Hayworth Athletic
Kicking convention and improving conditions in crafting a culture-defining sporting good.
The finishing stitch on a soccer ball — the stitch that takes thirty-two loosely connected panels and transforms them into a FIFA-ready game ball — is astoundingly difficult. And outside of the country of Pakistan, where roughly 75% of the world’s soccer balls are made in subpar working conditions, only a few dozen professionals know how to perform this stitch.
Two of them are found in Monguí, Colombia. Population: 5,000. Here, crafting soccer balls is so central to the local culture that there’s a statue of a woman stitching a ball in the town square. It’s here where Justin Lea, founder of Hayworth Athletic, landed after a trip around the globe. And instantly, he knew he’d found a home for his vision: a company founded on fair wages, excellent craftsmanship, and bound together with a love for the beautiful game.
Our brand identity work for Hayworth is rooted in this mutual respect, with an homage to tradition evident in carefully considered materials and a classic, restrained color palette. Our custom typography, recognized by Communication Arts, is characterized by perfect balance, and our custom soccer ball design reflects this harmony with subtle symmetry across the sphere.
After detailed design exploration and several rounds of prototyping to determine which colors scuff during gameplay — and which colors last — we’re proud of our work together with Justin’s team and what the Hayworth brand stands for: tradition and innovation stitched together in one beautiful ball, and a commitment to preserve forever the art of handmade soccer balls.
