To players and fans alike, the football shirt is an important symbol. Not only does it represent a sense of team and community, it also symbolises pride and culture. With such an important role to play, it’s essential that the design isn’t only able to be worn by players, but also liked by fans! But who designs football kits, and how are they designed?
In this article, we will run through behind the scenes of how to design a football kit, learning about the brains behind the process and understanding the importance of football shirt designs for fan reception.
Who designs football kits?
Football kits are a collaborative effort – often involving multiple contributors that each bring their expertise. Leading sportswear brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma are often behind the design and creation of football kits. With involvement from club officials to make sure the designs reflect the team’s history, culture and values, these brands have specialist in-house design teams that combine aesthetics and brand identity with performance and functionality.
In some circumstances, clubs even offer fans the opportunity to be involved in the kit design process! Fans can be involved through surveys, focus groups, or online polls, allowing supporters to influence elements like colours and patterns. Some clubs, most notably Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, run competitions that invite supporters to submit their own designs, with the winning concept brought to life by the manufacturer!
Some smaller professional clubs work with freelance designers or specialist agencies to create bespoke designs that are tailored to the club’s identity. When kits are designed by an agency or freelancer rather than a sportswear brand, they have the flexibility to be manufactured by anyone, so teams can choose the manufacturer they like best to keep quality up and costs down. On top of this, these designers are often able to create more unique designs, incorporating distinctive elements like colours and patterns to design more stand-out kits.
Grassroots teams don’t usually have the luxury of a designer to create their bespoke kit, often needing to rely on the predesign stock ranges of the leading kit manufacturers. However, with advancements in technology such as “kit builder” features, it’s now easier and cheaper than ever before for grassroots teams to design their own kit from scratch and have it made by a teamwear supplier. More and more teamwear suppliers now offer bespoke designed kits with delivery in 6-8 weeks, giving teams of any size creative control over the kit they wear. Innovation-leading suppliers, such as Kitlocker, even offer the ability to customise stock designs by Nike and Umbro, using their Power Up printing technology, giving the best of both worlds!
Football kit materials
We’ve spoken previously about the importance of using the right material in sports kit production, but it’s worth noting how these choices directly impact performance. Lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics have revolutionised player comfort, making sure that sweat is efficiently managed both on the pitch and during training.
On top of this, the shift toward eco-friendly materials, such as recycled polyester or textile waste, reflects a growing commitment to sustainability. Striking the right balance between durability, sustainability and comfort is important, as kits must endure the demands of the game, while also be comfortable for both players and fans.
How to design a football kit
So, you know who designs football kits and the materials that are used to manufacture them, but how do you design a football shirt? Let’s explore the process of designing a kit, from brainstorming ideas to distributing kits worldwide.
Concept and ideation
The design process begins with a brainstorm between the different collaborators, focusing on club identity, history and fan feedback. Design teams, whether in-house or outsourced, collaborate with the clubs to make sure the kit’s aesthetic is aligned with the brand, and that the designs will incorporate any historical or cultural elements that are required by the club.
This means blending the club’s legacy with new ideas to keep the designs fresh. For example, Manchester City’s 2022-23 kit paid homage to their iconic 1969 FA Cup-winning team, while Venezia FC incorporated Venetian art and culture into their collaboration with NYC studio Fly Nowhere to create fashion-forward kits.
Sponsors also play a significant role in this collaboration. Their logos and branding need to be seamlessly incorporated into the design without overpowering the club’s identity. The challenge lies in balancing commercial interests with the visual appeal of the kit, making sure it resonates with both players and fans.
Designing the visuals
Once ideas have been brainstormed, the creative process can begin. This involves selecting colours, patterns and logo placement to create a design that reflects the character of the club, whilst standing out both on and off the pitch. Designers are challenged with balancing tradition – including iconic colours or classic elements – with innovation to keep the kit fresh. Kits have to appeal to players, fans and sponsors, so every detail of the shirt has to work together to create a design that is reminiscent of the club’s legacy, but isn’t a boring repeat of previous choices. On top of this, clubs don’t only have to design one new kit a season – with away and third kits also needing a revamp each year!
Digital tools have become essential in the design process. 3D rendering allows designers to see how the kit will look on players, while AI helps refine patterns and colour combinations quickly. These technologies make sure the design is polished and ready for prototyping, resulting in a smoother creative process and allowing for more daring ideas.
Prototyping and testing
After initial designs have been finalised, these need to be made into prototypes for review and adjustment. These prototypes allow designers and clubs to see the kit in action, and identify any necessary changes before mass production begins. Club officials and sponsors assess the design, suggesting any creative changes that need to be made (bigger logos or different placements, for example). Then the kit prototypes move into the testing stage.
This testing phase is essential as it makes sure the kit performs as well as it looks. Players wear the prototypes during training sessions to examine key factors such as mobility, durability, and breathability. Adjustments, such as modifying the cut or reinforcing high stress areas for added durability, are made based on player feedback, and then the kits are ready for mass production.
Production and distribution
After the final design has been approved, the manufacturing process can begin. It starts with sourcing the necessary materials that were chosen earlier on in the process, and sending them to production facilities. This is where the kits are stitched, printed, and finished with details like logos and sponsor branding.
One of the biggest challenges with kit production is meeting the demand for mass distribution while maintaining high quality. With the world’s most popular football clubs, millions of kits need to be produced in a short time, and it’s important that each kit is made to the same high standard which can be a significant challenge. Factoring in spikes in demand, such as those following a big win, adds to the complexity.
On top of this, the logistics of delivering kits worldwide before the new season kicks off needs to be carefully coordinated. Understanding shipping schedules, customs clearance, and timings is important to make sure that kits reach stores and fans around the globe on time.
The importance of fan reception
Once production is complete, the unveiling of a new kit is a highly anticipated event. Clubs often tease the new kit through social media campaigns or special events, generating anticipation and building excitement.
The reception of the kit by fans is crucial. While a positive reaction can boost sales and strengthen the bond between the club and its supporters, a negative response can lead to limited releases or redesigns. Football kits are always changing, and feedback from both players and fans plays a huge role in shaping future designs.
How Gift of Kit can help
If your kit is due a redesign, or you want to help fund your grassroots team’s kits, we are here to help! Here at Gift of Kit, our mission is to link grassroots sports clubs with businesses across the world that can provide sponsored kits for free, and offer investment to help with growing operational costs.
Thanks to global partners such as Starling Bank and Sky Sports, our sponsorship program has provided over £4 million worth of sponsored kits to grassroots clubs!
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your team get new kits, please register your interest or contact us today!