Let's take a closer look at Ultraweave, the revolutionary lightweight kit technology that was debuted by Italy in the UEFA Nations League semi-final against Spain earlier this week.
Italy 2021 'Ultraweave' Kit Released
Puma Ultraweave
- Weights in at just 72 grams (2.54 oz)
- Woven fabric with 4-way engineered mechanical stretch and 2-dimensional ripstop
- Just two main panels instead of eight
The standout feature of Puma's Ultraweave shirts is that they weight just 72 grams (2.54oz), making them the lightest to be ever made by Puma. This is achieved through the use of a new woven fabric featuring a 4-way engineered mechanical stretch.
"Football is defined by marginal gains. When the game is on the line every gram counts. As part of the brand’s Faster Football movement, PUMA aims to push boundaries, innovate, and bring fresh products to football."
The fabric also features a two-dimensional ripstop, which is very noticeable on close-ups and should help the shirts stay durable and Puma will hope that it prevents a disaster like Switzerland 2016 to happen again.
Furthermore, the Puma Ultraweave shirt feature just two main panels rather than the standard four to eight. This is most noticeable on the pattern, which continues onto the sleeve part of the shirt without any interruption.
This also changes the way that the shirt folds when worn, which was very visible during Italy's match - this will have to be watched closely to see if it really is an improvement over the standard panel design with separated sleeves.
The print used for the brand and team/federation logos was also updated to be more light and breathable than traditional transfers.
Speaking at the reveal of ULTRAWEAVE, Stefano Favaro, Creative Director Teamsport at PUMA said: “Our athletes wanted something lighter and faster to help them achieve marginal gains needed at the highest level. This resulted in four years of testing and development to achieve the lightest football jersey we have ever made. Sport is defined by split seconds. Therefore, we identified apparel as a product that we could evolve to a new level. We felt we could give our players and teams a tangible performance benefit over 90 minutes. During a game players cover an average of 10 to 13.5km with high intensity action every 60 seconds. To perform at your optimal level during a game, the apparel needs to adapt and evolve. Through ULTRAWEAVE, we are able to reduce apparel and kit weight and restrictions to improve performance.”
So far Puma have not officially announced which other teams' kits will receive the Ultraweave treatment. However, Puma Teamsport Apparel Designer Jacob Bennett more or less directly already told it French football equipment specialists Footpack.
Only Puma Elite Teams To Wear Ultraweave Kit in 22-23 Season
The Puma Ultraweave football kit will be used by all Puma Elite Teams in the 22-23 season - this means at least BVB, Milan, Manchester City and Marseille will get it. Smaller teams like RC Lens will not get an Ultraweave kit next season. We also expect all major Puma national teams to wear it in the 2022 World Cup.
What do you think about Puma's new Ultraweave football kits? Comment below.