Going For It is our Spaceship series where we speak to people who are doing just that — going for it. Whether in business, sport, the arts or anything in between, we share stories about people who are invested in achieving big feats (and changing lives in the process).
Scoring an internship at Adidas HQ in Germany, where you get to work on producing the kits that your favourite football teams wear, is a dream for many soccer fans.
For Kevin Chan from Queensland, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that kick-started his career in fashion — but not in the way that he expected.
Being immersed in the world of football product marketing, he saw an opportunity that sparked a business idea, and Unwanted FC was born.
Unwanted FC is making waves in the fashion industry with their innovative perspective on football merchandise.
This upcycling brand is tackling the problem of waste in fashion by repurposing unwanted jerseys and kits and giving them a new — and arguably, more fashionable — life.
Through their commitment to circular fashion and their strong ties to the soccer community, Unwanted FC has built up a loyal community.
From working with the likes of Matilda’s player, Alex Chidiac, as well as football giant Nike, Unwanted FC is carving out a name for themselves among globally recognised brands.
We sat down with Co-founder, Kevin Chan, to talk about the birth of the business and what it’s taken to really go for it.
How it started
Growing up in Brisbane, Queensland in the 90s, Kevin grew up playing the beautiful game. After pursuing a marketing degree, he got the opportunity to go to Germany and work for Adidas, arguably one of the biggest supporters of football in the world.
“As football product marketing interns at Adidas, you get a great chance to learn about how big brands operate,” says Kevin. He then came back to Australia and pursued a career as a fashion buyer and digital marketer.
During his brief stint at Adidas, he saw many products and samples that were not going to hit shelves go to waste.
“People from higher up would tell the interns, ‘Hey, this ended up changing in colour or there’s a different sponsor, so can you just send it off to get destroyed?’ And as a football fan, that really hurt...I knew that there are people in this world that would appreciate those garments.”
“So I sent some of the samples back home to Australia." says Kevin.
While he donated some jerseys to charities, Kevin also had the idea to use the garments to create entirely new products. He engaged local tailors and fashion designers to rework the samples into new products.
The response from family, friends — and even strangers on social media — validated these early prototypes. “We quickly realised that there was a community of conscious football consumers who resonated with this sustainable approach.”
How it works
Unwanted FC turns used football merchandise into completely new items. Customers can send in their old shirts and pay for the reworking service, breathing new life into their beloved jerseys. Additionally, the brand receives donations of jerseys, enabling them to repurpose even more garments.
Kevin emphasises their commitment to circular fashion by stating,
"We're challenging the norm and doing the exact opposite of what fast fashion is doing."
Unwanted FC aims to create a closed-loop system, where garments are continually repurposed, minimising the environmental impact of fashion waste. This mindset has allowed Unwanted FC to experiment with new product lines, such as bespoke tote bags, boot bags, and side bags, expanding their offerings while staying true to their mission.
The role of community and the question of authenticity
The soccer community has played a pivotal role in Unwanted FC's success. Kevin goes so far as to say that without the community, there wouldn’t be much point for the business to exist.
"They're the people who matter,” says Kevin, “Like-minded individuals who care about the same issues that myself and my brother care about."
Through engaging with the global soccer community, both online and through overseas research trips, Unwanted FC has connected with individuals who share their love for the sport and their commitment to sustainability.
More broadly speaking, the brand has been able to tap into the identity that surrounds being a soccer fan. The football fandom is arguably one of the strongest in the world, with different segments centred around specific clubs, iconic players and the actual merchandise itself.
By tapping into the passion and dedication of soccer enthusiasts, as well as leveraging the nostalgia of the sport’s long history, Unwanted FC has not only built a loyal and supportive customer base, but also carved out its own unique niche — which, at first glance, appears to fly in the face of the community’s love of authenticity.
“Growing up surrounded by amazing vintage soccer memorabilia, I can understand the love of authenticity and making sure you got the official gear,” says Kevin. “I think to this day, people who appreciate football and football culture, do frown upon buying bootleg jerseys, because you're taking away the credibility of the designer and the club’s legacy, as well as not supporting them directly.”
To maintain the integrity of the garments, Unwanted FC only uses authentic kits in their upcycled ranges, which are available for purchase through their online store. However, when it comes to custom reworks, the brand is open to working with bootleg material if the customer requests it — which keeps their manufacturing process aligned to their ESG values.
Successes with Nike and Alex Chidiac
Unwanted FC's commitment to sustainability and their unique brand caught the attention of Nike.
The brand partnered with Unwanted FC for a significant campaign featuring the Matildas, Australia's national women's soccer team, ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Kevin describes the experience as surreal, stating, "To be able to tell a story with them... it's just unreal."
The collaboration resulted in captivating videos and images, showcasing Unwanted FC’s innovative products, such as the iconic jersey dress. This partnership with Nike brought increased visibility of the brand and recognition of Unwanted FC's mission of sustainability.
Another notable success was their collaboration with Alex Chidiac, a Matildas’ player. Alex, known for her commitment to social and environmental issues, collaborated with Unwanted FC to upcycle and resell her old playing garments.
The proceeds from this collaboration were donated to Moving The Goalposts, an organisation in Kenya that aims to socially and economically empower girls through football. This initiative demonstrated Unwanted FC's ability to merge business and social impact, creating positive social outcomes by reinvesting in the sport that they love.
The realities of entrepreneurship
Like many entrepreneurs in the startup phase of their business, Kevin juggles the responsibilities of Unwanted FC with a 9 to 5 job. He credits his ability to succeed at both to technology and changing work conditions.
“When it comes to remote work, there's a lot of trust that employees are given, so I'm really grateful that I can work flexibly.”
The realities of work days, however, aren’t for the faint hearted. “I wake up early in the morning and pack orders, and then start work,” says Kevin. “Sometimes at lunch time, I might have to take a calls, then I get back to it after my day job is finished.”
Kevin acknowledges the demanding nature of being an entrepreneur, stating,
"I'm always on... I'm always thinking about how we can convert better. It might seem glamorous at the beginning, but you're doing so much. You have to look after content creation, which takes time. So does engaging on social media, replying to emails, replying to customers…”
Kevin shares that he has implemented strategies to balance his mental health and prevent burnout, such as setting boundaries and practicing self-care. However, he emphasises the constant struggle to switch off and find a work-life balance.
“Sometimes at night, at 10 pm, I'll still be working and I really have to force myself to switch everything off.”
At Spaceship we think that long-term investing is about building a future for yourself and others that you want to live in. What future is Unwanted FC building?
“We want freedom,” says Kevin. “And when I say freedom, I mean we’re going to be able to dictate industry-wide direction. We're going to be an incredible brand spoken about by other big brands. And we're going to show the world how much impact we can make.”
Kevin's ambition is to build a brand that aligns business success with social and environmental responsibility.
He believes that the next generation of consumers will appreciate brands that prioritise sustainability and social impact.
With their commitment to circular fashion and their growing community, Unwanted FC aims to lead the way in transforming the sportswear industry towards a more conscious and sustainable future.
“I really do believe in the next five to ten years, we will be the next big thing.”
