Avery Dennison, a global leader in materials science and digital identification solutions, is set to present the future of customisation, personalisation, and smart labelling that help to bring sports apparel brands to life.

During Japan Sports Week from 3-5 July at Tokyo Big Sight (also known as the Tokyo International Exhibition Center), Avery Dennison will showcase Embelex, a portfolio of solutions for on-garment branding including badges, heat transfers, and digital embellishments used by some of the world’s most popular sports teams and leagues.

This includes top tier football divisions La Liga in Spain, Major League Soccer in the USA, and the long-standing collaboration with the English Premier League that sees over 15 million names, numbers and sleeve badges produced annually.

A key highlight of the event will be the Avery Dennison Fanzone Engagement Retail Experience, which will showcase the latest innovations from Silver Crystal Group, a recently acquired Avery Dennison company focused on sports apparel customization and retail experience technology connecting consumers with authentic products.

The Fanzone Engagement Retail Experience will enable fans to discover what it is like to visit their team’s stadium and order a customised jersey through an interactive touch screen kiosk or by scanning the fanzone QR code using their mobile device. The experience will demonstrate how Avery Dennison can deliver fast and accurate jersey personalization and help drive fan retail revenue for its partners.

Company experts will be on hand to demonstrate Avery Dennison’s proprietary advanced printing and automation technology designed to increase efficiency and reduce waste throughout the entire supply chain.

Avery Dennison will present an array of digital identification solutions such as RFID, NFC and QR codes which unlock elevated fan experiences. Additional exhibits showcasing how digital technologies can better connect brands and consumers include:

- Avery’s Dennison’s embedded RFID solution, AD TexTrace Soft Knit Overlock and Soft Fabric with QR code. This new technology enables RFID functionality to be embedded into discreet custom-made woven or knitted inlays, which can then be sewn onto or inserted into products.

- (RE)BOOT QR hangtags. (RE)BOOT is an upcycling system for football clubs, connecting the worlds of sports, fashion, and circular design. Materials are recovered from football clubs and turned into new products to support the circular economy.

- Joe Montana Collection NFC-enabled woven patches sponsored by San Francisco 49ers to promote Goldbar Whiskey and 2024 Premier League Nashville soccer x music NFC-enabled patches.

Steve Mason, vice president and general manager, Embelex and Aftermarket, Apparel Solutions, Avery Dennison, says: “Brands are becoming increasingly aware of the value created by connecting the physical and digital worlds, which opens up an array of exciting engagement opportunities. Creating meaningful and immersive interactions between consumers and their favourite brands, sports teams, and entertainment franchises, drives loyalty and a sentiment of belonging and exclusivity. Our unique end-to-end digital consumer engagement solutions connect physical apparel and digital experiences to help forge deeper, more valuable and rewarding relationships directly with consumers and fans. We look forward to showcasing our ability to connect the physical and digital to unlock experiences, reward support, and drive revenue.”

To explore more about Embelex, visit embelex.averydennison.com