Boxes of unworn Team GB kit

Inside a warehouse on England's south coast, pristine Team GB clothing from Paris 2024 and Milan Cortina 2026 sits untouched in boxes.

New resale partnership launches

Team GB has partnered with Kitround, a specialist resale platform, to sell surplus clothing and unsold merchandise. The initial launch will include seven hundred items from Paris 2024, with proceeds supporting the Team GB Foundation.

Up to one hundred thousand items yearly

Five thread, a consultancy specialising in sustainability, estimates that up to one hundred thousand items of sports kit end up in UK landfill every year.

Why excess stock builds up

Kit is often bought before athletes are confirmed for events, creating excess stock at the point of order. Sponsorship contracts sometimes include value in kind arrangements that incentivise receiving free product rather than purchasing.

“A lot of this kit is bought before they know which athletes are going to complete in the sport or the event. So there's a lot of excess stock generated at the point of order.”

Contracts block resale

Sponsorship and supply agreements often prohibit reuse because companies do not want surplus stock on the market or wish to hold back particular innovations. These contractual obstacles prevent perfectly usable clothing from being passed on.

“Contracts can prohibit reuse because they don't want it on the market or there might be a particular innovation that they want to hold back.”

Athletes discard nearly new kit

British kitesurfer Lily Young, targeting a place at the Los Angeles Olympics in twenty twenty-eight, says athletes preparing for major championships want to leave nothing to chance.

“this is basically brand new, but it's not quite good enough to maybe win”

Resale lowers barriers to entry

Organisations including Sail GP and the Royal Yachting Association are using specialist platforms to sell second-hand elite kit to the public at much lower prices.

“We know that one of the main barriers to entry is cost.”

Team GB tightens ordering practices

Jen Rouse, managing director of the Team GB Foundation, says ordering is becoming more precise and the amount left over is reducing.

Kit made to be worn

Adam Stevens, co-founder of Kitround, says the principle behind finding kit another home is simple.

“A kit was made to be worn. It was made to be out there on the field, on the water, in the pool, and it should be back out there.”