Newcastle United kit given new life in unique sustainability collaboration

Fashion items made from recycled Newcastle United shirts have gone on display in Eldon Square shopping centre, with the public invited to bid for a chance to take home a unique piece of Magpies memorabilia.

The garments – which include a bomber jacket, dress and joggers – have been created by fashion and design researchers at Northumbria University as part of an innovative collaboration with Newcastle United to tackle textile waste.

The collaboration came about after Newcastle United’s Sustainability Manager approached academics at Northumbria with a challenge – to find a way of repurposing kit that could no longer be sold or used.

This included items returned to the club shop and kits bearing the names of players who had since moved on or changed numbers.

Searching for a meaningful way to recycle performance sportswear, the club scoped creative solutions that would give the materials a second life while engaging fans in the sustainability story.

Researchers from Northumbria's School of Design and Creative Industries took on the challenge, developing a range of proof-of-concept products demonstrating how the kit could be repurposed and reused.

The project was led by Dr Alana James, Associate Professor at Northumbria and Principal Investigator for the IMPACT+ network, alongside Assistant Professor Sophie Wetherell and Senior Researcher Suzanne Nicolson.

Two of the items – a striking bomber jacket and dress – were launched at the Newcastle United Foundation Celebration Dinner at St. James' Park, where guests including current and former players had the opportunity to try on and learn about the products. The jacket was sold for £200, raising funds for the Foundation in the process.

Suzanne Nicolson said: "When Helen first approached us, we knew this was a perfect fit for the research we're doing through the IMPACT+ network, which brings together academics and industry partners to find ways of reducing environmental impact across the fashion and textile supply chain.

"Sophie’s research focuses specifically on how sportswear can be remanufactured, so this collaboration with Newcastle United provided an ideal real-world case study. We wanted to create products that not only demonstrated proof of concept but could also catch people's eye and tell a compelling sustainability story."

Helen Hughes, Sustainability Manager at Newcastle United, commented: “We are committed to exploring innovative ways to reduce our environmental footprint, and collaboration with Northumbria University is a fantastic example of creative sustainability in action.

“Rather than viewing surplus kit as waste, we saw an opportunity to transform it into something special for our fans by giving the fabric a second life. We are proud that the items will be showcased in the city centre and excited to offer supporters the chance to own truly one‑of‑a‑kind pieces of club memorabilia - all while contributing to a more sustainable future.”

Olivia Telfer, Marketing Manager at Eldon Square said: “We’re proud to be hosting this forward-thinking collaboration at Eldon Square, it’s a great example of creativity and sustainability combined, giving kits a new lease of life whilst supporting such an important cause. We encourage the wider Newcastle community to come and see these one-off pieces up close on St Andrews Way at Eldon Square in support of the Newcastle United Foundation.”

The collaboration also involves Adidas, which manufactures Newcastle United's official kit. The sportswear giant is already working with Northumbria through the Behind the Break project, a comprehensive study examining microfibre shedding from textiles, which is being carried out at the University's Fibre-fragmentation and Environment Research Hub (FibER Hub).

The items will be on display until Monday 2 February. To place a bid for one of the items, and to find out more about the work of the Newcastle United Foundation, please visit https://uk.emma-live.com/NUF-EldonSqaure/list-silent-lots