FIFA World Cup 2026TM – RE:FIBRE is in the Game
How PUMA makes replica jerseys using the RE:FIBRE recycling programme.
June 1, 2026
Every four years, millions of fans proudly wear a replica jersey to cheer on their favourite football team. This time around, PUMA has taken an important step in circularity by producing all of its replica shirts for the World Cup with RE:FIBRE.
This textile-to-textile recycling initiative takes textile waste, B-grade and old polyester garments and turns them into something new. The programme continues and is powering this year’s World Cup replica jersey collection, transforming pre-existing waste into ready-to-wear kits.
What Makes These Jerseys Different
Not all recycled jerseys are created equal. Much of the sportswear industry relies on PET plastic bottles as its go-to recyclable, using this to make polyester that gets turned into new apparel items. PUMA’s RE:FIBRE movement takes a rather different approach.RE:FIBRE refocuses on textile waste — such as old garments, faulty goods, and factory offcuts — as the source of its recycled polyester. Each new garment is made with at least 95% recycled polyester, supporting easier recycling at the end of its life.
The unexpected bonus of this method is that the resulting yarn can be recycled again and again without losing quality, creating a circular model rather than a single-use recycled input.
How Your Kit Got Made
RE:FIBRE is a four-step process. Here’s how your jersey’s journey unfolded. First, textile waste was collected and shipped to PUMA partners, who sorted through the remains according to various criteria. Then the materials were mixed and shredded into tiny fabric flakes. These little bits of polyester were melted down, and any previous dye was removed. After this dissolution and filtration, the newly produced polymers were ready to be spun, knit and sewn into the fresh fabric that you now hold in your hands.
All in all, when you consider design, development, quality control and more, there is an entire network of humans dedicated to finding long-term solutions for important recycling issues.
Scaling Story: From Pilot Programme to Millions of Jerseys
But RE:FIBRE didn’t arrive at the World Cup just like that. The technology has been upleveling since 2022, initially used in just a few training jerseys for PUMA-sponsored teams. One of the programme’s major milestones came during the UEFA Euro in 2024, where, for the first time, all official PUMA football replica jerseys were made using RE:FIBRE, that’s 35 clubs and millions of garments! Now the initiative is stepping it up once again. PUMA’s 2026 World Cup collection features replica jerseys from each of its 11 nations, across four continents, all produced using RE:FIBRE. Each kit was designed to reflect its nation’s unique culture and history, from Portugal’s Atlantic wave to the vivid spin on Paraguay’s traditional design.
How to Become Part of The Movement
Wearing the shirt is only part of the story. If you want to get even more in the loop, we have some ideas. Fans can take their pre-loved or unused polyester clothing to a RE:FIBRE take-back bin. Eligible items dropped off can become textile stock for the next generation of kits, keeping these materials in circulation and out of landfills.Whether you’re cheering for New Zealand in Wellington, Morocco in Rabat, Ghana in Accra or any of PUMA’s other nations when the tournament kicks off this June, rest assured knowing that the PUMA jersey on your back is a part of something bigger.
Check out the video below which breaks down PUMA’s RE:FIBRE process:
https://www.youtube.com/S2GP3oU7eY8
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