Football fans outraged after club unveils '100% vegan' kit: 'Horrendous'
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The move towards sustainability hasn't gone down well with fans
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Football fans have taken to social media to voice their distaste for what seems to be the first 100 per cent vegan and fully recyclable team kit.
Forest Green Rovers revealed what they claim to be the world's first fully certified vegan football kit on Tuesday.
The strip will remain in use for two campaigns as the Gloucestershire club aims to minimise waste and reduce financial pressure on supporters who would otherwise need to buy fresh designs annually.
Fans must pay £50 to purchase the kit.
Forest Green Rovers have faced backlash for their new kits
The eye-catching design prompted immediate criticism from the fanbase. "Well these are absolutely vile," commented one supporter. Another declared: "Genuinely didn't think it could get any worse than our previous home kits but that tops it, absolutely horrendous."
"Bold!? Lads that's not bold that's just horrendous," wrote a third fan, whilst another simply asked: "How can I unsee something?"
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The recyclable garments can be completely broken down and transformed into different products, offering what the club describes as a practical approach to addressing the vast quantities of textile waste produced by sports manufacturers annually.
The National League outfit collaborated with the Vegan Society to ensure full certification of the kit. The design incorporates both home and away versions featuring the distinctive leopard print pattern.
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Forest Green Rovers
|Fans have taken to social media to voice their disliking for the new kits
Dale Vince, the club's chairman, expressed enthusiasm about the new design, calling it "fabulous".
He stated: "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 matters."
The chairman revealed that Forest Green had previously trialled kits incorporating bamboo and coffee grounds in their quest for sustainable sportswear.
"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," Vince explained.
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He added: "I'm really pleased to unveil our bold, bright new kit that's inspired by nature and helping nature - that's pretty fabulous."
Forest Green achieved global recognition as the first vegan football club in 2015 during Vince's ownership, having eliminated red meat from their New Lawn stadium menu four years earlier. The club also holds the distinction of being the world's first carbon-neutral football team.
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Currently competing in the National League under recently appointed manager Robbie Savage, Forest Green are experiencing their second year in the fifth tier.
The club dropped out of the English Football League last season after failing to secure an immediate return to League Two.
Their highest achievement came in 2022 when they reached League One, but successive demotions followed, concluding their seven-year presence in the EFL in 2024.