With a total audience of over one billion viewers in close to 200 countries annually and with over 21 million social media followers across all platforms, Serie A is one of the most watched leagues in the world. The competition is home to some of the most popular teams and players in the game. PUMA is already active in Italian football through iconic teams such as AC Milan and US Sassuolo and over the years has partnered with beloved players that include Diego Armando Maradona, Giorgio Chiellini and Gigi Buffon. 

The exciting new partnership adds to PUMA’s existing LaLiga collaboration and significantly expands PUMAs on pitch visibility and strengthens its position as a leading football brand. 

The partnership paves the way for a new era in Lega Serie A. One that will be amplified through PUMA’s Faster Football platform that focusses on performance, innovation and culture. A mission that aligns perfectly with the ambitions of Lega Serie A and their aim to be the world’s most beautiful league, promote social responsibility and drive innovation on and off the pitch. Reflected in Lega Serie A’s Mantra ‘We are Calcio’.

Defined by its history, legacy and passion that follows it all over the world. Serie A is considered one of the most tactical leagues around the globe and is the perfect stage for PUMA to help drive the next chapter in Lega Serie A football.

“PUMA is very proud to partner with Lega Serie A and we look forward to many exciting football seasons together,” said Manolo Schuermann, Head of Sports Marketing Teamsport. “The partnership gives PUMA the platform to promote the brand in one of the world’s elite football leagues and will be rooted in collaboration and ambition. This mindset will allow us to produce great product, storytelling and commercial campaigns. We have always been deeply rooted in Italian football and now look forward to creating another legacy together with Lega Serie A.”

“We are extremely proud to announce this partnership,” said Luigi De Siervo, Lega Serie A CEO. “The link with a brand of international recognition such as PUMA demonstrates the importance and reputation of Lega Serie A at a global level and offers a greater level of visibility for our brand. By choosing PUMA we will guarantee both the highest technical standards for all our competitions and a style in line with the fashion trends of the young generations. This agreement also guarantees continuity in the centralized marketing operations of Lega Serie A and confirms the willingness of the Clubs to work together for the enhancement of our product.”

Sara’s journey will culminate in the release of a special documentary later in 2022. The short film will give unprecedented access to Sara’s story and give insight to the challenges female athletes face when deciding to start a family. 

The process used in RE:JERSEY means that old garments that feature logos, embroideries and club badges, which previously hindered recycling efforts to turn old garments into new ones, can now be used. The RE:JERSEY project takes football kits as the major ingredient to create yarn for new jerseys.

In the recycling process used for the RE:JERSEY project, the garments are chemically broken down into their main components (depolymerization). Colors are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester.

While PUMA’s football kits on the market today are already made from 100% recycled polyester, RE:JERSEY kits are made with 75% repurposed football jerseys. The remaining 25% comes from SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC1.

“With the RE:JERSEY project, we wanted to develop ways to reduce our environmental impact, respect resources and reuse materials,” said Howard Williams, Director Apparel Technology at PUMA. “The insights we gained with RE:JERSEY will help us develop more circular products in the future."

The products made in the RE:JERSEY project will be worn on-pitch during pre-match warm-ups by PUMA Clubs Manchester City, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Olympique de Marseille. The teams will wear the jerseys ahead of their respective league fixtures in late April and May, starting with Manchester City against Watford on April 23.

The RE:JERSEY pilot experiment is part of PUMA’s Circular Lab and its Forever Better sustainability platform. As part of Circular Lab, PUMA announced the RE:SUEDE  program last year, which tests, whether the company can make a biodegradable version of its iconic SUEDE sneaker.

“As part of our Forever Better sustainability strategy, we want to take more responsibility when it comes to the end of life of our products,” said Matthias Bäumer, General Manager BU Teamsport at PUMA. “With RE:JERSEY, we are taking an important step in garment-to-garment recycling which will help us reduce waste in the future.” Ahead of Saturday’s game, the center circle at the Etihad Stadium carried the message “Eat, Sleep, City Repeat – 100% RE:JERSEY” on a bright blue patchwork, which was crafted using recycled materials. This patchwork will also be recycled as part of the experiment.

“Both Manchester City and PUMA have made significant commitments to their respective sustainability agendas that ensure both social and environmental actions work for long-term, tangible change,” said Pete Bradshaw, Director of Sustainability at Manchester City. “With RE:JERSEY, PUMA is looking for new ways to make sporting goods more circular and we are proud to be able to play a part in this journey, working to engage fans, community, workforce and partners – actively collaborating for a better future.”

