When Nike launch a product they do it in style, so when a large package arrived at SoccerBible HQ emblazoned with a Swoosh on the side, we knew we were in for something special. Lifting the lid the lights flickered on to reveal the presentation case for the new Nike USMNT shirt...
At first glance this presentation box appears as just a simple white cube, but when you lift the lid ever so slightly that's when the lights come on, illuminating the new Nike USMNT soccer jersey with a sample of some of the plastic bottles the shirt has been engineered from!
The lightbox illuminates a base of plastic bottles, to emphasize the new USMNT shirt as one of Nike's most environmentally-friendly kits. In line with a commitment to combine athletic performance with lower environmental impact, the shirt fabric is made with a minimum 96% recycled polyester.
Each US Men's National Team shirt is made using an average of 13 recycled plastic bottles, so how does it work? Well quite simply, plastic bottles are diverted from a landfill to be processed and chopped into tiny flakes. The flakes are melted down into thread, the thread is used to create fabric, and the fabric is used to create the new Nike USMNT football shirt.
The innovative fabric is 23 percent lighter with a 20 percent stronger knit structure than Nike’s previous kits. The shirts also feature laser-cut ventilation holes to promote localized cooling, to help regulate player temperatures during a match.
The new USA home shirt combines heritage and patriotism in a bold new design, which is reflected on both the Men's and Women’s kits. Nike have taken the bold step of utilizing the colours of the American flag with a blue crew neck collar and a body featuring the iconic red and white stripes.
We've received many Nike Presentation Cases over the last few seasons, and when it comes to show-casing a new product few do it better. This lightbox not only shows the new USMNT Jersey, but serves to illuminate the environmentally-friendly kits. Share your thoughts on this display box and Nike football shirts, by joining the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.