Arsenal 10/11 Away Soccer Jersey

Nike Considered Technology combines with high performance
and club heritage elements for new Gunners jersey.

We're glad to have the

Official Nike Arsenal FC 10/11 Away Soccer Jersey

The new Arsenal away jersey for 2010-11 season combines elements of Arsenal’s history with new age technology as every shirt is made entirely from recycled polyester, each created from up to eight plastic water bottles as part of Nike’s ‘Considered Design’ program.

Inspired by the 1970’s, the new away jersey is yellow, echoing the days of Charlie George and Frank McLintock, but also features redcurrant pinstripes and cuffs as a nod to the Woolwich Arsenal days - creating a new away jersey that takes from different generations of Arsenal Football Club’s heritage.

Nike’s ‘Considered Design’ program aims to create performance products that minimize environmental impact by reducing waste during the design and development process, uses environmentally preferred materials, and eliminates toxic materials.

To make the kits, Nike uses discarded water bottles destined for landfill sites in Japan and Taiwan, where they can take up to 500 years to decompose. This saves precious raw materials and reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to conventional fabrics.

The bottles are placed in a large washing machine to clean them and get rid of labels before they are chopped into tiny flakes and melted down into a yarn that is ultimately spun to make the fabric for the jerseys and shorts.

Use of recycled polyester across its new range of club kits means Nike has saved nearly 13 million plastic water bottles - a total of around 254,000 kg of polyester waste - enough to cover more than 29 football pitches, and to stretch over 3,000 kilometers if laid out end-to-end.

The process is used for all shirts, whether worn by the players or available to fans. Other clubs using Nike kits using recycled materials include FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Celtic. On the international stage, the technology is used for Brazil, Portugal, The Netherlands, USA and Australia.

“As we look at how we design and develop products and run our global business, it’s not enough to be solving the challenges of today,” said Nike spokesman Charlie Brooks. “We are designing for the sustainable economy of tomorrow, and for us that means using fewer resources, more sustainable materials and renewable energy to produce new products. We’re proud to be a sponsor of Arsenal and to help them achieve their environmental goals.”

Considering the environment doesn’t mean sacrificing the renowned high performance of Nike’s kits, and the new Arsenal away kit has been engineered to give players a greater competitive advantage than ever before, keeping players drier and more comfortable, allowing them to maintain their optimum body temperature and perform at their peak on the pitch.

The improved Nike Dri-Fit® fabric, now 13% lighter than previous kits, helps to quickly evaporate moisture by drawing through the fabric to the surface and keep players dry.

Innovative ventilation zones are placed along each side of the jersey to enhance breathability, by up to 7% compared to previous kits, and allow air to pass across the whole torso. These zones have up to 200 tiny laser cut holes, backed by Nike’s innovative halo application which prevents ripping without reducing air flow. An additional ventilation zone is placed below the waistband on the shorts at the base of the spine.

The jersey’s new double knit structure gives it a sleeker appearance, while offering 10% more stretch, and also boasts a new dynamic fit, cut to follow the natural contours of the body while allowing for maximum airflow and movement.

Inside the shirt on the back of the club crest is the quote: “Victoria, Concordia, Crescit.”

The “Victoria, Concordia, Crescit” has been Arsenal's club motto since it was coined in the final matchday programme of the 1947/48 League Championship winning season, when 'Marksman' (aka Harry Homer), the programme editor of the day, wrote:
"...my mind seeks an apt quotation with which to close this season which has been such a glorious one for Tom Whittaker, Joe Mercer and all connected with The Gunners. Shall we turn for once to Latin? 'Victoria Concordia Crescit'. Translation: 'Victory grows out of harmony.'"