Could they make the brief?
Fit, stretch direction, specialist seam treatments and ventilation all had to be understood as performance decisions.
Development / Record 01
Prototype study / film
16:9 · Landscape
The development record
Premium is the work
before the product.
January onwards · More than 40 routes reviewed · Three prototypes refined
01
What premium means here
Not a label · A record
Made through
questions.
Origine did not move from idea to production in one step. Each search, brief and sample made the next question more precise.
The development record begins in January with an immediate search for a manufacturing route. It continues through four dated technical briefs, three physical prototype stages made in Italy and testing during real padel sessions.
The aim is not to present every early idea as a success. It is to show how design, stitching and material decisions are tested before they are allowed into the final garment.
40+Manufacturing routes researched
4Technical brief revisions
3Physical prototype stages
≈15Players involved in early testing
02
The partner search
January to early June 2026
Italy was the outcome.
Not the assumption.
The idea for Padel Movement began in January. The search for people capable of making it began immediately.
Potential partners and production routes were considered in Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Turkey, China and Vietnam. Further options in Lithuania, Serbia and Ireland were also reviewed.
The question was never just who could make a shirt. Each route had to be judged against technical capability, access to the right fabric, viable prototype quantities, responsiveness and a willingness to solve problems together.
- 01Portugal
- 02United Kingdom
- 03Italy
- 04Spain
- 05Turkey
- 06China
- 07Vietnam
- 08Lithuania
- 09Serbia
- 10Ireland
Could they support the beginning?
The route had to allow real samples and a pilot at a workable cost before demanding the large production volumes expected by many factories.
Could they meet the tech pack?
The fabric had to meet the technical performance requirements and cost parameters without pushing the product toward a standard catalogue.
Would they solve it with us?
Clear communication, honest challenge and close collaboration mattered as much as machinery and technical knowledge.
Why Italy
The decision arrived
through the work.
Until early June there was no certainty that Jersey Lomellina or Niki Confezioni would become part of Origine.
Niki Confezioni first explored a fabric through its preferred supplier. It did not completely match the requirements in the tech pack so the search continued rather than the product being compromised.
After many discussions about technical performance and the cost parameters the product needed to meet, Niki searched further and recommended Jersey Lomellina.
That recommendation led to Renew Style. Niki then brought the specialist garment development, pattern work and patient support required to turn the brief into physical samples.
The collaboration made Italy the chosen route. It was a conscious decision for product quality, responsible material and a closer supply chain rather than the lowest cost option.
Jersey Lomellina
Renew Style · 90% recycled polyamide · 10% elastane
Niki Confezioni
Sampling · Pattern development · Specialist construction
03
The stages
April onwards 2026
Every version
left evidence.
-
The original brief
Define the problem first.
The first brief established the player and the movement demands. It called for an athletic fit that was neither tight nor loose with freedom for overhead shots, rotation and lateral movement.
The material was still open. The starting point considered microfilament polyester with elastane at approximately 115 to 125 g/m².
- Design
- Fit, shoulder movement and hem position
- Stitching
- Flatlock with bonded shoulder construction to explore
- Material
- Performance requirements not yet a final fabric
Brief 01 / Sketch -
The material direction
Challenge the first answer.
The next briefs moved away from the original polyester direction toward recycled polyamide with elastane at approximately 140 to 150 g/m².
Softness, a matte appearance, low moisture absorption and resistance to clinging and pilling became explicit requirements.
- Design
- The silhouette remained athletic and unrestricted
- Stitching
- Flatlock and bonded options remained under review
- Material
- Recycled polyamide became the preferred direction
Material / Review -
The construction brief
Turn movement into detail.
The fourth brief became more specific. It requested an extended raglan construction and asked the pattern to use vertical stretch to limit hem movement during overhead shots.
Bonded shoulder seams, tonal flatlock at the sides and underarms, bonded hems and underarm perforation were identified as construction routes to test with the manufacturer.
- Design
- Extended raglan and vertical stretch orientation
- Stitching
- Different seam treatments for different areas
- Material
- 90% recycled polyamide and 10% elastane target
Construction / Detail -
Physical sample 01
Move from paper to court.
