A Farnham-based sustainability centre is working with global sports retailer Decathlon to reduce waste created by cricket equipment.

The Centre for Sustainable Design (CfSD) at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Farnham has partnered with Decathlon Cricket to accelerate sustainable innovation and improve the circularity of cricket protective gear.

The collaboration aims to tackle the growing environmental impact of damaged or discarded equipment by exploring ways products can be reused, repaired or redesigned to last longer.

As part of the partnership, CfSD is advising Decathlon Cricket on improving product circularity, running innovation workshops and supporting research into how players use their equipment, including a survey of cricketers in India.

The project followed a visit by CfSD researchers to a cricket equipment manufacturing facility in northern India in 2025. An exploratory workshop was later held at Decathlon’s offices in Bangalore, followed by a five-day innovation programme ending on February 4.

The programme was managed by Decathlon Cricket alongside CfSD director Professor Martin Charter and researcher Dr Lilian Sanchez-Moreno.

Rob Davies, sport director for cricket at Decathlon, said: “The collaboration between Lilian, Martin and my team has so far given us new perspectives on how we can continue to develop cricket equipment that is more sustainable and less quickly discarded.

“Importantly, it delivered some new product concepts that can be moved into early-stage prototypes that we look forward to testing in real-world conditions.”

Mr Charter said cricket academies in India provided an ideal opportunity to understand how equipment is used by both younger and older players.

“A significant amount of damaged gear ends up in landfill or stored, forgotten,” he said. “Brands in general have not done much to tackle the mounting problem of waste gear.

“But Decathlon Cricket in India has taken up the mantle and joined forces with us to reduce the environmental impacts of the game.”

CfSD said it will continue working with Decathlon Cricket in India to incorporate circular design principles into protective equipment development.