Last Updated: 2021.11.11
UNIQLO Unveils New Collection of Official Clothing for Swedish National Team at the 2022 Winter Tournament - Also Announces Newest UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN, a Team of 21 Brand Ambassadors
UNIQLO CO., LTD.
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Global apparel retailer UNIQLO today announces the official apparel to be worn by Sweden at the coming major winter sports tournament in China. Drawing on values shared by UNIQLO and Sweden-quality, innovation, and sustainability-UNIQLO has created the next generation of LifeWear to enable best-possible performance in China and beyond.
Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President and CEO of Fast Retailing, said about today's announcement, "I was deeply impressed with the performances of Swedish athletes wearing UNIQLO in Japan this summer, and I am delighted we can support them by supplying LifeWear at the 2022 tournament in China. UNIQLO developed its collection by learning much from Swedish culture, which values beautiful and simple designs and modern lifestyles, and from the winter sporting prowess of their nation's athletes. We will continue to collaborate with Sweden's athletes in an ongoing drive to contribute to social progress through sports and clothing."
Peter Reinebo, Chief Executive Officer of the Swedish Olympic Committee, said, "UNIQLO clothing helped our athletes perform their best and reach their goals in Japan this summer. For China, we focused on the special climatic conditions that will prevail and emphasized the needs of the athletes and their coaches. Together we have created a fantastic collection. I look forward to following the Swedish competitors in the UNIQLO collection in the village, on the competition sites and on the podiums. Together with UNIQLO, we will continue to work for a brighter future through the power of the combination of sports and clothing."
Åsa Llinares Norlin, President of the Swedish Paralympic Committee, added, "UNIQLO's fantastic commitment and support helped our athletes perform at their best this summer. I think our winter athletes were incredibly inspired and look forward to continuing the adventure with UNIQLO. Together we will show the strength of sport to change."
The new collection builds on the recent success of the UNIQLO partnership with the Swedish Olympic and Paralympic Committees. This winter, UNIQLO will again provide its LifeWear apparel for Swedish athletes and officials to wear at ceremonies, in training and competition, press engagements and during leisure and travel time. As part of the full collection, UNIQLO will provide competition wear for skiing, snowboarding, and curling events.
To create the collection, UNIQLO engaged Sweden's athletes and officials through the entire design process. Their special insights into elite performance enabled apparel design and technical innovations to help Sweden make sporting history this winter on the world's biggest stage. With all items tested by athletes and at UNIQLO's weather simulation laboratory at its global headquarters in Tokyo, the collection is expressed in a smart layering system that ensures Sweden's team is primed for performance and comfort in all conditions, including extreme cold in China.
■ Quality
UNIQLO studied China's winter climate and conducted a series of tests in extremely cold regions to develop a layering-system lineup of outer, middle, and base items. Each item is easy to put on or take off to regulate body temperature for comfort and performance under changing weather and exercise conditions. UNIQLO also collaborated with wheelchair athletes to create the Hybrid Jacket and Shell Pants to meet their needs; the cut of the jacket eliminating bulk around the abdomen when seated. Ingenious waist design of the pants makes them easy to put on or remove.
■ Innovation
UNIQLO incorporated athlete insight in functional testing, developing new fabrics to ensure comfort in any environment. New technology in the Hybrid Jacket maintains warmth in extreme cold. Down pockets and a double russet mesh material with a three-dimensional coarse knit enhance breathability and reduce stuffiness from sweating. Shirts and jackets for training and while on the move employ vents at the armpits, back and elsewhere to promote cooling during exertion. A new material in inner tops and tights features brushed fabric liners for warmth, dryness, and comfort.
■ Sustainability
Inspired by Sweden's passion for the environment, UNIQLO has designed sustainability features into the collection, prioritizing environmentally-friendly materials and production methods. Some items employ polyester made from recycled plastic bottles. Light down jackets use 100 percent recycled down and feathers. Other items incorporate nylon from yarn discarded during manufacturing processes. UNIQLO also used dyes made from natural plants, and fluorine-free water repellents.
■ UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN
Ahead of coming winter tournament, UNIQLO has formed a team of top Swedish athlete ambassadors, known as UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN. The 21 members include 20 competing athletes and one Swedish sporting legend. The role of UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN is to promote and strengthen the partnership between UNIQLO and Sweden, and to demonstrate the partnership's shared values of quality, innovation and sustainability, through the efforts of Sweden's athletes on the world stage. The team will participate in DREAM PROJECT by UNIQLO sports events for young people in Sweden and appear in LifeWear product campaigns.
■ Comments from Key Members of UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN
Ludvig Fjällström, SOC Men's Freestyle ski (Mogul)
"I am delighted we are partnering with UNIQLO. I will do my very best in February next year. I will enjoy competing for my country."
Ebba Aarsjoe, SPC Women's Ski Alpine
"I am deeply honored to be a member of UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN and compete on the world stage. I will take advantage of UNIQLO's highly functional clothing and train hard to perform at my best."
Frida Hansdotter, SOC former Women's Ski Alpine
"Clothing is vital for athletes. We are very grateful to UNIQLO for supplying apparel to the Swedish team. Our athletes look forward to highlighting the enjoyment and spectacle of winter sports."