The first Italian sample round produced five short sleeve raglan tops. The sample record confirms a composition of 90% recycled polyamide and 10% elastane.
These garments existed for testing rather than sale. Fit, shirt movement, seam awareness, breathability and comfort could now be judged during play.
- Design
- Assess fit through overheads and rotation
- Stitching
- Identify rubbing, irritation or noticeable seams
- Material
- Assess feel, weight, cling and moisture response
Sample 01 / Court -
Physical sample 02
Amend and examine again.
The second Italian sample round included one short sleeve top and one long sleeve top with pattern and style amendments. Printing was introduced so branding could be judged on the garment.
A separate sewing technique sample travelled with the garments. Construction could be considered as a physical detail rather than an abstract specification.
- Design
- Review amended pattern and branding placement
- Stitching
- Compare the supplied sewing technique
- Material
- Continue evaluating the 90% recycled blend
Sample 02 / Review -
Physical prototype 03
Let the detail improve.
Testing identified a crease at the neckline. It was a precise construction issue that could be carried back to Niki Confezioni.
Niki strengthened the neckline in the third prototype. The change removed the crease and created a cleaner more stable finish.
Further feedback led to upgraded material at the flatlock seams and the removal of stitching across the shoulder.
- Design
- A cleaner neckline during wear
- Stitching
- Additional support through strengthened neck construction
- Material
- The chosen fabric retained while construction changed
Prototype 03 / Neckline
04
The feedback method
What players are asked
Test what can
be noticed.
The pilot does not begin by asking whether the top feels premium. It asks where the garment interrupts the player.
Testing extended beyond one opinion and included around 15 players.
The first wear test came from a coach before the testing group widened.
Typical sessions fell during the St Albans heatwave. Covered court conditions were likely hotter.
Four documented responses
A small sample.
A small sample.
A consistent signal.
These results come from four completed written forms within the wider wear test. They are development evidence rather than laboratory claims.
Breathability scored 6, 7 and 10 with one tester choosing not to score it. It remains under observation.
Better fabric quality
Every tester rated the fabric quality above the top they normally chose to play in.
Competitive match ready
Every tester said they would choose the top for a competitive match.
Comfort maintained
In the version recorded by these forms no tester reported rubbing or irritation. All four remained comfortable and none found the fabric heavy.
“I like the feel of the top and how once soaked dried very quickly.”
“Great feel to the fabric. Totally unrestrictive.”
“Fabric.”
Names removed. Player level retained only to give context.
“I noticed a fold on the collar.”
Niki Confezioni strengthened the neckline in the third prototype. The crease was resolved and the finish became cleaner and more stable.
“Itchy stitching.”
Two players used the same words in verbal feedback. The material used at the flatlock seams was upgraded to improve comfort.
Remove what is not needed.
Feedback led to the stitch line across the shoulder being removed rather than accepted as part of the original construction.
“Did the shirt ride up, twist or move excessively during play?”
Fit is considered through the actual movements of the sport rather than a static fitting.
“Did you notice the seams during play?”
Seam placement and finish are judged by comfort across repeated movement and long sessions.
“Did the fabric feel heavy or cling to your body when sweating?”
Fabric feedback covers feel, breathability, moisture management and comfort throughout the session.
05
Decisions made visible
From open question to chosen direction
The material
did change.
Polyester considered
85 to 92% microfilament polyester with elastane at 115 to 125 g/m².
Recycled polyamide preferred
A softer matte direction at approximately 140 to 150 g/m².
Renew Style
90% recycled polyamide and 10% elastane by Jersey Lomellina at 145 g/m².
Design feedback
Does it stay with the player?
The pattern is assessed through overhead extension, torso rotation and repeated changes of direction. Hem movement, twisting and restriction are recorded rather than assumed.
Stitching feedback
Can the seam disappear?
Shoulder, side, underarm and hem construction are considered separately. Verbal feedback led to upgraded material at the flatlock seams and the removal of stitching across the shoulder.
Material feedback
How does it behave in use?
Players assess softness, breathability, moisture response, cling and weight across two sessions before the final product decision is made.
The standard
Premium is not
the first answer.
It is the decision that still makes sense after the next sample and the next session.
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