Green Knight Studios
FGR FC kit design, 22/23 and 23/24 seasons

FGR Kit Design

A new kit for the world’s greenest football club

For most organisations, a logotype is the core element of the visual identity but in the world of pro sports arguably it’s the shirt. For Green Knight Studios, designing the club kit for Forest Green Rovers has been one of our most exciting and most visible projects to date. Not only do the players wear our designs week in and week out on the pitch, so do thousands of supporters when they watch or play football. Via the internet, social media and television, the FGR kit is known around the world. 

Prior to the 2021/22 season, Green Knight Studios was invited to update FGR’s iconic zebra-stripe shirt. This design presented a strong starting point – the riff on a natural camouflage pattern strongly links the club to its environmental mission in Britain and across the globe. The stripes themselves hark back to FGR’s traditional black and white magpie shirts, going back decades in the club’s history.

However, it needed something new, so we decided to add some energy to the mix. While the zebra pattern was retained as the basis of the design, we added a crackle of lightning along its edges to dial up the excitement and bring a touch more visual tension.

The energised design was intended to make two references. Firstly, to the green energy supplied by the main sponsor, Ecotricity. Secondly, to the energy, verve and passion the club, its players and supporters have brought to the Football League.

In keeping with FGR’s sustainable agenda, the home version of the 2021/22 kit uses fabric recycled from coffee grounds while the away shirt is made with bamboo fibre. Logos for both were designed to communicate this.

Green Knight Studios supported the official launch of the kits with a full set of assets for the social and online campaigns, emphasising the team’s new look under the Fully Charged tagline.

When the 2021/22 season began, the kit appeared to make an instant impact with Forest Green Rovers racing to the top of the EFL League Two table – although whether we can claim responsibility for that is up for debate! The club remained top of the league until the final weeks of the season, dramatically seizing promotion and the league title on the final day away to Mansfield Town.

Beginning life in League One in 2022, FGR asked Green Knight to design a new third kit honouring its charity partner, Sea Shepherd UK. This organisation helps protect wildlife on the coastline and at sea around Britain, fighting the good fight against sewerage, industrial and household waste going into the ocean.

Our design captures the spirit of this direct-action organisation not just through the use of its fierce Jolly Roger-inspired logo, but by mirroring the Dazzle Ship-style black, grey and blue sea camouflage of Sea Shepherd’s iconic MV Steve Irwin vessel. The third kit was a runaway success, with all adult sizes selling out within an hour of its launch.

At the time of writing, we have completed the updated FGR club kit for the 2023/24 season. Watch this space.

Get your hands on the kit at FGR.com. 

Scope

Pattern Creation
Kit Design 
Iconography
Campaign Creative
Graphical Icons
Copywriting

FGR Sea Shepherd kit
We energised the previous season’s design to create a ‘fully charged’ version, then built a marketing campaign around the concept.
The FGR Home Kit — We energised the previous season’s design to create a ‘fully charged’ version, then built a marketing campaign around the concept.
To support Sea Shepherd, we elevated the charity’s logo on the front of the shirt and created a distinctive pattern inspired by the famous MV Steve Irwin ship. All sales revenue goes to Sea Shepherd.
FGR Third Kit — To support Sea Shepherd, we elevated the charity’s logo on the front of the shirt and created a distinctive pattern inspired by the famous MV Steve Irwin ship. All sales revenue goes to Sea Shepherd.
Using the same designs as the home kit, the away kit gives a nod to FGR’s history and the black and white stripes loved by the fans.
FGR Away kit — Using the same designs as the home kit, the away kit gives a nod to FGR’s history and the black and white stripes loved by the fans.

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FGR Home kit - three players
FGR Away Pink Kit
FGR Away Kit White
FGR Home Kit Celebration
We worked with FGR’s in-house team to create the Fully Charged marketing campaign.
Fully Charged! — We worked with FGR’s in-house team to create the Fully Charged marketing campaign.
Our campaign highlighted the environmental benefits of the innovative fabrics used, demonstrating FGR’s leadership in sustainability in sports.
Sustainable materials — Our campaign highlighted the environmental benefits of the innovative fabrics used, demonstrating FGR’s leadership in sustainability in sports.
The striking graphical approach blends illustration, graphics, and icons with monotone images of the players.
The Reveal — The striking graphical approach blends illustration, graphics, and icons with monotone images of the players.
Maximum emphasis is given to the club’s impactful colours through the application of a reduced palette.
Fluorescent Green Rovers! — Maximum emphasis is given to the club’s impactful colours through the application of a reduced palette.

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Adverts in Nailsworth

“This kit is beautiful and Forest Green Rovers are fast becoming my favourite club!" "Cult classic incoming." "Definitely my favourite kit of the upcoming season.”

Fans’ response to third kit, which sold out in under an hour

See more work

ecotricity logo on a windmill landscape

Ecotricity

Refreshing the brand and expressing its vision

Ministry of Eco Education logo with geometric shapes

Ministry of Eco Education

Helping launch the green national curriculum

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