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World Cup shirts to be made of old bottles

Nike said shirts for the nine national teams wearing its gear, including one of the favourites Brazil, would be made from polyester recycled from used bottles.

Each shirt would use up to eight plastic bottles retrieved from Japanese and Taiwanese landfill sites, said Nike, the world's biggest sports goods manufacturer.

"We are equipping athletes with newly designed uniforms that not only look great and deliver performance benefits, but are also made with recycled materials, creating less impact on our environment," said Charlie Denson, president of Nike Brand.

Nike, which dominates sales in athletics and basketball, is mounting a major campaign to win a bigger share in football, the world's most popular sport.