6 Sustainable Designers Who Are Doing Blokette Differently
Hood Baby tops
Blokette has proven itself to be a lasting and defining aesthetic of the decade, but the sports jersey has transcended any single style and emerged as a canvas for cultural commentary and personal expression. Once a symbol of masculinity, the jersey is now a playground for fluidity where designers and wearers alike blur the lines between the masculine and the feminine, and explore everything in between and beyond.
This shift has paved the way for a wave of designers who are doing things differently, using the jersey as a building block for contemporary designs that challenge traditional narratives surrounding gender and sportswear. These designers are reimagining the jersey, transforming it into something entirely new—artistic, androgynous, and rich with personal and cultural significance.
Below, we’re highlighting six upcycle designers who are leading the charge, redefining what a sports jersey can be, and pushing the boundaries of upcycling and sustainable fashion in new and unexpected ways.
Latine-owned | Bogotá-based
Manchado, a multidisciplinary artist from Bogotá, Colombia, reanimates the sports jersey through a reclamation of the counterfeit culture prevalent in Colombia. Through his work, he challenges machismo, using these recontextualized jerseys to disrupt and subvert traditional narratives.
Woman-owned | London-based
Hairy Mary, founded by Rosie Barton in 2021, is an independent British slow fashion brand that handcrafts vintage-inspired, one-of-a-kind garments with a playful nod to post-punk and Celtic heritage. Each piece is a quirky blend of nostalgia and creativity, lovingly stitched from ethically sourced materials, with 5% of profits supporting the Maggie's Centre in Oxford in honor of Rosie's late mother.
Latina-owned | NYC-based
Founded by sustainable designer Mia Marquez, Recovered by M transforms secondhand jerseys with her signature shirred waist detail. Each piece is upcycled by Marquez in NYC.
Latina-owned | LA-based
Hood Baby is a Honduran woman-owned brand specializing in sustainable and upcycled pieces. Drawing inspiration from LA and Latin aesthetics, their reworked coquettish tops have been seen on artists from Young Miko to Tyla.
Vancouver-based
Ugly Garments is the brainchild of designer Ugly Beige. Made from deadstock material, Ugly Garments' jersey dress is a playful fusion of sportswear and femininity.
London-based
Conner Ives redefines Americana through sustainable fashion. His work, deeply rooted in nostalgia and memories of the women he grew up with, elevates deadstock and vintage garments into desirable, responsibly-made pieces that challenge traditional notions of craft.