To launch (re)boot, we created a targeted collaborative modular system that allows the brand to partner with any team or league worldwide, driving response from our audience and bringing a unique approach to sustainability. This idea is highly relevant to Direct since it connects with the audience, targeting both sports clubs and consumers simultaneously while driving engagement from the fans buying the upcycle collection to the clubs through partnerships/collaborations.

The way we make and buy clothes is not sustainable. Each item of clothing is worn 7 to 10 times before being discarded. But the professional sports industry discards things even faster.

Every season, leagues, clubs and athletes all over the world discard used sports equipment, contributing to a growing waste problem. Major League Soccer alone goes through 12,800 pairs of boots and 5,400 balls a year. Traditional recycling and donation methods fall short due to the variety of materials involved.

We launched (re)boot through a partnership with Inter Miami CF. For context, Inter Miami is one of the most relevant soccer teams in Major League Soccer, which is a US men's professional soccer league. Its roster includes soccer icons like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. The Miami based team, co-owned by David Beckham, has been attracting record crowds, recently drawing the third-largest crowd for a regular-season game in MLS's three-decade history.

Additionally, Miami is a major hub of innovation being deemed one of 31 tech hubs across the United States. It is home to major talent from across the Americas, and considered the “hub” of the Americas. Additionally, Miami is a coastal community with a sensitive ecology.

All of these variables created the right cultural, regional, national AND international context to design, develop and launch (re)boot, the first upcycling initiative for used in-play gear, here in the city of Miami, with Inter Miami.

Over the years, the landscape of fashion consumption has evolved, influenced by the rise of fast fashion. Consumers now purchase 60% more clothes than they did 18 years ago, with each item typically worn 7 to 10 times before being discarded. However, the professional sports industry only wore their gear twice per game.

Our objective was to go beyond reducing, reusing, and recycling—and pioneer a transformative approach to managing sports gear waste. We needed to repurpose discarded equipment from various clubs, creating a new model that not only reduces waste but also resonates with the values of sports fans.

Our challenge was creating innovative, sustainable strategies to establish a circular lifecycle for sports gear. This solution needed to be economically viable and operationally feasible for sports teams, with the potential for adoption across different sports leagues, thereby setting a new standard in sports industry sustainability.

Beyond the business model, we created (re) boot’s branding, which includes a collaborative modular system that allows the brand to partner with any team or league. We started with Inter Miami by collaborating with upcycling Designer Justin Mensinger to turn used jerseys into kits for the training academy. We debuted the kits at an official match walkout. To expand the system, a second partnership was done with designer row_____z. The kits became official MLS merchandise, and they also featured a tag that allowed people to track our product’s sourcing and learn about the designers behind them.

(re)boot also partnered with artist Carlos Herrera and repurposed club discarded gears to create an art exhibit that was featured at the Art Basel. For the next season, we are currently working with artist Gary Lockwood to create Inter Miami’s first-ever mascot, which is made entirely of repurposed club materials.

We knew that the city of Miami was the right place to launch (re)boot for a few reasons.

1. Culturally: Inter Miami fans were primed due to past brand sustainability efforts. The city is full of hypebeasts, folks following culture - especially the culture of sport. We were right. Our upcycled jerseys sold out upon launch and the brand was approached by other cultural institutions across Miami, such as the Design District and Art Basel, to activate.

2. Environmentally: Miami is a coastal community, interested in protecting its waters from waste yet the sports industry discards in-play items quickly. Every leagues all over the world discard used sports equipment, contributing to the waste crisis. Major League Soccer alone goes through 12,800 pairs of boots and 5,400 balls a year. Traditional recycling methods fall short due to the variety of materials involved. Our brand, promoting circularity, is a solution.

We created the (re)boot brand, its collaborative, upcycling system (that allows for it to work with many different sports clubs), go to market campaigns and activations, and brand products.

(Re)boot leverages discarded club used materials. To bring the brand to market, we collaborated with designer Justin Mensinger and Inter Miami. Used professional jerseys were turned into kits for Inter Miami’s training academy. Following that, ROW_____Z transformed used gear into official MLS merch, featuring sourcing and designing tracking tags, and artist Carlos Herrera created an art exhibit at Art Basel, Miami using repurposed gear.

We are now working on another brand campaign with artist Gary Lockwwood to create Inter Miami’s first-ever mascot, made entirely of repurposed club materials. Not only is this a long-term asset for the team that will help them build a legacy of sustainability but it is the first sustainable sports mascot across any league globally.

(re)boot’s impact spans far and wide. As a multifaceted effort, it launched by introducing Inter youth training academy kits championed by the players themselves at an official MLS match walkout. The fashion items created by (re)boot in partnership with ROW_____Z became official MLS merchandise, and sold out. Lastly, collaboration with artist Carlos Herrera was featured in publications and across social channels after launching at the culturally influential Art Basel, Miami.

Over two seasons, 5,000 units of damaged or residual sportswear were recovered. Imagine the waste that will be mitigated in the years to come.

Our goal is to work with each MLS team to reach new and diverse audiences. Strategically this will allow the reduction of vast amounts of waste and additionally leverage the influence of these clubs to create a movement. With every (re)boot product launch, it is revolutionizing the sports industry and sustainability.

Inter Miami is proud to call Miami home. Its crest features two Great White Heron birds, a species that resides permanently in South Florida across the Miami-Fort Lauderdale region. The team's values are rooted in freedom, passion and togetherness. The team's story, background, and distinct visual elements inspired the products we created. By turning used gear into new products, (re)boot’s goal is to always keep the essence of the teams while still building them a legacy of sustainability.