At Australian Sports Uniforms, our decision to move away from polyester wasn’t driven by trends or marketing. It came from lived experience.
“I’ve played sport since I was 10, coached at both local and elite levels, and spent seven seasons coaching in the AFL,” says Adam, founder of Australian Sports Uniforms. “Over that time, I repeatedly saw players dealing with skin irritation from polyester uniforms.”
That observation led to deeper questions — not just about comfort, but about what polyester actually is.
Polyester, petrol, and crude oil — what most people aren’t told
“When you’re involved in sport, you focus on the design, the sponsors, and how the uniform looks,” Adam explains. “You don’t think about what it’s made from. I wore polyester for more than 20 years without questioning it.”
That changed when he began researching microplastics and the chemicals involved in synthetic fabrics.
“I was genuinely shocked to learn that polyester is derived from petrol and crude oil. It’s a plastic. And once you realise that, you start asking hard questions — what does that mean for your skin, especially when you’re wearing it in heat, sweating into it, or exposing it to the sun?”
Polyester — including so-called “recycled polyester” made from plastic bottles — is still a petroleum-based plastic. The source may be a bottle, but the original material still comes from crude oil.
“We’ve gone from plastic bottles to stainless steel bottles because we don’t want to ingest plastics,” Adam says. “Yet we’re still putting plastic — made from petrol — directly onto our skin.”
What we see, and what we don’t
Some effects are obvious.
“Skin irritation is a big one. A lot of people struggle with polyester, especially kids who are training multiple times a week.”
Other effects are less visible.
“What we don’t see is what gets absorbed into the skin, what goes into the wash, through the washing machine, and into our waterways. Microplastics, oil-based residues, and other chemicals don’t just disappear.”
Polyester can take up to 200 years to decompose. During that time, it continues to shed microplastics into the environment.
“That didn’t sit well with me — especially when you’re making uniforms for kids across Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, everywhere.”
Why bamboo was the answer
After extensive research and testing, ASU made a deliberate decision to use bamboo fabric.
“Bamboo is a natural product. It grows quickly, it helps clean the air, and it’s better for the environment,” Adam explains. “But just as importantly, it’s better to wear.”
Bamboo fabric is:
•Naturally breathable
•Softer on the skin
•Thermoregulating (cooler in heat, warmer in cold)
•Gentle on sensitive skin
•Long-lasting and washes beautifully
“And if bamboo ever ends up in waterways, it decomposes in six months to two years — not centuries.”
ASU tested bamboo not just for sustainability, but for real-world performance: print quality, durability, breathability, fit, and longevity.
“The feedback has been phenomenal,” Adam says. “And that’s not even counting what people don’t see anymore — what their skin is no longer absorbing.”
This was never about charging more
One of the most common questions ASU receives is about price.
“We’ve kept the price exactly the same,” Adam says. “This isn’t a money-making play. This is about what people are putting on their skin — especially children — and the impact that has on their health and the environment.”
A simple question for parents and clubs
“If you’re a sports club or a parent, I’d just ask you to think about what your uniforms are made from,” Adam says. “If something is derived from petrol and crude oil, and contains dangerous chemicals, is that really what you want sitting on your skin week after week?”
At Australian Sports Uniforms, bamboo isn’t a trend. It’s a conscious decision — made for athletes, for kids, and for the future of sport.
