A tribute to weaving and its looms, Erreà Sport’s daring and imaginative new shirts for Benetton Rugby stand out thanks to their pattern and new style ideas.
The first shirt revisits the traditional white and green horizontal stripes with an interesting pattern – achieved using digital sublimation printing – that combines different shades of green and white for an effect similar to those produced on looms and through the traditional craft of knitting. The print is also reminiscent of the historical, iconic woollen jumpers that made Benetton enduringly famous and celebrated throughout fashion world.
The upper part of the shirt, at chest height, features the special rubberised serigraph positioned in the areas where the ball is most likely to be caught. Like last year, the inside of the refined round-neck collar features the claim “E’ ORA DI RUGGIRE” (It’s time to roar), which has become the Lions’ motto.
Great care has also been taken with all the details adorning the back of the shirt: a rainbow has been added to the collar, while the tricolour band, which highlights the Italianness of the franchise, has been moved vertically to the lower section.
Great emphasis has been placed on fabric research, resulting in the use of three different yarns for a highly technical kit. The central section of the jersey is made from the acclaimed “Ruck” fabric, known for its exceptional resistance and excellent wearability. The sleeves and white side strips are made from a second fabric, which is also highly resistant and particularly valued for its significant elasticity, achieved mechanically rather than through the use of elastane. A third thickened fabric is used inside the neckline to form a small pocket to hold a GPS tracking device, used to monitor the players' performance and highlighting the technological features of the shirt.
The away jersey is entirely original, in an unusual yellow that is also the colour of Kiloutou, the new shirt sponsor.
Delivering a bold and eye-catching effect in this context, the carefully designed texture consists of diagonal bands in different shades of yellow, with a repeating pattern of small blurred triangles for a dynamic feel. The combination of different fabrics in this case too ensures a perfect balance between elasticity and lightness.
