While I’m a huge football fan (soccer to our friends in the U.S), I’ve never had the desire to actually play it. One of the reasons is the few times I’ve tried kicking a ball around, I always feel like I hurt my foot because the balls are just too hard. If there was probably a ball that was softer but still had the same quality as the regular football, then maybe I might have been convinced to play a few pick up matches. This new ball from Nendo House is one kind of ball that might have turned me into a (barely) passable football player if it was existed when I was younger.
Designer: Nendo House
The “My Football Kit” is a lightweight football that you can assemble yourself and does not require any inflation. It is made from soft, recycled polypropylene and elastomeric synthetic resin components so they’re not as heavy as the regular football and won’t hurt feet even if you’re not wearing kicks. It is an airless football so it uses the resilience of its surface material instead of the internal air pressure.
What’s more, you will assemble the football itself with its 54 individual parts that uses three types of components. The structure is inspired by the traditional Japanese woven bamboo ball. And even if one of the parts comes off when you’re playing, the ball will not fall apart since it has an interlocking structure. You can also replace the broken components so you can continue using the ball for a long time.
There’s also a pretty cool social aspect to this football. With every purchase you make, one ball will be donated. And for every 10 purchases, Molten will donate footballs to places like children’s homes or special support schools. The My Football Kit is available in just one color, a white and black combination. But the colors of the balls that will be donated will depend on the manufacturer and the availability.
