NOLT creates infinitely recyclable football shirt and prepares club subscription model | OneFootball

NOLT has created a football shirt designed to be recycled indefinitely, and is preparing to supply it via a rental model for clubs.

According to L'Équipe, the Infini prototype was trialled in real conditions by FC Dombes Bresse’s players after training, with the aim of turning end-of-life kit into new garments.

A 2022 meeting with Raouf Medimagh of Recyc'Elit proved decisive. Textile waste is cut up, processed through two reactors and a filter, then recovered as rPET powder with about five per cent losses, before becoming pellets, yarn and finally fabric. Four years of research and development produced the first 50 Infini shirts.

Early feedback said the shirt feels like a regular one, with the year of recycling and a QR code to trace its life. Players called it light, breathable and comfortable, though the collar may need tightening and match robustness still has to be checked.

NOLT will now kit out two amateur clubs for six months of testing, and currently has fabric for 50 more shirts. If the phase is validated, production will follow, with garments not sold but retained by the brand to simplify collection.

From 2027-2028, subscriptions are planned for up to 50 clubs at 30 euros per month over two years, covering 14 outfield players and one goalkeeper with shirts, shorts and socks. After 24 months, kits are taken back and recycled, which is pitched as avoiding fresh oil extraction.

The model aims to smooth costs to 360 euros per season, compared with about 900 euros to buy today. Nice midfielder Morgan Sanson has become an ambassador and shareholder, saying a friend led him to the brand, which he then chose to back.

Source: L'Équipe

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