July 23 – Forest Green Rovers have launched the world’s first ‘fully vegan’ football kit, continuing the club’s well-worn path as the sport’s loudest sustainability pioneer.
The 2025-26 strip – certified by The Vegan Society – is made entirely from recycled materials, dyed using plant-based ingredients, and is fully recyclable. Developed in collaboration with sustainable sportswear brand Reflo, the kit is designed to be remade into other products at the end of its life.
Both the home and away kits feature a… distinct leopard print design, and in a nod to reducing waste, the home shirt will be worn across two seasons. Forest Green says this not only reduces environmental impact but also “lowers the burden” on fans to buy new kits every year.
“This kit is the first in the world to be certified vegan and is the most visible demonstration yet of Forest Green Rovers’ pioneering approach to sustainability in football,” said Alex Markland of The Vegan Society, which has partnered with the club for the past eight years.
Forest Green’s chairman Dale Vince added: “We like to push the boundaries on sustainability issues, including what our shirts are made from because the materials we use to make things really matter.
“This season our new strip pushes the boundary again – we’ve created the world’s first fully certified vegan football kit, by making sure the dyes we use, which are an often overlooked ingredient, are plant-based.
“I’m really pleased to unveil our bold, bright new kit that’s inspired by nature and helping nature – that’s pretty fabulous.”
Reflo co-founder Rory MacFadyen added: “Partnering with Forest Green Rovers to create the world’s first fully vegan shirt, made from recycled materials with the ability to be recycled at end of life – it’s a milestone moment for us.”
The Gloucestershire club has previously experimented with bamboo and coffee-based kit fibres and shows no sign of letting up. Forest Green Rovers currently compete in England’s fifth tier National League.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]