Design > Communication Design

IT'S TIME TO (RE)BOOT

AKQA BLOOM, Miami / (RE)BOOT / 2024

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Overview

Credits

Overview

Why is this work relevant for Design?

We created the brand positioning and entire visual identity system for the brand, with a goal in mind: keep gear in play for longer. We leverage design tools to breathe new life into worn sports equipment, turning gear that would have been discarded into statement pieces with visually captivating forms, textures, and iconography. It’s a process of deconstruction and construction, rooted in visual craftsmanship.That’s why the essence of the brand lies in design.

Is this product available for purchase?

The jerseys were available for purchase at www.reboot.futbol/shop but they are all currently sold out. The artwork created in partnership with Carlos Herrara was available for purchase at Art Basel, the biggest art show in the world.

Please provide any cultural context that would help the Jury understand any cultural, national or regional nuances applicable to this work.

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.

Background

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.

Describe the creative idea

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.

Describe the execution

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.

List the results

(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.

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