the initial damaged garment, intricately removing the badge panel and recognising a complimentary colour-way. The top is then built out from the badge, in an almost mathematical, puzzle formation. Our priority lies with ensuring as much of the initial shirt is utilized as possible,” said ROW_Z Founder, Tom Ellis. “Working with Inter Miami’s iconic jerseys on this project was a match made in heaven, combining their iconic pink with a mix of Away, Training and ‘One Planet’ tops from a variety of seasons. Creating a collection of one-of-one pieces, each with its own unique history,” Ellis added.
For their newest and most innovative collection to date, (re)boot is also partnering with Avery Dennison, a global materials science and digital identification solutions company, in order to elevate the technological features included in the jerseys and provide an even more powerful garment to fans. Avery Dennison will supply jock tag labels on each jersey, incorporating Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that tells a distinctive brand story and offers an interactive digital experience for fans via their mobile devices. As a key component of the relationship, Avery Dennison will provide (re)boot with their network of recyclers.
“Reducing professional sports textile waste is (re)boot’s excellent game plan. By producing jerseys that have been repurposed from club discarded apparel, and then digitizing them with Avery Dennison’s Digital ID technology, powered by atma.io connected product cloud. This will transform these individual garments into unique data points, and provide the jersey owners with access to storytelling that will educate, add interest, and promote recycling,” said Mike Colarossi, vice president, innovation, product line management and sustainability, Apparel Solutions, Avery Dennison.
“When users scan the digital label on the garment, they will be able to discover details about the sourcing of the pieces from Inter Miami’s equipment room, the jersey’s composition and material, and background information about (re)boot. Down the line, these unique digital triggers on garments will be used by industrial textile recyclers to further open the circularity loop and divert textiles from landfill,” Colarossi continued.
The collection comes on the heels of (re)boot being announced as an official national licensee for Major League Soccer and Fanatics. This not only reaffirms their unwavering commitment to sustainability but also solidifies their long-term relationship that will extend beyond Inter Miami CF, encompassing other MLS teams and league-wide initiatives in the future.
A limited number of pieces from the (re)boot x ROW Z collection will be available for purchase at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, 20 November at (re)boot.futbol.