■ Appendix: Profiles of UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN
| Olympians | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sven Thorgren | Snowboard (Slopestyle / Big air) |
4th at Olympics Sochi 2014 Bronze Medal, X Games 2015, 2019, 2020 Gold Medal, X Games 2017 Gold Medal World Cup 2018 Silver Medal X Games 2019, 2021 Silver Medal World Cup 2021 |
| 2 | Nils Van Der Poel | Speed skating | Gold Medal World Junior Championship 2014, 2015 14th Olympics PyeongChang 2018 6th at World Championship 2018 Gold Medal, World Championship 2021 |
| 3 | Ludvig Fjällström | Freestyle ski (Mogul) | Participation in Olympics Sochi 2014 Bronze Medal, World Cup 2016, 2021 5th at World Cup 2017 Participation in Olympics PyeongChang 2018 |
| 4 | Hanna Öberg | Biathlon | Gold Medal, Individual / Silver Medal, Relay, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 Gold Medal, 15km Individual / Silver Medal, Relay / Bronze Medal, Individual relay in World Championships 2019 Bronze Medal, Mass start, World Championships 2020 Silver Medal, Individual / Bronze Medal, Individual relay, World Championships 2021 |
| 5 | Christoffer Sundgren | Curling |
Gold Medal, World Championship 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 Silver Medal, World Championship 2014, 2017 Silver Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 |
| 6 | Niklas Edin | Curling | 4th at Olympics Vancouver 2010 Bronze Medal, World Championship 2011, 2012 Gold Medal, World Championship 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 Bronze Medal, Olympics Sochi 2014 Silver Medal, World Championship 2017 Silver Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 |
| 7 | Oskar Eriksson | Curling | 4th at Olympics Vancouver 2010 Bronze Medal, World Championship 2011, 2012 Gold Medal, World Championship 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 Bronze Medal, Olympics Sochi 2014 Silver Medal, World Championship 2014, 2017 Silver Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 Gold Medal, Mixed Doubles, World Championship 2019 Bronze Medal, Mixed Doubles, World Championship 2021 |
| 8 | Rasmus Wranå | Curling | Silver Medal, Mixed Doubles, World Championship 2015 Silver Medal, World Championship 2017 Silver Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 Gold Medal, World Championship 2018, 2019, 2021 |
| 9 | Agnes Knochenhauer | Curling | Silver Medal, World Championship 2013, 2018, 2019 Silver Medal, Olympics Sochi 2014 4th at World Championship 2017, 2021 Gold Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 |
| 10 | Anna Hasselborg | Curling | 4th at World Championship 2017, 2021 Gold Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 Silver Medal, World Championship 2018, 2019 Gold Medal, Mixed Doubles, World Championship 2019 |
| 11 | Sara McManus | Curling | 4th at World Championship 2017, 2021 Gold Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 Silver Medal, World Championship 2018, 2019 |
| 12 | Sofia Mabergs | Curling | 4th at World Championship 2017, 2021 Gold Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 Silver Medal, World Championship 2018, 2019 |
| 13 | Johanna Heldin | Curling | 4th at Youth Olympic Games 2012 Silver Medal, Mixed Doubles, World Championship 2015, 2016 Silver Medal, World Championship 2019 |
| Paralympians | |||
| 14 | Ebba Årsjö | Alpine Class: LW4 | Gold Medal, Giant slalom, World Championship 2019, 2020 Gold Medal, Giant Slalom x2, Slalom x1, Super-G x2, World Championship 2020, 2021 |
| 15 | Aaron Lindström | Alpine Class: LW6/8-2 | Silver Medal, Slalom, World Cup 2017 7th in Slalom, Paralympics PyeongChang 2018 Bronze Medal, Slalom, World Cup 2018, 2020 |
| 16 | Zebastian Modin | Cross-country Class: B1/ Biathlon Class: B1 |
Bronze Medal, 1km classical sprint, Paralympics Vancouver 2010 Silver Medal - Relay/Sprint, Bronze Medal - 20km classical, Paralympics Sochi 2014 Gold Medal, World Cup 2016, 2018 Silver Medal, Paralympics PyeongChang 2018 Gold Medal - Sprint, Silver Medal - Long Distance, World Championship 2019 |
| 17 | Viljo Petersson-Dahl | Wheelchair Curling | Participation in Paralympics PyeongChang 2018 Bronze Medal, World Championship 2020 |
| 18 | Ronny Persson | Wheelchair Curling | Participation in Paralympics PyeongChang 2018 Bronze Medal, World Championship 2020 |
| 19 | Mats-Ola Engborg | Wheelchair Curling | Participation in Paralympics PyeongChang 2018 Bronze Medal, World Championship 2020 |
| 20 | Kristina Ulander | Wheelchair Curling | Silver Medal, World Championship 2013 7th at Paralympics Sochi 2014 Participation in Paralympics PyeongChang 2018 Bronze Medal, World Championship 2020 |
| Legendary Olympians | |||
| 21 | Frida Hansdotter | Alpine | Bronze Medal, World Championship 2013, 2017 5th at Olympics Sochi 2014 Silver Medal, World Cup 2014, 2015 Gold Medal, World Cup 2016 Gold Medal, Olympics PyeongChang 2018 Bronze Medal, World Cup 2018 |
