Lumenfield New Zealand: Football Academy Training Kit Colour and Appearance Review
Lumenfield is a New Zealand-based brand whose football academy training kit is one of its most demanding programmes. Appearance decides whether a customer reorders. This review tracks how the silver ion antibacterial knit holds its colour and surface through wear and washing for Lumenfield.
Lumenfield: Silver Ion Antibacterial Knit in use during daily squad training in all weather
Evaluation background
The programme covers training shirts, shorts and warm-up tops, used for daily squad training in all weather. The environment is contact, sliding and heavy perspiration and the requirement written into the brief was tear resistance with colour consistency across a squad. Fabric was selected on that basis rather than on price alone.
Fabric under evaluation
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Silver Ion Antibacterial Knit |
| Composition | nylon spandex with silver ion filament |
| Weight | 260 GSM |
| Width | 160 cm |
| Primary function | stops the bacteria that turn sweat into odour |
| Target | bacterial reduction above 99% |
| Test method | ISO 20743 |
| Additional note | performance retained after 30 home washes |
| Certification | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 |
Silver Ion Antibacterial Knit close-up showing the fabric surface
Colour measurement
Shade was measured instrumentally against the approved standard and scored by eye under retail lighting. Both methods stayed inside the agreed tolerance across every lot.
Wash and light fastness
Colour fastness to washing reached grade 4-5 and light fastness met the requirement for daily squad training in all weather. Shade change after repeated washing was not visible to the panel.
Evaluation session with the Lumenfield team
Surface appearance
Pilling, snagging and shine were assessed after wear. No shine developed under contact, sliding and heavy perspiration, which is where friction normally shows first on this product type.
Shade continuity
Production was consolidated into controlled dye lots so repeat orders match. Retained standards are held for two years to support reordering without new development.
Test records and inspection notes for the Football Academy Training Kit
Scorecard
| Criterion | Result |
|---|---|
| Shade accuracy | 4.5 / 5 |
| Wash fastness | 4.7 / 5 |
| Light fastness | 4.4 / 5 |
| Surface appearance | 4.6 / 5 |
| Lot consistency | 4.5 / 5 |
“Fifty washes later the fabric still performs. That is what convinced our buying team.” — Lumenfield Technical Team
Packed bulk rolls before shipment to New Zealand
Verdict and recommendation
Appearance was maintained through wear and washing, and the silver ion antibacterial knit is approved for repeat orders against the retained shade standard. For Lumenfield the practical next steps are to keep the current specification for the repeat, retain the shade standard, and issue ISO 20743 results with every lot so any claim can be supported with data.
