Craft Sportswear
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Craft Sportswear (previously known as Craft of Scandinavia) is a Swedish producer of functional sports apparel. The company is based in Borås, an old and traditional textile industry town in the South of Sweden. The initial concept of its founder Anders Bengtsson was to develop underwear that propels moisture away from the skin during physical activity. Craft started with technical base layers and soon developed the three-layer principle with a second layer of insulation and moisture transportation as well as an outer shell for protection. Today, the company offers gear for many sports, it specializes in layer three for running, triathlon, bike and cross-country skiing.
History
In 1973, Swede Anders Bengtsson started developing a base layer material that transports moisture (sweat) away from the skin. Bengtsson tested his designs by weighing his gear after exercise sessions. He used polyester fibers, which only absorb a minimum amount of moisture, and worked them into a weaving construction. The resulting capillary action further promotes moisture expulsion transporting sweat from the skin to the outer surface of the garment where it quickly evaporates. The brand Craft of Sweden was officially founded in 1977. In addition to technical baselayers, the company soon started producing second layer garments (focused on fleece material) and outerwear.
Company takeovers
New Wave Group acquired the brand in 1996.
Sponsorships
Craft is the official supplier and sponsor of numerous association football teams, players and associations, including:
Associations
Basket
National teams
- Template:Flagicon Finland (since August 2023)
Club teams
- Template:Flagicon Alliance Sport Alsace
- Template:Flagicon Limoges CSP (2020-)
- Template:Flagicon Södertälie BBK
- Template:Flagicon Uppsala Basket
- Template:Flagicon Luleå BBK (women)
- Template:Flagicon BC Luleå (men)
- Template:Flagicon Östersund Basket (women)
- Template:Flagicon Mark Basket (women)
- Template:Flagicon Sjuhärads Basket (women)
- Template:Flagicon Borås Basket (men)
Curling
National teams
- Template:Flagicon Norway
- Template:Flagicon Switzerland
- Template:Flagicon Lithuania
Football
Club teams
Europe
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- Template:Flagicon Ordino
- Template:Flagicon Gent
- Template:Flagicon AGF Aarhus
- Template:Flagicon Helsingør
- Template:Flagicon Frem
- Template:Flagicon KÍ Klaksvík
- Template:Flagicon AC Oulu
- Template:Flagicon PS Kemi
- Template:Flagicon Darmstadt 98
- Template:Flagicon Moulier
- Template:Flagicon Almere
- Template:Flagicon VVV-Venlo
- Template:Flagicon Fredrikstad FK
- Template:Flagicon Åsane Fotball
- Template:Flagicon Hammarby
- Template:Flagicon IFK Göteborg
- Template:Flagicon Trelleborgs FF
- Template:Flagicon Varbergs BoIS
- Template:Flagicon Aarau
Gymnastics
National teams
- Template:Flagicon Sweden (since september 2020)
Handball
National teams
- Template:Hb (since July 2019)
Club teams
- Men
- Template:Flagicon Bordeaux Bruges Lormont Handball (since 2022 - 2023 season)
- Template:Flagicon Dunkerque Handball Grand Littoral
- Template:Flagicon Fenix Toulouse Handball
- Template:Flagicon Limoges Hand 87
- Template:Flagicon Massy Essonne Handball
- Template:Flagicon Saint-Raphaël Var Handball
- Template:Flagicon Strasbourg Eurométropole Handball
- Template:Flagicon SC DHfK Leipzig Handball (since September 2020)
- Template:Flagicon AMO HK
- Template:Flagicon Hammarby IF HF
- Women
- Template:Flagicon Odense Håndbold (since July 2019)
- Template:Flagicon Brest Bretagne Handball (since 2020)
- Template:Flagicon Mérignac Handball
- Template:Flagicon Atlantique Nantes (since 2020 – 2021 season)
Ski
- Template:Flagicon Sweden (since January 2019)
- Template:Flagicon Norway (since 2022-2023 season)
- Template:Flagicon France (since 2022-2023 season)
Biathlon
- Template:Flagicon Norway (since 2022-2023 season)
- Template:Flagicon France (since 2022-2023 season)
- Template:Flagicon Canada
Swimming
National teams
- Template:Flagicon Faroe Islands (since January 2020)
- Template:Flagicon Sweden (since September 2021)
- Template:Flagicon Denmark
Volleyball
National teams
Club teams
- Template:Flagicon Volley Mulhouse Alsace (Asptt Mulhouse) (Women) (since August 2021 until 2025)
- Template:Flagicon M.O.Mougins Volleyball (Women) (since August 2021)
- Template:Flagicon DSC Volleyball Damen (Women) (since July 2019)
- Template:Flagicon EVS (Women)
- Template:Flagicon Lunds VK
- Template:Flagicon Sollentuna VK
- Template:Flagicon BIWI VFM (Woman)
- Template:Flagicon Lausanne UC
- Template:Flagicon TSV Jona Volleyball
Floorball
National teams
Club teams
- Template:Flagicon FBC Kalmarsund
- Template:Flagicon Karlstad Innebandy
- Template:Flagicon Zug United
Track and field
National teams
- Template:Flagicon Denmark
- Template:Flagicon Finland
- Template:Flagicon Faroe Islands
- Template:Flagicon Sweden
- Template:Flagicon Luxembourg
Other sports
The Craft athlete team includes several national teams, among them the Swedish National XC-Team, as well as individual athletes such as Marit Björgen, Charlotte Kalla, Rene Poulsen, and Kaisa Mäkäräinen
Craft also supplies specific apparel to the Orica-BikeExchange professional cycling team.
Sponsored Events: Vasaloppet, Tour de Ski (Presenting Sponsor), Bike Trans Germany (Title Sponsor), Vätternrundan, Tjejmilen, and Stockholm Halvmarathon.
Notable individual sponsorships
In addition to team sponsorships, Craft endorses a number of individual athletes, ensuring a presence in key sports disciplines.
Track and field
- Noel Mulkey File:Flag of the United States.svg USA – Triathlete
- Robert B Killian Jr. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA – Triathlete
Elite Run Team
- Tim Tollefson File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- David Sinclair File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Tommy Rivs File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Jacob Puzey File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Tessa Chesser File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Grant Barnette File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Emkay Sullivan File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Manuela Vilaseca File:Flag of Brazil.svg BRA
- David Laney File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Alexander Holmblad File:Flag of Sweden.svg SWE
- Jupiter Carera File:Flag of Mexico.svg MEX
- Arlen Glick File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Tommy Sullivan File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Mary Denholm File:Flag of the United States.svg USA
- Linus Hultegård File:Flag of Sweden.svg SWE
- Johan Lantz File:Flag of Sweden.svg SWE
- Joacim Lantz File:Flag of Sweden.svg SWE
- Elov Olsson File:Flag of Sweden.svg SWE
Skiing
Partners
Craft also partners with events and brands for performance apparel for race and event merchandise programs, including the following brands:[3]
- Lifetime Run – Official apparel partner
- Ragnar Relay Series – Official apparel provider
- Spartan – Official performance apparel and footwear partner
- Miami Marathon – Official apparel provider
- RunCharlotte – Official apparel partner
- Running USA – Official apparel partner
- M3S Sports – Official athleticwear partner
- Big Blue Adventure – Official apparel partner
- Texas Bigstar Half Marathon – Official apparel partner
Critics
Craft is sometimes criticized for having its clothes produced in low-wage countries. This is where the production of fabrics and clothing takes place.
References
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