Silver lining to All Blacks jersey
The Dominion Post
Relevant offers
News
All Blacks past and present are part of a thread of futuristic-sounding technology which has the backing of captain Richie McCaw.
Fibre-imprinting nanotechnology developed at Canterbury University is going to get rugby fans closer than ever to the national team. The names of as many as 100,000 fans are to be printed on to a single thread which will be sewn into the silver fern on a special- edition jersey in a campaign organised by All Blacks sponsor adidas.
McCaw visited the MacDiarmid Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology to learn about the process and inspect a jersey with the names of all 1073 past and present all Blacks stitched into the silver fern.
"I never thought it was possible, but it's a cool concept. It's very special to see everyone's name lined up there," McCaw said.
The jersey will be presented to McCaw and the All Blacks at November's Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong.
The intricate stitching process was developed by Professor Richard Blaikie and research engineer Gary Turner.
Professor Blaikie equated the stitching technology to a "very, very, very sharp pencil" which could write 100 names per millimetre. The scale of the work was not particularly challenging. It was the use of a thread that presented the greatest challenges.
He likened the technology to imprinting information on a credit card, bank note, compact disc or DVD – except it was in fibre form. "We're used to imprinting on to silicon chip-type substrates and so Gary and I did a whole lot of work to get it working on fibres. There were a lot of failures and head scratching. Then I thought we'd try something new, so we got it to work."
Marketing manager for adidas New Zealand John Beckett said: "When you put your name on the jersey, you are literally part of it – the fabric of a nation."
Sponsored links
All Whites team for Cup warm-up named
Robin Brooke apologisies for Fiji actions
Loyal NZ cricketing servants XI
Rugby's new rules slant tipped to favour Super 14 powerhouses
Waikato Pistons sign troublesome talent
West Indies falter in Adelaide
Suspended Manawatu footballer claims assault
Aussies to contest women's cycling tour
Sacha Jones produces breakthrough tennis effort
Weather follows court in delaying America's Cup
Rugby icon Fred 'The Needle' Allen turns 90
Key confirms GST increase being considered
ACC admits sending confidential info in error
Police chase in south Canterbury
King Kong ship meets watery grave
Robin Brooke apologisies for Fiji actions
Toyota apologises as Prius recalled
Key signals mining on conservation land
Pattinson sex scenes 'disturbing'
Suspended Manawatu footballer claims assault
Body found in plane's landing gear
'Saviour' accused of enslaving women
Weather follows court in delaying America's Cup
Key confirms GST increase being considered
Vicious Facebook attack on new Burnside High principal
Tax plan will hit property investment
Body found in plane's landing gear
Pattinson sex scenes 'disturbing'
Tax plan will hit property investment
Key confirms GST increase being considered
Fake speed radars used to fool motorists
A pass for Key, but much more to do
I like gaming but I also like...
You must have been an average baby