Case Study Commonwealth Games 2022
Outfitting the athletes, technicals, volunteers, and everyone else for the Commonwealth Games 2022.
The Largest Ever Commonwealth Games
Uniforms as bold and ambitious as the Games itself.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games was an international multi-sport event for the members of the Commonwealth of Nations, bringing together a wealth of superb athletes from all across the world.
With the event taking place in the late summer, we knew we needed to devise a functional range that allowed athletes and staff to perform at their best, reflected Birmingham’s unique culture and history, and incorporated the look and vision of the Games brand, all whilst being considerate of the unpredictable nature of British weather.
With Birmingham 2022 being the first Commonwealth Games to embed Social Value in procured contracts, we committed to supporting and creating opportunities for local people and businesses.
This included working with a West Midlands-based tree-planting charity, offering work placements for local fashion students, providing sports bibs to local schools, and getting involved in fundraising events to support local charities including the ethical disposal of unused and unworn uniforms.
The Final Product
A range worthy of a gold medal.
The official uniform was designed with the various roles and wearers across the Commonwealth Games in mind, including athletes, technical officials, batonbearers, and the huge force of over 14,000 volunteers, affectionately known as the ‘Commonwealth Collective’
The uniform features patterns from the iconic Library of Birmingham design and waves inspired by the architecture of Birmingham’s Grand Central and Bullring building. These are included on all upper body garments, such as the polo shirt, gilet, and waterproof jacket.
Volunteers were the first to see a glimpse of the uniform before being shown to the rest of the wearers, as part of the Orientation kick-off to their training journey. Each member of the collective received two polo shirts, trousers, a waterproof jacket, gilet, belt, bag, and a hat.
Get In TouchThe Numbers
They have delivered a high-quality uniform that will instil a sense of pride in the thousands of people that wear it in just a few months’ time!
Andrew Newman Director of Workforce and Volunteering Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games