The new kit for Reading FC, the historic English club competing in the Football League Championship, could not be more timely, given the delicate climate situation our planet is currently facing.

What makes this shirt unique and incredibly contemporary is the design featuring dense, multicoloured stripes on the sleeves, created in collaboration with the University of Reading, which aims to illustrate the changes the English city has been undergoing in recent years as a result of global warming. The stripes transition from white to light blue, then to blue, light red and finally a darker shade of red. A design that sends a clear, global message to everyone, transcending the boundaries of Reading to express the English club’s awareness of an issue such as global warming and its desire to involve players, staff and even supporters in this awareness-raising initiative.

The new ‘Home’ shirt, in its classic white and blue horizontal stripes design, features a knitted mandarin collar. The back of the neck is personalised with the club’s colours and crest, and on the outer back of the collar there is a white crown, one of Reading FC’s symbols. On the chest, on the right in white, is the Macron Hero logo, whilst on the left, over the heart, is the team crest. “We can’t do everything, but we can’t do nothing either. We’re not perfect, but this is the start of a journey,” says the English club, which aims to engage its fans in this journey of awareness through its shirt.

The home kit is completed by white shorts with a blue drawstring and side stripes that echo the design on the sleeves (a blue version with a white drawstring is also available), and blue socks with a white top edge featuring two thin horizontal red stripes. The shirt has a slim fit; the Eco Fabric used to make it is, specifically, Eco-Softlock, and the inclusion of Eco-micromesh inserts ensures that this technical garment is lightweight and perfectly breathable.