Last year, we launched our Sustainability Strategy Framework, which set out the first steps that we would take towards our aim of becoming the most sustainably run cricket franchise. This guiding document has allowed us to make huge strides within a relatively short period of time with regards to sustainability. For example, our ‘Introduction to Cricket’ Schools Outreach Programme, led by Jack Luffman (Community Engagement Manager), which combines education on basic sustainability themes with cricket coaching, has already been a huge success within Dubai, and is expanding further this year. On the pitch, our elimination of single-use plastic water bottles from our team environment was another great success, and made a positive material impact immediately, saving 14,400 single-use plastic bottles from being used during the season.
In Season 3, while we will continually strive to reduce the environmental impact from all areas of our operations, our focus will predominantly be on apparel. Sports kit is an area of the sporting industry with an enormous environmental impact, which you can read all about in the last blog. Moreover, it is one of only a few areas where we have direct control, so we can make an impact immediately.
Progress to Date
One thing we have already done in Season 2 is operate without sending any kit to landfill. While this may seem a rather simple thing to be able to do, and not a very difficult claim, it is actually not common practice for sports organisations to have policies in place to achieve this. For example, British Cycling recently signed a new (controversial) sponsorship deal with Shell. This meant that their old kit, with HSBC as the sponsor, was not able to be worn. Instead of donating this kit to local cycling charities, upcycling it, or recycling it, the clothing found its way into the skip to be sent for landfill. These kits cost thousands of pounds, and have a huge environmental footprint in their production, so ending up in a bin destined for landfill is the worst possible outcome. This problem is not unique to British Cycling: with the constant changing of sponsors, and new kits being produced every year, the potential for waste is high, and so having policies in place is essential to eliminate waste and ensure no kit gets sent to landfill.
At Desert Vipers, our Zero Kit to Landfill Strategy is a continuation of our work to embed sustainability within the heart of our operations as a franchise. This reflects all four of our values: High Performance (donating quality kit to those in need will allow them to strive for their own dreams of being the best cricketer they can); Innovation (this strategy is uncommon in global sports); Sustainability (reducing the amount of kit from landfill has numerous environmental benefits); and Social (aside from the obvious benefit of providing quality kit to those in need, a Zero Kit to Landfill Strategy will create jobs through its upcycling and recycling partners, and encourage positive societal change).
In Season Two, we generated approximately 6.7 tonnes of kit as a franchise, with most of this coming from kit given to fans locally in Dubai on matchdays. In the early stages of our brand-building journey, it is important to continue providing kit for fans to wear because every fan counts, so we do not want to stop distributing kit to fans. However, we want to ensure that this kit does as little environmental harm as possible. We are actively addressing the materials used for the kits and the packaging they come in – more of which will come in due course. But firstly, at the end of the life stage (as we already have some leftover kit from Season 2), we need some solutions.
Our Plan
We will aim to do three things with kit:
1. Donate kit
In the short term, we aim to donate the majority of usable kit to people in need in cricket-playing nations. We will minimise the footprint from transporting donations by prioritising distribution in the UAE first. As time progresses, we aim to donate a lower percentage of kit, as we would like to have systems in place to do other things with it, such as upcycling or recycling.
2. Upcycle kit
In the short term, we aim to sample a few different pieces of kit made through upcycling, using local upcycling partners in the UAE where possible. An example of something that we could make would be bucket hats for Season 3 from Season 2’s unused clothes.
3. Recycle kit
In the short term, we aim to identify suitable solutions for recycling kit. For example, it is more difficult to recycle garments made from multiple materials (such as polycotton fabrics), so moving our range towards monofibre materials should make recycling easier, and might be a step we take. As kit reaches the end of its life in several years, this will become more important as a step, but the design considerations need to commence sooner, so that when the kit does reach its end of life, it hasn’t been designed in a way that makes it impossible to recycle.
Finally, one of the difficulties in ensuring no kit goes to landfill is receiving the kit at the end of its use phase. There are several ways to do this, such as through offering a return service at matches, or via post. The diagram below shows one possible solution for encouraging the return of kit after it is no longer wanted:
Without the fans on board and providing solutions for them, achieving zero kit to landfill won’t be possible, so we hope that fans are excited to be part of this journey with us.
Sustainability Spotlight - Bat For A Chance
This week’s blog has focussed on our Zero Kit to Landfill Strategy, so it seems only fitting to focus on one of our Sustainability Impact Partners, Bat For A Chance (BFAC), who have helped us ensure that none of our Season 2 kit has gone to landfill. BFAC aims to help the underprivileged experience the joy of cricket, through distributing kit to those in need. Since their inception, they have provided access to cricket for over 15,000 men, women, and children, across four continents and 21 countries. We are proud to partner with such an amazing organisation, and we look forward to continuing to work together on our mission to ensure zero kit gets sent to landfill.
