Club home kits in recent times have followed a standard trend, as they’re often simple re-skins of retro designs or are close to traditional with some fresh ideas. That’s not to say sportswear brands aren’t being creative enough, but home kits usually don’t feel as fresh as their away and 3rd counterparts do.
Reading along with their sponsor Macron have managed to stand apart from the rest, by producing a truly distinct design, one which carries an important message.
Club kits hold immense commercial attention, and always draw the eyes of millions towards them.
The Royals look to be leveraging their popularity to deliver an essential message, the manner of delivering it is also pretty brilliant.
As seen in this image, Reading’s home threads for 22/23 look pretty ordinary, with the customary white and blue stripes at the forefront.
Reading's new home shirt is, let's face it, pretty jarring to look at. There's a method behind the madness of the sleeves though.
The lines represent average temperatures for Berkshire across the club's history, in an effort to highlight the effects of climate change. pic.twitter.com/IdqP2GDBZe
However, the sleeves showcase a dash of vision, as they feature what may seem like erratic lines at first, alternating between different shades of blue and red. The message behind the haphazard look is actually quite special, as each line indicates the average temperature per year, throughout the club’s 151-year-long history.
Created by Professor Ed Hawkins of the University of Reading, the blue shades depict cooler than average years, while the red ones show a spike in temperature. The sleeves shine a light on the grave issue of climate change, a message which could not get more relevant as the UK is currently gripped by a heatwave.
Fittingly enough, the kits will use Macron’s eco-fabric, which is made after recycling 100 plastic bottles. And the kit itself will be recyclable as well.
While the look may be a bit jarring, the social campaign makes it stand out. And while it may not be the most fashionable jersey you could put on, it’s certainly a very special one.
