News CANADIAN NEWS June 13, 2024
The Bright Side: Redwood Classics Partners With New Canadian Women’s Soccer Team
The apparel supplier helped AFC Toronto launch its brand identity with quality merchandise for fans.
Toronto-based supplier Redwood Classics Apparel (asi/81627) has partnered with AFC Toronto to help launch the professional women’s soccer club’s brand identity ahead of its first season next year.
The brand officially launched at the Canada women’s national soccer team’s match against Mexico on June 4, where Redwood Classics supplied a group of avid fans with AFC Toronto-crested hoodies in the team’s newly announced “mighty maroon” and “victory vermillion” colors.
“As an investor in AFC Toronto, I am incredibly proud to support a team that embodies the values of equity, inclusion and diversity,” said Kathy Cheng, founder and president of Redwood Classics and a member of the Promo for the Planet editorial advisory board. “Providing the merchandise for their launch has been a rewarding experience, showcasing our commitment to quality and craftsmanship.”
The AFC Toronto team is set to play its inaugural season with the newly created Northern Super League (NSL) – of which it is a founding member – in spring 2025.
The NSL is Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league and features six founding clubs from around the country: AFC Toronto, as well as clubs from Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary and Vancouver.
League organizers said although the NSL is the first of its kind in Canada, the name intentionally doesn’t include “women” to emphasize its equality with all professional Canadian sports leagues. AFC Toronto proclaims its mission to be “for girls and women to achieve greatness on their terms,” including by developing more pathways to a career in professional soccer for women and girls in Toronto.
Redwood Classics, a certified woman- and minority-owned supplier, has a history of environmentally focused socially conscious partnerships, including those that encourage kids in sports.
“Together, we are elevating the standard of women’s sports and fostering community empowerment and economic inclusion,” Cheng said. “This partnership is a testament to our shared mission of improving the game.”