Forest Green Rovers and Reflo partner to tackle textile waste in sports
Forest Green Rovers and Reflo create a recyclable shirt
There’s a lot to say about Forest Green Rovers regarding its environmental sustainability performance. They’re powered by 100% renewable electricity, FIFA called them the world’s greenest football club, and in 2018, they became the world’s first vegan football club.
To reduce the emissions from the players’ kit, the club has over the years sourced t-shirts made from bamboo, recycled plastic, and used coffee grounds. Last week, Forest Green Rovers shared that they are taking their sustainable kit ambitions to another level.
They’re partnering with Reflo over the next four years, and the sustainable sportswear brand will make their kit from next season. In doing so, they’re setting a new standard for environmentally friendly football apparel as not only will it be made from recycled materials, but the shirt itself will be recyclable.
“Partnering with Forest Green Rovers, a club that truly embodies sustainability in sport, is a landmark moment for us. Together, we are making history with the world’s first fibre-to-fibre mechanically recyclable football shirt.”
Rory MacFadyen, Co-Founder of Reflo
Reflo was already the club’s Official Travel Wear Supplier and will now become Forest Green Rovers’ Official Team Wear Partner for the 2025/26 season. The club’s kits will be revealed this summer, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled for the release!
Partnering to tackle textile waste in the sports industry
Reflo is also working with three Formula E teams and has recently announced the start of a partnership with Luton Town Football Club. With Forest Green Rovers, they can grow the reach of their mission and inspire other organisations to tackle waste from sports equipment.
Forest Green Rovers’ shirts will be manufactured with Reflo’s Reloop technology and composed of a mono-fibre made from 100% recycled materials. This allows the product to be broken down into a single component. Then, they take sustainable sportswear to the next level.
Not only does Reflo’s technology prevent sportswear from ending up in landfills, but it also enables the creation of new products. At the end of their useful life, garments are shredded, melted, and cut into pellets that can be reused to create equipment such as clothing, bags, or shoes.
"Since day one, Reflo’s mission has been to change the sportswear industry, for good. With 92 million tonnes of fabric waste ending up in landfill each year, we knew we had to find a better way.”
Rory MacFadyen, Co-Founder of Reflo
Together, Forest Green Rovers and Reflo are demonstrating to the sports world how circular economy principles can be implemented in the design and manufacturing of sportswear. In doing so, they’re leading the way for other organisations to reduce textile waste every season.
