Warwickshire County Cricket Club has agreed a new three-year Official Kit Supplier partnership with PlayerLayer, which will see both of its limited overs playing kits made from a more sustainable material derived from bamboo.
In a first for professional cricket, the material used in the shirts and sweaters worn by Warwickshire in the Royal London Cup and by Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast will contain a 50 per cent bamboo charcoal mix with polyester, with the full designs and new sponsors set to be unveiled closer to the 2020 season.
The new material significantly reduces the use of plastic and was showcased by PlayerLayer in football last year through its partnership with Forest Green Rovers, which is recognised by FIFA and UEFA as the world’s greenest football club.
Ben Seifas, Commercial Partnerships Manager at Warwickshire CCC, said: “We have previously talked about our ambitions to be the most sustainable cricket club and venue in the country and working with PlayerLayer to create our new bamboo kits takes us a step closer to this goal.
“As part of the development, several members of our playing squad have tested the material to highlight its capabilities in a high-performance environment, with all subsequent feedback confirming that it is a very comfortable and durable material.
“PlayerLayer has been an excellent partner of the club for the last three years and we’re grateful to its team for joining forces with ourselves to be leaders in cricket by creating this new material.”
In addition to the playing shirts and sweaters, the replica shirts will be made from the same bamboo material, which will be available from the Store 94 club shop at Edgbaston in the coming weeks.
Roderick Bradley, Co-Founder and Marketing Director said “The Warwickshire CCC Bamboo project is extremely important to us. We believe that sport can drive change and this is a perfect example.
“Warwickshire CCC have a global reach and will show how Cricket can send a message far beyond sport. This project is just the start of things to come with our partnership.”
Warwickshire CCC had already taken several steps in the battle against single use plastics by ensuring that all food purchased from the kiosks at Edgbaston Stadium is served in compostable packaging, serving drinks in recyclable e-cups and installing 11 hydration stations around the stadium for water bottles to be refilled. In turn, zero waste from the venue goes to landfill sites.
Edgbaston Stadium is also powered by renewable sources through a partnership with Haven Power and there is an active push towards sustainable transport through partnerships with National Express WM and West Midlands Trains, whilst the venue is also a Birmingham Top Cycle Destination.
The design of the new Warwickshire and Birmingham Bears replica shirts from PlayerLayer will be revealed next month.
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