The products made in the RE:JERSEY project will also make an appearance during the upcoming pre-match warm-ups by Manchester City’s Women’s Team against Leicester on Sunday, as well as by PUMA Clubs AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Olympique de Marseille in April and May.

In the recycling process used for the RE:JERSEY project, even old garments that feature logos, embroideries and club badges can be used, as the material is chemically broken down into its main components (depolymerization). Colours are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester.

The RE:JERSEY pilot experiment is part of PUMA’s Circular Lab and its Forever Better sustainability platform. As part of Circular Lab, PUMA announced the RE:SUEDE program last year, which tests, whether the company can make a biodegradable version of its iconic Suede sneaker.

[1] SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC
SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC is a sustainable and fully traceable raw material from SEAQUAL INITIATIVE that is made from marine litter, or in some cases from end-of-life fishing nets or other plastics used in aquaculture (such as those used in mussel and oyster farming). For more information, visit https://www.seaqual.org.

Starting Monday, PUMA and BVB will set up collection bins, where fans will be able to donate their old polyester items, which will be used for the RE:JERSEY project. The fans who donate old items, can also take part in a draw to win great prizes such as signed jerseys. More information can be found on https://www.bvb.de/eng/puma-re-jersey.

“We see a growing interest from our fans in sustainable merchandising and that they are more aware of sustainability topics,” said Kerstin Zerbe, Managing Director of BVB Merchandising GmbH. “We are glad that our collection points at FanWelt will contribute towards making our jerseys more circular in the future. We share this ambition with our partner PUMA.”

The RE:JERSEYs worn by BVB players during the warm up on Saturday were made with 75% repurposed football jerseys. The remaining 25% comes from SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC1.

In the recycling process used for the RE:JERSEY project, the garments are chemically broken down into their main components (depolymerization). Colors are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester.

Next to BVB, PUMA teams Manchester City, AC Milan and Olympique de Marseille are also a part of this project.

With RE:JERSEY, PUMA aims to reduce waste and pave the way towards more circular production models in the future. Sustainability is also a key value for AC Milan, which has committed to sustainable and social responsibility initiatives, with a particular focus on younger generations.

While PUMA’s football kits on the market today are already made from 100% recycled polyester, the RE:JERSEY shirts worn ahead of Sunday’s game are made with 75% repurposed football jerseys. The remaining 25% comes from SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC[1].

“We are excited that AC Milan has joined us to be a part of the RE:JERSEY project,” said Matthias Baeumer, General Manager BU Teamsport at PUMA. “As we want to take more responsibility when it comes to the end of life of our products, RE:JERSEY is an important step in garment-to-garment recycling.”

In the recycling process used for the RE:JERSEY project, even old garments that feature logos, embroideries and club badges can be used, as the material is chemically broken down into its main components (depolymerization). Colors are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester.

As part of the project, AC MILAN and PUMA will set up collection bins, where fans will be able to donate their old polyester items, which will be used for the RE:JERSEY project.“

AC Milan is a Club that truly believes in the social value of football. Sustainability is an important value for all of us at the Club, we need to do our part to protect the future of our planet, so we are delighted to join this initiative with our partner PUMA and be part of the RE:JERSEY project,” said Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer at AC Milan.

[1] SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC
SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC is a sustainable and fully traceable raw material from SEAQUAL INITIATIVE that is made from marine litter, or in some cases from end-of-life fishing nets or other plastics used in aquaculture (such as those used in mussel and oyster farming). For more information, visit https://www.seaqual.org

The RE:JERSEY shirts worn ahead of Sunday’s game are made with 75% repurposed football jerseys. The remaining 25% comes from SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC.* The aim of the project is to reduce waste and pave the way towards more circular production models in the future.

While PUMA’s football kits on the market today are already made from 100% recycled polyester, PUMA trials garment-to-garment recycling as part of the RE:JERSEY project. In the recycling process used for RE:JERSEY , even old garments that feature logos, embroideries and club badges can be used, as the material is chemically broken down into its main components (depolymerization). Colors are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester

“We are very glad that Olympique de Marseille has chosen to partner with us in this exciting sustainability project,” said Matthias Baeumer, General Manager BU Teamsport at PUMA. “Through projects such as RE:JERSEY, we are finding ways to take more responsibility when it comes to the end of life of our products.” Olympique de Marseille will set up collection bins in the fan store at the Orange Vélodrome, so fans can bring back their old polyester items, which will become a part of the RE:JERSEY project. 

* SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC is a sustainable and fully traceable raw material from SEAQUAL INITIATIVE that is made from marine litter, or in some cases from end-of-life fishing nets or other plastics used in aquaculture (such as those used in mussel and oyster farming). For more information, visit https://www.seaqual.org 

In a professional career that spans more than 20 years, Giorgio Chiellini made more than 420 appearances for his club, Juventus, and became one of the most capped players in the history of Italy’s national team. 2021 was an extremely emotional year for him, as he won Euro2020 with Italy.

“I shared my feelings with my teammates and with the people at home in front of their TV screens. This was probably the secret of my performance,” he said. “I wanted to enjoy and celebrate all the emotions the tournament brings with it.”

In 2021, PUMA recorded its best-ever performance both in terms of revenues and operating profit. Bjørn Gulden, who also started out as a professional football player, said that leadership was a very complex topic and it depended on each person individually.

“You need to find your way and see that your style has an impression on people,” he said. “Giorgio’s attitude as a leader inspires me. You can see, when he’s on the pitch, he makes the other ten players better and that’s the job of a leader.”

When it comes to attitude, both agreed that having fun is crucial to stay motivated in the long term:

“Not having fun is a waste of time. You spend most of your time at work. I strongly believe that if you like what you do, you perform better,” said Bjørn Gulden.

At 37 years old, Giorgio Chiellini says he wishes he had realized the power of a positive attitude earlier.

“I managed to change my state of mind during my career (…) Now I can pay more attention to the situation than I used to when I was angry or yelled at my teammates. I lost a lot of energy on the pitch like that,” Giorgio Chiellini said.

For the full video interview, please visit PUMA’s 2021 annual report by visiting https://annual-report.puma.com/2021/en/.

Racing in front of your own fans in your home country is always a special occasion which Carlos enjoys a lot: “Racing at home always helps. For sure there is more pressure, and you are quite busy. But I enjoy it, it gives me a good feeling and there are great vibes on site.” Speaking about Fans and Team support, Jan emphasizes how important it is to have a good team behind you, whatever sport you do: “Without a good team it's impossible to succeed and it's the same in football. One player cannot change a lot, so you need to stick together with everyone. And if all the team doesn’t do a perfect job, it's impossible to win.

PUMA will continue to equip all men’s, women’s and youth teams with jerseys, training apparel and accessories and will remain the club’s official partner for replica jerseys and fanwear.

PUMA and Borussia Mönchengladbach already worked together from the 1960s until 1992, a very successful period in the club’s history in which the team won eight titles (five German league titles, two UEFA Cups and one DFB Cup).

“PUMA and Borussia Mönchengladbach share a long, successful history, which we revived in 2018,” says PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden. “We are happy that we will continue this partnership in the coming years, witness great football moments and create products that the fans love.”

Over the past years, PUMA and Borussia Mönchengladbach presented exciting collections and special editions, such as a stylish black jersey to mark the 120th anniversary of the club in 2020.

For the next Bundesliga season 2022/23, PUMA once again blends the club’s history with the present, presenting a traditional white jersey with a central black and green pattern in a classic style.

“Already in 2018, people at Borussia were euphoric to have PUMA back. The joy is even bigger now that we were able to agree an early and long-term extension of the current partnership,” said Stephan Schippers, CEO of VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach. “Our club has celebrated big successes with PUMA by its side. PUMA and Borussia belong together.”

Under the new terms, PUMA will continue to supply performance apparel for the men’s, women’s, and youth teams, and utilize the style, fashion, and culture of Milan to develop performance and off-pitch lifestyle product that taps into the unique Milanese style. This will see both brands continue to collaborate beyond the pitch on innovative and fashionable collections that connect with football culture and reinforce Milan’s global footprint.

“This is a fantastic next step for our partnership with AC Milan, two brands with a focus on diversity, inclusivity, innovation, performance and football culture,” said Bjørn Gulden, Chief Executive Officer, PUMA. “Our aim is to drive performance innovation and lifestyle apparel on and off pitch. We want to continue to be two of the most sustainable brands in football and support women’s football. This partnership will also see PUMA invest in the Vismara Performance Center. This will be a special place to develop future stars at AC Milan and bring both our brands closer together.”

“We are immensely proud to continue on this journey with our long-standing partner PUMA, our Principal Partner since 2018. Over the years, working side by side with PUMA has allowed us to build a solid and authentic partnership based on performance, football culture and shared values, always with a progressive approach,” commented Ivan Gazidis, AC Milan CEO. “We are excited to start this new chapter in our relationship, which will focus strongly on the development of women’s football and the next generation of talent, both of which are perfectly aligned with our vision for the Club.”