Premier League football club Arsenal’s new kit shows off its green credentials.
The club’s new shirts are made from recycled polyester derived from plastic water bottles. This apparel is produced as part of Nike’s ‘Considered Design’ programme, which aims to create products that use environmentally preferred materials, reduce waste, and eliminate toxins.
Several clubs such as Manchester United, Celtic, FC Barcelona and Inter Milan already use the material in their kits, as do international teams Brazil, USA, Australia, the Netherlands, and Portugal.
The material is made by placing the bottles in a large washing machine in order to clean them and get rid of the labels. Then they are chopped into tiny flakes and melted down to make a yarn, which is spun to produce the fabric for the jerseys and shorts. Using recycled bottles reduces energy consumption by up to 30 per cent compared to conventional fabrics. Shirts for both players and fans are produced using this method.
By using the recycled polyester, Nike has reused 254 tonnes of polyester waste or 13 million plastic water bottles, which is enough to cover 29 football fields.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.