---
title: "English soccer club integrates 3D printing in new kit launch"
url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/english-soccer-club-integrates-3d-printing-in-new-kit-launch/
date: 2026-06-07
modified: 2026-06-06
lang: en
author: "Joseph Caron-Dawe"
description: "Crewe Alexandra FC used full-color 3D printing as the centerpiece of its 2026-27 home kit reveal, working with official printer partner and Mimaki distributor Hybrid Services to produce a miniature..."
categories:
  - "3D Printing Processes"
  - "Product Launch"
  - "Sports Equipment"
tags:
  - "future"
image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Crewe-Alexandra-3D-printed-kit-launch-01-640x389.jpg
word_count: 264
---

# English soccer club integrates 3D printing in new kit launch

Crewe Alexandra FC used [full-color 3D printing](https://www.voxelmatters.com/the-exhilarating-fun-of-creating-full-color-3d-printed-figures-with-ai-and-mimaki-technology/) as the centerpiece of its 2026-27 home kit reveal, working with official printer partner and Mimaki distributor Hybrid Services to produce a miniature figure of club captain Mickey Demetriou wearing the new Puma shirt.

![English soccer club Crewe Alexandra FC integrates 3D printing in new kit launch](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Crewe-Alexandra-3D-printed-kit-launch-02-227x340.jpg)

“[We're constantly amazed at the capabilities of the various Mimaki technologies](https://www.voxelmatters.com/mimaki-europe-to-showcase-full-color-3d-printing-at-formnext-2024/), and ever since we first saw the full color 3D printer in action, we had an idea to somehow include it in a big production for the club,” said James Beckett, Head of Commercial at Crewe Alexandra.

Demetriou was scanned at the club using an [Artec Leo 3D scanner](https://www.voxelmatters.com/artec-3d-officially-unveils-artec-leo-first-ai-based-handheld-3d-scanner/), which captured shirt textures, branding elements and facial features. Europac 3D handled post-processing and color balancing before transferring the files to Hybrid Services, whose headquarters are very close to the club’s stadium.

[Hybrid produced the figure on a Mimaki 3DUJ-2207](https://www.voxelmatters.com/here-is-the-new-compact-full-colour-mimaki-3duj-2207-uv-inkjet-3d-printer/), a platform the company stated is capable of reproducing more than 10 million colors, allowing for accurate skin tones, gradients and fine surface detail to be incorporated directly into the printed object. The finished model stood approximately 20cm tall.

The figure served as the focal point of the club's kit launch video, which documented the full production process before revealing Demetriou alongside his printed likeness on the pitch, and Hybrid also produced smaller versions of the model for Demetriou's children.

“Kit launches are always popular with our fans on social media, but this one has done incredibly well,” Beckett said. “No pun intended, but the 3D print from the Mimaki added another dimension to it, making it all the more intriguing and memorable.”