SEATTLE - Inter Miami continues to introduce innovative projects and the creation of their new mascot is the latest installment of the Herons to establish themselves as one of the major brands in Major League Soccer.
Inter Miami's partnership with re(boot), an upcycling company that specializes in discarded and dead-stock sports apparel to create one-of-one pieces, will give birth to the team's new mascot. Founded by Gabriella Mas, the company collects and sorts materials from soccer clubs and transforms them into street style pieces, stadium seating and more.
re(boot) seeks to promote recycling within the world of sports and, so far, they are working closely with Inter Miami, NY Red Bulls, LA Galaxy, Austin FC and the Philadelphia Union. Just last year, re(boot) launched its first collection of upcycled items made with training tops and game-worn kits and selected Miami's U-12 academy to debut its inaugural collection as a way to inspire younger generation of athletes to be more eco-conscious.
This year, Inter Miami is introducing Heron, a mascot made entirely of upcycled materials like jerseys, goalkeeper gloves, soccer balls and boots. Artist Gary Lockwood was selected to bring the idea to life with a revolutionary design.
According to re(boot), MLS goes through 12,800 pairs of boots and 5,400 soccer balls every year.
"Inter Miami was the first team to open the doors to (re)boot and its commitment to sustainability," said Mas. "Beyond the environmental impact, this mascot represents the true spirit of football fans. It is made entirely of discarded, worn player equipment, bringing history and love for the game in every single piece."
A behind-the-scenes video about the creation of Heron can be viewed here.
For years, Adidas, MLS and its teams have partnered with eco-conscious companies to create special edition jerseys and collections as a way to raise awareness for climate change and pollution.
In 2016, MLS and Adidas introduced a new partnership with Parley for the Oceans, a nonprofit environmental organization that focuses on the protection of the oceans. Every year since 2016, MLS clubs release special edition jerseys made out of plastic debris.
In their commitment to be more eco-conscious, Heron will be Inter Miami's ambassador in this regard. The new club mascot is expected to be officially unveiled during the 2024 season.
"When we realized that no other team had ever created an upcycled mascot, we were inspired to do so. After months of collecting equipment, sketches, 3D models, and the actual costume build, it's finally time," said Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro, founders of AKQA Bloom, the agency in charge of bringing Heron to life.
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