Fast Retailing : UNIQLO Unveils Official Clothing for Sweden's Athletes in Tokyo this Summer

Last Updated: 2021.05.19

UNIQLO CO., LTD.
to Japanese page

Global apparel retailer UNIQLO today unveiled a new collection of LifeWear, purpose-designed to help Sweden's athletes deliver their once-in-a-lifetime, best possible sporting performance in Tokyo's sweltering summer. The new collection, designed in collaboration with the athletes themselves, will ensure they stay comfortable and stylish throughout the time they are planning to be in Tokyo - during competition, official ceremonies, training, traveling, and resting.

Speaking of today's announcement, Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President and CEO of Fast Retailing, said, 'I am very pleased to be able to support Sweden's athletes with our clothing. Bringing together our expertise in creating apparel for global brand ambassadors and the knowledge of the Swedish Olympic and Paralympic Committees, a nation with a long record of sustainability, has enabled us to produce a new LifeWear collection that is more sustainable, while offering even higher quality. We all look forward to seeing the athletes wearing UNIQLO in Tokyo.'

Peter Reinebo, Chief Executive Officer of the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOC), said, 'The climates of Sweden and Tokyo are very different. Insight from Swedish athletes not accustomed to Tokyo's high humidity will help our Olympians perform at their best. We are delighted to unveil the official items that we have developed with UNIQLO since initiating our partnership. I am confident that our athletes will benefit tremendously from UNIQLO's functional and comfortable clothing at the Games.'

Åsa Llinares Norlin, President of the Swedish Paralympic Committee (SPC), added, 'I am very happy to announce the release of our official apparel for Tokyo, which was developed with our athletes. I look forward to seeing them do their best in UNIQLO at these Games, through which we aim to leverage the LifeWear commitment to better living and social progress, and the power of sport to foster more active and healthy lifestyles.'

UNIQLO and the SOC and SPC collaborated to develop the collection after announcing their partnership in 2019. In keeping with its commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability, UNIQLO worked closely with Sweden's athletes, creating a unique collection to help them reach absolute peak performance potential at the coming Tokyo Games, a moment they have spent their lives preparing for. The lineup combines simplicity, quality, comfort, and functional beauty in keeping with the LifeWear concept of offering clothing for better living and a better society.

■ Quality

The UNIQLO partnership with the SOC is about reaching a summit of excellence together in sport and in clothing innovation. UNIQLO obtained direct input and testing feedback from Sweden's athletes and committee members, while champion golfer Adam Scott and other UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassadors helped monitor and test apparel. These insights were used to perfect fabrics and silhouettes and to optimize ease of movement through design. UNIQLO also engaged external testing experts to reproduce Tokyo's temperature and humidity conditions in an artificial weather laboratory at the new Basic Research Institute at the UNIQLO CITY TOKYO Office. This work helped map heat, perspiration, and movement zones on the human body during exercise, and across specific sports. Such attention to detail produced quality, high-performance garments that fit comfortably.

■ Innovation

Combinations of UNIQLO advanced fabrics and functionality will optimize performance at the Games. Athletes will benefit from DRY-EX, which wicks moisture away from skin and dries quickly, and Ultra Stretch, offering all-direction stretch for incredible comfort. The new collection also includes AIRism, a breathable fabric that keeps wearers cool and dry, and UV Blocking, which safeguards from the sun. In addition, UNIQLO undertook R&D into colors that look and feel cooler, including tones of Sweden's national colors of blue and yellow, as well as light gray.

■ Sustainability

For the collection, UNIQLO used polyester from recycled plastic bottles and polyester fibers derived from renewable biomass. UNIQLO also employed eco-friendly materials and techniques, such as fluorine-free water repellent agents and knitting processes that minimize material losses.

■ Sportswear for competition categories

Archery, badminton, boccia, canoeing, football (women), golf, rowing, sailing, shooting, skateboarding (men), swimming, table tennis, and tennis.

For more details on official clothing, please go to:
https://www.uniqlo.com/se/en/content/swedish-olympic-committee.html

■ Official Clothing Partnership background

UNIQLO announced its agreement to become the Official Clothing Partner for the Swedish Olympic and Paralympic teams in January 2019. Over four years, UNIQLO is supplying Swedish athletes and officials at competitions around the world, including the planned Tokyo 2020 and the planned 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. As part of preparations for the Tokyo Games, UNIQLO and Sweden's Olympic and Paralympic Committees issued a joint statement in July 2020 titled, 'Together for the Future.' The statement represents a shared commitment to using sport and clothing to foster sustainable, active, and healthy lifestyles and thus contribute to better living and social progress. The full statement is available at:

Top of page