Nike's New Portugal Away Kit Draws Inspiration From Volcanic Rock

Striking black kit evokes Portuguese basalt rock, which is used extensively throughout the country.

Nike's new Portugal away kit for 2013 is a striking black shirt with black shorts and black socks inspired by the volcanic rock associated with the country and the expressive nature of its renowned football heritage.

The distinctive black Portuguese basalt rock is a volcanic stone used extensively across the country and is the inspiration behind the strong new colour used from head to toe on the new kit.

The black shirt has a tonal cross through it, and a full colour crest on the right breast. The collar is a round-neck while the players’ numbers are in charcoal on the back and the left breast, with the names and the Nike Swoosh in white.

The shorts are black, with the full colour crest, the charcoal number and the white Swoosh while the socks are black with the white Swoosh detail.

In line with Nike’s commitment to combining performance with lower environmental impact, fabric for the new kit’s shorts is made with 100% recycled polyester, while the shirt fabric is made with a minimum 96% recycled polyester. Each kit is made using an average 13 recycled plastic bottles.

The kits are constructed using Nike Dri-FIT technology to wick moisture and are made out of 23 percent lighter fabric with 20 percent stronger knit structure than Nike’s previous kits. The shirts also feature laser-cut ventilation holes to promote localised cooling, to help regulate player temperatures during a match.